| Membership |
RESTORE is distributed to current SER members. Make sure you don't miss a single issue!
|
| Quick Links |
|
| |
|
|
 RESTORE is a weekly e-bulletin, published by SER International, linking you to the latest, breaking news stories from around the world keeping you up-to-date on a wide variety of topics related to ecological restoration including the latest funding opportunities. RESTORE is free to SER International members and can be subscribed to for only $20/year by visiting: www.ser.org/content/restoration_network.asp. |
|
Get Involved / Community-Based Restoration
New Graduate Certificate in Ecosystem Restoration at the University of Maryland
The Graduate Certificate in Professional Studies in Ecosystem Restoration provides a unique opportunity for early- and mid-career environmental professionals to gain a high quality graduate education in the principles of ecosystem restoration, applications of these principles to ecosystem restoration projects, and specialized hands-on field-oriented electives. This certificate program is particularly relevant to the theory and practice of the conservation, management and restoration of streams, tidal and nontidal wetlands, submersed aquatic vegetation, and other critical coastal and inland habitats.
http://www.professionalstudies.umd.edu/ecosystem/
Alabama Students Help Restore Hurricane-damaged Coastline
Students are helping to restore the hurricane-ravaged Alabama coastline by growing beach grasses in their classrooms and then hitting the dunes to plant them. The Grasses and Classes program, similar to ones in Florida and Maryland, sends more than 1,000 Montgomery County students to Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge each year. They have planted nearly 20,000 plants and helped restore four miles of coastline since Hurricane Ivan hit in 2004.
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2008-05-07-beach-grasses_N.htm
|
|
People in the News
New President and CEO of the Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy has concluded its search for a new President and CEO with the appointment of Mark Tercek. Mark comes to the Conservancy from Goldman Sachs, where he has been a managing director and the head of the Goldman Sachs Center for Environmental Markets and the Environmental Strategy Group. Following an extremely thorough search, the Board is confident that we have found the right person to lead The Nature Conservancy to fulfill its conservation mission. Mark is uniquely qualified as a dynamic, experienced leader with a strong track record of team building and effective collaboration.
Massachusetts: Yokum Brook's Restoration has Many Benefits
Readers may recall that a year or so ago, the restoration of Yokum Brook in Becket was completed. Two dams were removed from the brook (Silk Mill and Ballou dams). Not only were the dams removed to allow fish passage, but the town derived some long-term benefits. A new underground tank to be used in fire emergencies was installed, a flood hazard had been removed, and safety issues related to the dams had been resolved. The kids in the Becket-Washington elementary school got into the act too, raising salmon fry from eggs, which were provided by the Reed Hatchery in Palmer, and stocking them into the brook. On Friday, May 2 the partners of the Yokum Brook Restorations were honored by the Coastal America Partnership.
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/sports/ci_9222219
Miami Woman Honored for Saving Puerto Rican Coastal Wetland
Mildred Ramos Majoros of Miami has been named the winner of the 2008 National Wetlands Award for Conservation and Restoration. The award honors her multi-year effort as a project manager with the Trust for Public Land to preserve 270 acres of critical coastal habitat in Puerto Rico that was slated to become a large-scale resort.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/may2008/2008-05-07-094.asp
California: Santa Clara County Pushes Habitat Protection Plan
Santa Clara County supervisors Tuesday decided to move ahead in developing a complex habitat plan that would set policy on the impact of development on endangered species, impose fees, and protect and enhance important habitat areas. The Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan does not approve development, but instead it evaluates the likely impact on endangered species affected by future public and private development and assesses a fee based on the impact. The plan will also set policy on mitigation, land and stream conservation strategy, project review process, cost and funding, and implementation.
http://cbs5.com/local/santa.clara.environment.2.718098.html
Return to Table of Contents
|
| New Books & Articles
Principles and Guidelines for Ecological Restoration in Canada's Protected Natural Areas
These principles and guidelines represent the first-ever Canada-wide guidance for ecological restoration practices. In the fall of 2007, Canada's Environment Minister as well as all Ministers responsible for parks in Canada endorsed them and agreed that they would adopt and apply them as appropriate to their particular program mandates, policies and priorities. The Principles and Guidelines result from a broad-based collaboration. They were developed by a working group chaired by Parks Canada on behalf of the Canadian Parks Council - a federal-provincial-territorial governmental forum on parks. Working group members included representatives of Canada's federal, provincial and territorial parks and protected areas agencies, Canadian and international universities, the US National Park Service, the Society for Ecological Restoration International (SER), and SER's Indigenous Peoples Restoration Network Working Group.
http://pc.gc.ca/docs/pc/guide/resteco/index_e.asp
ReWealth by Storm Cunningham
In ReWealth!, redevelopment expert Storm Cunningham reveals a vast new realm of fast-growing, highly profitable opportunities to revitalize our communities and our planet. He outlines the practices and strategies that achieve rapid, resilient renewal, generating tremendous wealth-not to mention personal satisfaction and happiness-through remarkable career and investment options. Cunningham explains the three proven, universal principles that, when combined, enable nondestructive, unlimited economic growth that actually heals nature and society. He shows how you can generate rewealth by replenishing natural resources, rebuilding communities, redeveloping polluted land, restoring structures, and revitalizing economies.
http://www.rewealth.com/
Sahara Dried Out Slowly, Not Abruptly
The once-green Sahara turned to desert over thousands of years rather than in an abrupt shift as previously believed, according to a study on Thursday that may help understanding of future climate changes. And there are now signs of a tiny shift back towards greener conditions in parts of the Sahara, apparently because of global warming, said the lead author of the report about the desert's history published in the journal Science.
http://www.enn.com/sci-tech/article/36012
|
| Restoring Natural Capital (RNC)
Return to Table of Contents |
Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)
Demographic and Ecological Perspectives on the Status of Polar Bears
Observations of natural mortality, intra-specific aggression, poor condition, and even healthy bears in good condition on ice floes have been cited as evidence of a population impacts on polar bears due to declining sea ice. Anecdotal information, although useful and interesting, is not equivalent to scientific information based on valid statistical analysis of sample data. Simultaneously, traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) from Inuit has been largely ignored because TEK is mostly oral, and because TEK generally does not support the assertion that polar bear populations are in general, or even local decline.
http://www.rightsidenews.com/20080511916/global-warming/polar-bear-update-populations-and-environments.html
Return to Table of Contents |
| Agro-Ecology
Cuba: 'Green' Farming Techniques to Boost Production
The application of agroecological techniques and the salvaging of traditional farming methods have revolutionised food production in rural areas along the southern edge of the Cuban capital. Cuba is currently facing the urgent challenge of boosting agricultural productivity because of the rise in global food prices. A number of farms in the outlying Havana district of Batabanó that are taking part in the Programme for Local Agrarian Innovation (PIAL) have seen improvements in their harvests and livestock.
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=42347
Tejon Ranch Agreement Conserves California's Natural Heritage
The publicly traded Tejon Ranch Co. and five environmental groups have agreed to permanent conservation of 90 percent of the giant ranch, the parties announced Thursday. In exchange, the Tejon Ranch is guaranteed the right to proceed with its existing development plans in three locations along the western edge of the 270,000 acre ranch without continued opposition by the environmental organizations.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/may2008/2008-05-09-01.asp
Return to Table of Contents |
| Biodiversity & Climate Change
Biodiversity: It's in the Water
What if hydrology is more important for predicting biodiversity than biology" Research published in the May 8th issue of the journal Nature challenges current thinking about biodiversity and opens up new avenues for predicting how climate change or human activity may affect biodiversity patterns. In the article, an international group of researchers demonstrates that the biodiversity of fish species in a river system can be accurately predicted with a simple method that uses only the geomorphology of the river network and rainfall measurements for the river system.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-05/epfd-b-i050508.php
|
|
CD to Benefit Madagascar Environmental Efforts
Music loving environmentalists will soon be directly contributing to forest restoration in Madagascar simply by purchasing a special new CD scheduled for release in June. Eco-Rocker J.P. Taylor is donating $3.00 from every sale of his new CD entitled "The Last Frontier" directly to the UK based environmental group AZAFADY. "People want to make a difference for the planet," says Taylor. "I want to encourage them with both the songs and the contribution."
http://www.pr.com/press-release/83935
Sri Lanka: CTC Involves in Reforestation
The forest reserves in Sri Lanka have been dwindling fast due to deforestation to accommodate development projects and mostly by illicit means. To mitigate this adverse and disastrous effect on life and environment, Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC) has been in a pioneering effort involved in reforestation as CTC was using firewood to dry their tobacco in their barnsntribution.
http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/11101
Delaware: Volunteers Aid Nature Conservancy with Restoration Program
Community volunteers, including DuPont employees from the company's "Clear into the Future Program," recently assisted staff from The Nature Conservancy's Delaware chapter in a major, multi-year ecological restoration project in Delaware's Milford Neck area. Staff from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was also on site, providing technical and field support for this project, which is marked by the use of cutting-edge reforestation methods. http://www.capegazette.com/storiescurrent/200805/natureconservancy050908.html
Return to Table of Contents |
| Wetland Restoration
Washington: Saving Wetlands - A Broken Promise
The state's commitment to our fragile wetlands dates back two decades. On Dec. 12, 1989, Gov. Booth Gardner announced that half the state's wetlands were gone, and 2,000 acres more were vanishing each year. So he issued an order: For each marshy piece of ground paved, another would be created to replace it. Not only would the state stop losing wetlands, Gardner vowed, but wetlands in Washington would actually increase.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004407515_growth_wetlands15m1.html
Florida: Scientists Are Starting to See Results in the Kissimmee's Restoration
Seven years ago this scene would have been unlikely, because what today is a marsh was a pasture. That pasture had been created when the Kissimmee River was converted from a 103-mile winding natural river into a 56-mile drainage canal in the 1960s, draining 30,000 acres of marshes and destroying much of the aquatic food chain that once supported plentiful wildlife. The fact that the work had wrecked the river's ecology was recognized as long ago as 1971, but it took nearly 20 years of lobbying, securing state and federal money, and undertaking the studies to launch what has been called the most ambitious environmental restoration project in history to begin to reverse the damage.
http://www.theledger.com/article/20080509/NEWS/805090416/1039
Return to Table of Contents |
River & Watershed Restoration
Montana: Restoring Habitat - Lincoln Spring Creek Seeing New Life
The Lincoln Spring Creek, a troubled tributary of the Blackfoot River, is being reborn. Gurgling up from the woodlands near here, the creek runs through the ranches and farmland of the Blackfoot Valley. Once pristine, the creek has become a trampled mess in modern times, its waters muddied by cattle, depleted by irrigation and overheated by a loss of shade trees.
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/05/13/news/local/news02.txt
Texas: Mission Reach Ecosystem Restoration Project in San Antonio
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District, has awarded a $23,448,135 million contract for the first phase of the ecosystem restoration of the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River. Funding for this contract was provided by the federal government, in the amount of $9,100,000, and by the San Antonio River Authority and funding partners, the City of San Antonio and Bexar County, in the amount of $14,348,135. The contract was awarded to Laughlin-Thyssen, Inc. of Houston through a best value process, using the following selection factors: past construction experience, relevant specialized experience, management effectiveness, construction duration, and small and disadvantaged business utilization. Price was approximately equal to all technical factors.
http://www.swf.usace.army.mil/pubdata/pao/releases/fy2008/nr08-017.pdf
Illinois: Lessons Chicago Wilderness can Offer our Region
Now a powerful consortium of more than 220 public and private organizations working together to protect, restore, study and manage the natural ecosystems of the greater Chicago metropolitan region, Chicago Wilderness achieves its mission through collaborative work in natural area restoration, science, sustainable development, outreach and advocacy. We work to connect people with nature on a landscape scale across parts of four states. The northern edge of our region now adjoins the southern boundaries of the Greater Milwaukee watershed region of the Southeastern Wisconsin Watershed Trust.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=746428
California: Bill Reviving the San Joaquin River gets an OK
Long-stalled legislation to bring life back to the dried-up San Joaquin River and restore its historic salmon run cleared a significant hurdle Wednesday when a U.S. Senate committee gave its approval. The bill passed by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee now joins similar legislation approved by a House committee in November. The legislation would pay for restoring the once-mighty river, which foamed with spawning salmon until it was dammed in 1942.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/07/BA5D10IFPU.DTL
Return to Table of Contents |
| Desertification & Arid Land Restoration
Return to Table of Contents |
| Coastal & Marine Restoration
Maryland: Reports Reveal a Degraded Chesapeake Despite Restoration Efforts
Two reports released in April continue to paint a picture of a Bay ecosystem that remains severely degraded despite a quarter century of restoration efforts. For the second year in a row, the state-federal Bay Program partnership released its Health and Restoration Assessment report in tandem with the release of the Chesapeake Bay 2007 Report Card produced by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.
http://www.bayjournal.com/article.cfm?article=3333
Florida: Pole-Or-Troll Proposal to Save Seagrass Beds
A task force that has been meeting for nearly a year cobbled together yet another proposal intended to protect environmental resources but still allow boaters and fishing guides to enjoy Cockroach Bay. Boaters would be allowed to crank up motors in that channel and two access corridors, one at the south end of Little Cockroach and another at the north end. Outside marked areas, they would have to use trolling motors or push poles to protect seagrass beds.
http://southshore2.tbo.com/content/2008/may/07/ss-pole-or-troll-proposal-to-save-seagrass-beds/?news
Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem
The Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem (LME) is characterized by its tropical climate. It owes its unity to the Guinea Current, an eastward flow that is fed by the North Equatorial Counter Current (NECC) off the Liberian coast. Climate is the primary force driving the LME, with intensive fishing as the secondary driving force. Changes in ecosystem structure and species abundance have been observed in this LME. The Global Environmental Facility (GEF) has funded a major program in the Gulf of Guinea. It is the largest single project presently underway in Africa for establishing an ecosystem-based assessment and management of coastal environments and resources.
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Guinea_Current_large_marine_ecosystem
Louisiana: Mandeville Council gives Go-ahead for Wetland Restoration Project
The Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Project in Mandeville got the green light Thursday night thanks to City Council members unanimously approving and accepting Gilmore & Son Construction Corp. as the lowest bidder. Bidding began on the goliath project earlier this week, and what Mayor Eddie Price and other city officials estimated would cost nearly $3 million came in at a surprising $1.68 million. "This is good news for us," Price said, excited about beginning the project that, until recently, was not an accepted means of coastal restoration.
http://www.slidellsentry.com/articles/2008/05/12/news/doc48284f2d36f4b689245172.txt
Return to Table of Contents |
Wildlife Restoration
Wisconsin Conservation Projects Draw Elk Foundation Grants
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, an international conservation organization focused on elk habitat and restoration, has announced its first-round grants for 2008 projects in Wisconsin. Six grants, totaling $44,160, have been awarded. Grants affect Ashland, Bayfield, Jackson, Price and Sawyer counties. Another $50,933 is available for allocation in second-round conservation grants, plus $31,698 for education projects, to be announced later this year.
http://outdoornewsdaily.com/index.php/archives/3757
California: Tulare Co. Farmer Protects Songbird
Sometimes folks overlook the role farmers play in providing habitat for wildlife, not realizing efforts that some make to protect birds and other critters. There was a reminder recently when Audubon California announced it reached an agreement with a farmer in Tulare County to safeguard a single colony of about 80,000 tricolored blackbirds -- nearly one-third of the world's population of this declining songbird.
http://www.fresnobee.com/866/story/590063.html
|
| Invasive Species
New Zealand: Grampians Replanting Tragedy and Opportunity
In Saturday's Voices column, David Price says, I read with dismay the report that the Nelson City Council is to replant part of the Grampians with "4000 exotic trees including oak, feijoa, ash, cedar, maple and sequoia". My disappointment is not due to the removal of pines and eucalypts or the need to reforest, but because of the astounding choice of trees for replanting. Councillors, why do you want to plant more exotics?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/nelsonmail/4523336a23220.html
Return to Table of Contents |
| Urban Restoration
The Los Angeles River: Intro to a Case Study in Urban Revitalization
If there is one environmental movement that can gain near-unanimous support, it is the revitalization of visible, past human impact. Climate Change needs evidence beyond scientific fact in order to become a larger accepted issue - there is no doubt about that. But closer to home, something we at least recognize, are mistakes from past undertakings, which today, make sense to pull back in time in order to benefit the future. This is an introduction to restoration and revitalization, which go beyond just making things 'pretty' again; they aim to restore the integrity of once functioning ecosystems.
http://variableinterest.wordpress.com/2008/05/08/the-los-angeles-river-intro-to-a-case-study-in-urban-revitalization/
New York: The Police Pledges $1 Million for MillionTreesNYC
Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland - The Police - Tuesday pledged $1 million to plant trees across New York City. This donation to the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City in support of MillionTreesNYC will be matched by the city. The total of $2 million will fund the planting of 10,000 trees and help launch the reforestation component of MillionTreesNYC, which will reforest 2,000 acres of parkland across the five boroughs. Reforestation efforts improve air and water quality, reduce greenhouse gases and lower energy costs.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/may2008/2008-05-07-092.asp
Return to Table of Contents |
| Funding Opportunities
Minnesota: Shoreland Restoration Funding Available
A perfectly manicured lawn may be appealing curbside, but on the water's edge it's devastating.
Osakis lakeshore owners may be eligible for a 75 percent project grant for shoreland restoration projects. The Sauk River Watershed District (SRWD) received a grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to help fund these projects.
http://www.theosakisreview.com/articles/index.cfm?id=1416§ion=News&freebie_check&CFID=32747008&CFTOKEN=96561653&jsessionid=883082bd3f6267771c2f
Washington: Grants Available for Surface Water Education, Restoration Projects Closes May 16, 2008
Plan a field trip, study a creek, plant some native species or even put on a puppet show! The possibilities are endless. Make a Splash environmental grants of up to $2,500 are available from City of Tacoma Environmental Services to any school, group or individual considering a project to help protect and restore surface water resources within the Tacoma city limits. The $50,000 grant program is funded by the City's surface water utility rates and is currently in its sixth year. Application materials for 2008 must be postmarked by May 16, 2008. For more information or to download an application, go to http://www.cityoftacoma.org/makeasplash or call (253) 591-5588.
Fellowships Available in Estuarine Science Closes June 6, 2008
CALFED Science Program, California Sea Grant College Program is offering stipends of up to $45,000/yr. for Postdocs and $25,000/yr. for Graduate Fellows for up to 2 years, plus eligible expenses.
http://www.csgc.ucsd.edu/EDUCATION/CALFED/CALFEDIndx.html
Fulbright Scholar Program for US Faculty and Professionals Closes August 1, 2008
The Fulbright Scholar Program is offering 109 lecturing, research or combined lecturing/research awards in environmental science during the 2009-2010 academic year. Awards range from two months to an academic year. Faculty and professionals in environmental science may apply for awards specifically in their field or for one of the many "All Discipline" awards open to any field. The application deadline for Fulbright traditional lecturing and research grants worldwide is August 1, 2008. U.S. citizenship is required. For other eligibility requirements, detailed award descriptions, and an application, visit our website at www.cies.org, or send a request for materials to apprequest@cies.iie.org.
Fulbright Awards in Agriculture or Fisheries
Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program for academic year 2009-10 offers various awards for American academics and professionals in the fields of agricultural economy. The Philippines ( http://www.cies.org/award_book/award2009/award/Agr9161.htm)offersa six-months Lecturing/Research combination grant to help the development of young scholars and practitioners as well as to consult the country's Department of Agriculture. Kazakhstan ( http://www.cies.org/award_book/award2009/award/Env9494.htm ) offers awards for 4 to 10 months in environmental sciences or environmental law to lecture or lecturing/research combination. Turkmenistan ( http://www.cies.org/award_book/award2009/award/All9513.htm ) seeks for applicants in agricultural studies and water resources management; and so does Uzbekistan ( http://www.cies.org/award_book/award2009/award/All9515.htm ) Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Program Officer Mamiko Hada (mhada@cies.iie.org) with most up-to-date CV.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
