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 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 or can be subscribed to for only $20/year by visiting: www.ser.org/content/restoration_network.asp. Please send your news stories and articles to the RESTORE editor at info@ser.org. |
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Get Involved / Community-Based Restoration
Attention SER Members
Australasia Top 25 Restoration Projects Now Online
The Society for Restoration International and the Ecological Management and Restoration journal conducted an 18-month search for the top projects and an expert panel, including the journal's editor, selected the winners. The top 25 projects have been posted on a website that enables restoration scientists and managers to exchange information about their work.
http://www.globalrestorationnetwork.org/countries/australianew-zealand/
Setbacks and Surprises: Contributions Invited
The journal Restoration Ecology has initiated a new category of paper: "Setbacks and Surprises." This section aims to provide the opportunity to report the results of restoration projects that did not go as planned, projects that failed to meet the original goals or did not meet the goals without considerable changes to the original plans. If you have any queries contact the Managing Editor, Dr Susan Yates (restoration.ecology@uwa.edu.au).
Huge Discount on Wiley-Blackwell Products
Wiley-Blackwell has extended a discount to SER members for a limited time. You can now can receive a 25% discount on all of their product lines by using the following code: SDP18. Please visit their web site at: www.wiley.com to start shopping!
Get Involved/Community-based Restoration
Oregon: Volunteers Needed for 'Totally Turtles' event
Hillsboro Parks and Recreation Department hopes the urge to help turtles will attract 150 volunteers to Rood Bridge Park. The group will work from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 16, to create a native turtle release site as part of Oregon's 150th birthday celebration. This extensive habitat restoration project will help "Take Care of Oregon."
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/argus/index.ssf?/base/news/1242152472247870.xml&coll=6
Training 'Stewards' for Bay's Watersheds
Each time the county government teams up with the schools to plant shrubs and grasses at stream-restoration projects, officials get the same questions again and again. How can I do this in my neighborhood? Can I do this sort of thing at my home? "There's such great enthusiasm for people to do things," said Suzanne Kilby Etgen of the county's Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center.
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/top/2009/05/09-24/Our-Bay-Training-stewards-for-bays-watersheds.html
Australia: Grow Your Own Forest
More than 35 years ago, Stan Mussared and his wife Magda bought 1.6ha of cleared land at Waterview Heights. With a little love, care and creative thinking, they slowly turned the bare landscape into an environmental wonderland. Here, Stan shares his diary of his ecological project over the years and shows how it is possible to make a difference to even the most barren area.
http://www.dailyexaminer.com.au/story/2009/05/11/grow-your-own-forest/
Idaho: Planting the 'Nature Fire'
To encourage the re-establishment of more shrubby vegetation, a volunteer planting day was held. Ed Papenberg, of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, acts as coordinator for the Volunteer for Habitat Restoration program. This group includes people of all ages, from individuals and families to schools, civic organizations, 4H and Scout groups, and state and federal entities like the Bureau of Land Management and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.
http://idahonaturenotes.blogspot.com/2009/05/planting-day-in-burn-area-visitors.html
Conferences & Workshops
Fire, Restoration, and Wilderness in an Age of Climate Change
UM announces it 4th annual Environmental Ethics Institute, focusing on fire, restoration, and wilderness in an age of climate change. The institute will run from June 8-13 in Missoula, MT, with a three-week online portion beforehand.
http://www.enn.com/press_releases/2954
For a complete listing of conferences related to ecological restoration, please visit:
http://www.globalrestorationnetwork.org/conferences/ |
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People in the News
Naturalist Leads Efforts to Protect, Expand Habitats
As Marin and the rest of the country celebrates wetlands month in May, Beth Huning of the Fairfax-based Bay Area Joint Venture works to expand wetlands in the county and around the Bay Area. Wetlands are marshy areas that help wildlife thrive and survive, and the Woodacre resident coordinates various groups to make expansion projects happen.
http://www.marinij.com/lifestyles/ci_12278134
Career Conservationist Picked to Oversee Forest Service
President Obama nominated a career Agriculture Department employee yesterday to a political post overseeing the Forest Service and farmland conservation programs. If confirmed by the Senate, Homer Lee Wilkes -- currently the Mississippi state conservationist and a 28-year veteran of USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) -- would be undersecretary for natural resources and environment. The post directs the Forest Service and conservation projects at NRCS.
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/05/06/06greenwire-career-conservationist-picked-to-oversee-fores-19116.html
NSEA Organizes Tree Planting at Terrell Creek, Wins Award
The Whatcom County-based Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) received the 2009 Volunteer Organization of the Year Award at the Washington-British Columbia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society annual general meeting (April 20-23, Shelton.) NSEA board president Phil Humphries accepted the award for the organization. "More than 3,000 people volunteer their time each year to restore streamside habitat for salmon with NSEA," said Lindsay Taylor, NSEA volunteer coordinator. "Because of their hard work and dedication to healthy watersheds and a healthy community, NSEA was able to plant nearly 17,000 native trees and shrubs along our local rivers and streams last year, improving the water quality for both people and fish."
http://www.thenorthernlight.com/news/article.exm/2009-05-07_nsea_organizes_tree_planting_at_terrell_creek__wins_award
Scientist Issues Warning over Dying Coral Reefs
Leading marine biologist Thomas J. Goreau tells RIA Novosti how overfishing and waste dumping have brought the world's largest area of coral reefs to the brink of collapse, with devastating consequences to fish stocks and biodiversity. That is why without restoration of the already damaged habitats, there will be no hope of maintaining the fisheries and other ecological services that only healthy and diverse coral reefs can provide. Conservation is necessary, but it is just not sufficient by itself to do the job needed, without large-scale investment in restoring the roughly 95% of reefs that are already degraded.
http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20090511/121500825.html |
| New Books & Articles
Islands Top a Global List of Places to Protect
Rare and unique ecological communities will be lost if oceanic islands aren't adequately considered in a global conservation plan, a new study has found. Although islands tend to harbor fewer species than continental lands of similar size, plants and animals found on islands often live only there, making protection of their isolated habitats our sole chance to preserve them.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-05/uoc--ita050709.php
Grasslands: the Future of Sustainable Agriculture
Grassland: Quietness and Strength for a New American Agriculture was written to increase our awareness of the vital role grass and grassland plants have in ensuring a sustainable future for American agriculture. Published by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, the book's content is geared toward agriculturists, students, the public, and policy makers. Wendell Berry, a farmer and renowned author of more than forty books and essays about culture and agriculture, provides a moving foreword for the book that stresses the importance of properly educating future farmers about the land and the roles of grasslands.
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/552316/
Conservation Psychology: Understanding and promoting human care for nature
This textbook introduces the reader to the new and emerging field of Conservation Psychology, which explores connections between the study of human behavior and the achievement of conservation goals. People are often cast as villains in the story of environmental degradation, seen primarily as a threat to healthy ecosystems and an obstacle to conservation. But humans are inseparable from natural ecosystems. Understanding how people think about, experience, and interact with nature is crucial for promoting environmental sustainability as well as human well-being.
http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1405176784.html
Payments for Ecosystem Services
This book brings together 11 papers dealing with methodological issues in designing the PES and case studies of design and implementation problems. The editors refer to the PES as "economic transfers aiming to compensate agents for the provision of positive environmental externalities, which in principle should entail opportunity costs for providers." They also recognise the potential of the PES to improve the living conditions of the rural population and become a driving force for rural development. PES schemes have been created for carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, hydrological services, and landscape beauty.
http://www.hindu.com/br/2009/04/28/stories/2009042850021400.htm
The Challenge of Scaling Indian Innovation
For the last nine years, the resources of the NIF remained frozen at about $350,000 USD per annum, a fraction of total funds required. SRISTI, an Indian NGO that helps grassroots inventors, has managed without any external support for the last three years. No major breakthrough is expected until policy makers realize that these innovators deserve better. It's not just about moving them into houses with functioning toilets - these budgetary restrictions mean hundreds, maybe thousands, of other innovations will go unheralded.
http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/cs/2009/05/the_challenge_to_scaling_india.html
Essential Report on Wetland Ecosystems is Now Available
New focused text introduces readers to wetland ecosystems and systems approaches to studying wetlands. With its comprehensive coverage of wetland science, management, and restoration, Mitsch and Gosselink's Wetlands has been the premier reference on wetlands for more than two decades.
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2319456/
Backyard Restoration Gardening
The Landscaping Ideas of Jays: A Natural History of the Backyard Restoration Garden, University of California Press, describes a form of gardening guided by the teachings of jays, quail, solitary bees, and California's native plants themselves. Author and long-time gardener Judith Larner Lowry says restoration gardeners in California aim to boost native plant diversity while attracting wildlife and conserving water.
http://organicgardens.suite101.com/article.cfm/backyard_restoration_gardening_book_review |
| Restoring Natural Capital (RNC)
Oregon: Environmental Program to Get $3.8 Million
The Vancouver-based Northwest Resource Institute, which puts AmeriCorps volunteers to work performing environmental projects in the Pacific Northwest, could eventually triple in size under recently passed legislation. The institute, based at Educational Service District 112, has branches in Trout Lake and Portland. "We're one of the oldest environmentally focused AmeriCorps sites in the country," said director Tim Foley. Volunteers, most in their early to mid-20s, work in watershed restoration, invasive species and habitat monitoring, among other projects. They are paid a monthly living stipend.
http://www.columbian.com/article/20090510/NEWS02/705109958 |
Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)
Global Scramble on Climate Change Threatens Indigenous Rights
As cultural ecologist Gene Anderson observed, many of the world's traditional societies long ago came to "some kind of terms with their environment, or they would not have lasted long enough to become 'traditional.' " They are, in the language of ecology, living sustainably. And it seems self-evident now that the only way global conservation is going to succeed in its mission of preserving wild places and biodiversity is to end the counterproductive practice of evicting these proven land stewards from their homelands, and instead work together with them in developing sustainable ways of living.
http://www.redd-monitor.org/2009/05/11/stephen-corry-global-scramble-on-climate-change-threatens-indigenous-rights/#more-1971
California: A Maidu Way of Life
The history, culture and traditional ecology practiced by Mountain Maidu of the area will be the highlights Saturday, May 16, on a new tour by the Sierra Institute Center of Forestry. Farrell Cunningham and his father, Marvin, will lead the cultural exchange. Their ancestors lived in the area for at least 2,000 years. Farrell Cunningham is active in the promotion of Mountain Maidu history, culture and traditional ecology; he currently teaches Maidu language courses in Grass Valley.
http://www.plumasnews.com/news_story.edi?sid=7485&mode=thread&order=0
Building Tribal Capacity to Manage Wildlife Resources
Since inception of the highly competitive Tribal Wildlife Grants program in 2003, more than $50 million has been awarded to federally recognized Indian tribes, money that allows them to manage, monitor and conserve important fish and wildlife resources. "FWS and the tribes share strong natural resource stewardship values," said Benjamin Tuggle, FWS southwest regional director. "It is part of our mission to work with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We're pleased to assist in the Tribal Wildlife Grant Program to achieve these goals."
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/politics/44593627.html |
| Agro-Ecology
India: 'To save agriculture in Punjab, adopt ecological farming'
Smart Farming, a forum convened by Greenpeace India, launched a dialogue series on Thursday to discuss sustainable farming solutions with a vision to ensure food security in the country. The series kicked off with a panel discussion on soil health and agricultural productivity in Punjab, organised in collaboration with Punjabi University, Patiala. Scientists, farmers, development professionals and students participated in the discussion which concluded that reducing usage of agrochemicals and nourishing soil through ecological farming is the only way to save agriculture in Punjab, which is on the verge of a breakdown due to resource degradation. The experts pointed towards the need to shift to better ecological practices and also emphasised on the need for government support and research investment to catalyse this shift. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/to-save-agriculture-in-punjab-adopt-ecological-farming/453175/ |
| Biodiversity & Climate Change
Climate Change Forces Michigan Mammals Northward
Some of Michigan's forest mammals are expanding their ranges to the north, likely in response to climate change, a new study shows. The finding that historically southern species now are replacing the declining northern species by scientists at the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Ohio's Miami University, appears in the June issue of the journal "Global Change Biology." "This study documents things that are happening right now, here at home," lead author Philip Myers said today.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/may2009/2009-05-13-091.asp
Scientists Aim to Bring Indigenous People into Climate Change Monitoring and Policy
Scientists at the Missouri Botanical Garden are calling for the inclusion of indigenous peoples around the world in helping monitor the effects of global climate change and develop policy. In a special issue on traditional peoples and climate change in the May volume of "Global Environmental Change" published by Elsevier, guest editors Dr. Jan Salick, Senior Curator at the Missouri Botanical Garden, and Dr. Nanci Ross, research specialist at the Missouri Botanical Garden, highlight the role of indigenous people in adapting to and mitigating climate change.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-05/mbg-sat051209.php |
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Iowa: Restoring the American Elm in the Wid
The U.S. Forest Service will plant Dutch elm disease-tolerant American elm trees at Roslien Woodlands on the Luther College campus in Decorah, Iowa on May 4. The DED-tolerant elm tree planting is part of an ongoing partnership between the U.S. Forest Service Northeastern Area and Luther College to restore American elm trees in wildland settings in the upper Mississippi River watershed.
http://collegenews.org/x6999.xml
Maryland: DNR Seeks Help in Protecting Forests
Protecting existing forests and planting more trees to replace forests that have been cleared for development are the goals of two bills that passed the Maryland General Assembly this year. Both are aiming to protect the state's forested area, currently 2.6 million acres, in perpetuity. Since most of the forests - 76 percent - are owned by individuals, and the majority of those are owned by people with 10 acres or less, local landowner cooperation is needed to turn the state's goals into reality. In order to bring landowners on board, the state has a program to ease the tax burden for those who manage their forests, and provide them technical assistance.
http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/2009/05/10/news/local_news/3maryland_forests.txt
Japan Lends Peru US$120 Million to Protect Forests
Japan will lend Peru 120 million dollars to help preserve its endangered forests, Lima has announced. Peru's Environment Minister Antonio Brack said on Monday that the low-interest loan would be disbursed in three stages, with the first payment to be made to Lima next year.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iGaqgzXWuYd5pVh2Cor1dRF08sKA
US: Toshiba to Help Plant 80,000 Trees in National Forest
Toshiba America, Inc. announced today that volunteers from across the company will help plant 80,000 trees in the San Bernardino National Forest this Saturday, May 9. The tree-planting event will take place at the YMCA Camp Whittle in Fawnskin, California in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation to help replace trees lost to the wildfires in the fall of 2007. "This tree-planting will not only help restore the beauty and tree growth in this area but will help prevent soil runoff and the growth of invasive plant species, while better protecting local watersheds and restoring indigenous forest habitats for wildlife," said John Rosenow, founder and chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation.
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090505005583&newsLang=en
Arizona: Nation's Largest Forest Restoration Effort will Focus on Ponderosa Pine
Representatives of the Grand Canyon Trust, Arizona Forest Restoration Products, and Center for Biological Diversity signed a landmark agreement on Friday committing mutual support to a plan to safely restore beneficial fires and conserve biological diversity in northern Arizona ponderosa pine forests, the largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest in the world.
http://readitnews.com/environment/environmental-news/2075-nations-largest-forest-restoration-effort-will-focus-on-northern-arizona-ponderosa-pines |
| Wetland Restoration
Wetland Regions in Canada
Canada contains one-fourth of the world's wetlands and has been divided into seven wetland regions by the National Wetlands Working Group. These regions (arctic, subarctic, boreal, prairie, temperate, oceanic and mountain) generally resemble broad climatic/vegetation zones. In Canada, these climatic zones follow a north-south temperature gradient and east-west precipitation gradient. The division of wetlands into regions aids in both their study and conservation.
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Wetland_regions_in_Canada
Texas: Ducks Unlimited Works on Coast Restoration Project
Ducks Unlimited recently began restoration work supported by a North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant to enhance 6,841 acres of wetland habitat along the Texas coast. Partners contributed more than $2.8 million to match the $1 million received from the federal grant. "This project represents a continuation of long-term efforts to protect, restore and enhance important wetland habitats in the Gulf Coast Prairies," DU Manager of Conservation Programs for Texas, Todd Merendino said.
http://www.ammoland.com/2009/05/04/ducks-unlimited-works-on-texas-coast-restoration-project/
Oklahoma: Wetlands a Hot Topic for Nearly 50 Environmental Leaders
The Eastern Shawnee Tribe hosted an environmental conference Thursday at Downstream Resort concerning wetlands. The Tribe recently finished the restoration of a wetland on Lost Creek near Seneca, Missouri and has plans for more projects. Environmental engineer Russell Dutnell says there are wetlands all around us. "They're a giver of the life force, they unendate floods and prevent flooding downstream," explains Dutnell.
http://www.koamtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10323237 |
River & Watershed Restoration
Arizona: Recovery Money Awarded for Restoration Project along Salt River in Mesa
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District has announced that $645,000 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) has been awarded for the Va Shly'ay Akimel Salt River Ecosystem Restoration Project located along the Salt River that borders Mesa and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. "Getting recovery money from ARRA is great news for the partnership between the City of Mesa and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community for this project," Mesa Mayor Scott Smith said. "The Va Shly'ay Akimel Restoration along the Salt River will support native wildlife and vegetation and return this area to a more natural condition."
http://www.evliving.com/2009/04/30/6070/recovery-money-awarded-to-mesa/
Ohio: Little Beavercreek Restoration Offers Benefits
Two grants from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency gave Greene County organizations and residents the opportunity to restore 2100 feet of the Little Beavercreek. It wasn't long ago that the Little Beavercreek at Greene County's Creekside Reserve Park didn't meet EPA standards. That has changed since a group of organizations and volunteers set out to restore 6 locations along the stream with one common goal.
http://www.whiotv.com/news/19431749/detail.html
California: Matilija Dam Debris Problem
One of the reasons to tear down the Matilija Dam was to let all the silt and rock built up behind it to flow down the Ventura River and out to the ocean - where it would have gone naturally if not for the wall of concrete blocking the way. But officials in charge of one of the largest dam removal projects in U.S. history have hit a roadblock. They no longer know where the 6 million cubic yards of silt and rock would go.
http://venturaecosystem.blogspot.com/2009/05/matilija-dam-debris-problem.html |
| Grassland Restoration
Texas: Native Landscape at Former Mueller Airport being Restored
When Mueller residents Janelle and Don Dozier sit on their balcony, their view includes not only the state Capitol off in the distance but also an uncommon swath of Blackland Prairie. Gone are the parking lots and runways that were a part of the former Robert Mueller Municipal Airport. In its place are at least 30 different types of prairie grasses and wildflowers that create a lively interplay of color, shape and texture, with each plant playing its part in the local ecosystem.
http://www.statesman.com/life/content/life/stories/gardening/05/07/0507mueller.html
Illinois: Knox College Prairie Burn a Lesson in Restoration Ecology
Knox College biology professor Stuart Allison and students Sarah Lindeman and Sara DeMaria prepared for the burn some 30 minutes before the prairie was set ablaze. Allison poured kerosene into Panama Pump drip torches while Lindeman and DeMaria brought rubber "flappers" and burlap mops - used to smother the fire - from a large shed. "Actually, we have three different tracts of prairie and we alternate between them," said Allison, who chairs the Knox biology department and has been Green Oaks director for nine years. "So each tract is burned once every three years. The prairie is dependent on fire to renew itself.
http://www.galesburg.com/archive/x1735543454/Renewal-through-fire
FAO Submission to UNFCCC: Potential of Grasslands for Climate Change Mitigation
The submission explains that the carbon sequestration potential of grasslands has been estimated between 1.3 and 1.5 Gt CO2 equivalent, which could be realized through a combination of improved management practices and grassland restoration. Improved grassland management could realize 2-8 percent of the mitigation potential by 2020 while improving resilience of ecosystems and of dependent communities to impacts of climate change. Management practices include the introduction of new species and varieties, fire management, restoration of organic soils and degraded lands, extending the use of perennial crops, increasing tree cover in silvopastoral systems, managing grazing intensity and duration/periodicity, and improving pasture quality.
http://climate-l.org/2009/04/29/fao-submission-to-unfccc-potential-of-grasslands-for-climate-change-mitigation/ |
| Desertification & Arid Land Restoration
Wind, Salt and Water are Leading Indicators of Land Degradation in Abu Dhabi
Desert environments are characterized by poor vegetative cover, strong winds, dry, non-cohesive sandy soils, and hyper-arid conditions. In this context, the land resources of Abu Dhabi Emirate in the United Arab Emirates are subjected to various land degradation stresses, including wind erosion, salinization, waterlogging, landfilling, and overgrazing. To sustain the land resources of Abu Dhabi Emirate, land degradation is a matter of urgency and must be accorded greater significance on the environmental agenda.
http://www.bio-medicine.org/biology-news-1/Wind--salt-and-water-are-leading-indicators-of-land-degradation-in-Abu-Dhabi-8335-1/ |
| Coastal & Marine Restoration
After `Nargis', Mangrove Restoration Lacks Vision
Mangrove restoration is more popular than ever before. Following Cyclone Nargis, Dr Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN, emphasised the role of mangroves in mitigating the impact of natural disasters. Before that, in the wake of the Asian tsunami Bill Clinton hosted a meeting in New York to launch "Mangroves for the Future", a multi-party project focusing on mangrove conservation in tsunami-affected countries. The Red Cross is funding major replantation efforts in Vietnam and Thailand, and Japanese government aid is supporting mangrove plantations across Asia. However, many attempts at mangrove restoration are deeply flawed.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/05/13/after-nargis039-mangrove-restoration-lacks-vision.html
South Carolina: Oysters are Restored to Waters in Need
During the last weekend in April, a group of volunteers laid the final necessary pieces into Withers Estuary to reintroduce oysters to their native ecosystem. The project is part of the Withers Estuary Community Collaborative (WECC), a partnership of leaders in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The organization focuses on find ways to synergistically protect human and ecological networks by creating community-based solutions for preservation/restoration of local ecosystems. The oyster restoration project is the first of many steps to accomplish this goal.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/05/oysters_are_res.php
Seagrass Restoration Research in Long Island and Connecticut Waters
Seagrass has received a significant boost thanks to a $500,000 research grant (H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009) co-sponsored by Congressman Timothy Bishop (NY-01) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03). These overlooked, but essential underwater flowering plants, form dense stands in shallow salt-water bays and harbors, and provide critical habitat for local fish and other marine life.
http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/newyork/press/press4013.html
NY/NJ: Army Corps of Engineers and Partners Plan to Restore the Harbor Estuary
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced the release of the Draft Hudson-Raritan Estuary (HRE) Comprehensive Restoration Plan (CRP). The CRP was developed in partnership with the NY/NJ Harbor Estuary Program (HEP). The HEP is a consortium of federal, state, municipal, non-governmental organizations and other regional stakeholders focused on improving the quality of the harbor estuary.
http://www.empirestatenews.net/News/20090512-8.html
Alabama: Restoring Habitat
Planting seagrasses is muddy, unglamorous work. And unlike planting, say, an Arbor Day tree or a swath of sea oats, the fruits of the endeavor aren't even immediately visible. The effort, such as that taken by Dauphin Island Sea Lab researchers and a score of volunteers along Little Lagoon's northern shore last week, should have a lasting impact on water quality and aquatic habitat, though. From Thursday to Sunday the volunteers and scientists planted 16 patches of shoal grass and widgeon grass just west of Childress Point off the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge's Jeff Friend Trail.
http://www.al.com/news/press-register/baldwin.ssf?/base/news/1241514967307260.xml&coll=3 |
Wildlife Restoration
New Zealand: Robin Release Begins Restoration of Adele Island Biodiversity
South Island robins are due to be released onto Abel Tasman National Park's Adele Island this week, leading off the return to the island of native wildlife that once lived there. The release of robins as the first native bird species to be reintroduced to Adele Island/Motuarero-nui is a landmark step in the island's ecological restoration and its establishment as a sanctuary for native species. In a joint endeavour by the Department of Conservation and the Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust, at least 30 South Island robins/kakaruai are due to be moved over the next two days to Adele from Motuara Island in the Marlborough Sounds.
http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/robin-release-begins-restoration-adele-island-biodiversity/5/13284
California: Siebel Welcomes Frogs, Snakes
Tom Siebel, the self-made billionaire who founded Siebel Systems and then sold it to Oracle, has implemented a plan to restore part of his Portola Valley estate into ideal habitat for the endangered red-legged frog and San Francisco garter snake. The 42-acre property includes a 4-acre sag pond, "the key residence" for both endangered species, according to Al Donner of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A few years ago, Siebel approached the federal agency and volunteered to do habitat restoration on his property, Donner said.
http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/Siebel-welcomes-frogs-snakes-44199612.html
North Carolina: Zoo Wolf Cubs To Be Released Into The Wild
The Red Wolf Recovery Program is a cooperative conservation effort between the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Red Wolf Species Survival Plan and the United States Fish & Wildlife Service. The red wolf fostering strategy - placing red wolf pups born through a managed breeding program into wild dens - has been successfully performed with multiple litters over the past decade.
http://www.zandavisitor.com/newsarticle-1366-Four_Lincoln_Park_Zoo_Wolf_Cubs_To_Be_Released_Into_The_Wild_In_North_Carolina
New Zealand: Rare Native Ducks To Be Released
New Zealand's native pateke, one of the world's rarest ducks, will get a big helping hand on Friday when 60 captive-reared birds are released in the Cape Kidnappers wildlife sanctuary. Pateke, sometimes called brown teal, are half the size of the common mallard duck and live a nocturnal life, resting under waterside vegetation through the day and hunting insects on land at night, Landcare NZ ornithologist Dr John McLennan said.
http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/rare-native-ducks-be-released/5/13823 |
| Extractive Industries
Canada: Can Oil from Tar Sands be Cleaned Up?
In the Canadian province of Alberta the ground is skinned and gutted. Rising oil prices and dwindling reserves have pushed oil companies to exploit what was once considered unexploitable: tar sands, the dirtiest oil on Earth and the most expensive to extract. This strip-mined landscape is bad enough, but another method of extracting the oil is on the rise, and it is even more damaging to the environment. Yet new technologies offer hope that tar sands could one day be transformed into one of the cleanest fossil fuels.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227043.900-can-one-of-the-the-worlds-dirtiest-fuels-become-its-cleanest.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news
India: SC Bans All Mining Activity in Aravali Hills Area of Haryana
Shocked by what it found to be brazen overexploitation of an ecologically sensitive area, the Supreme Court on Friday put a blanket ban on all mining activities of both major and minor minerals in the Aravali hills spread over 448 square km in Faridabad, Gurgaon and Mewat districts of Haryana.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/SC-bans-all-mining-activity-in-Aravali-hills-area-of-Haryana/articleshow/4499061.cms
India: Delhi Sits on Ecological Minefield
The desert is closer to Delhi than you imagined. Indiscriminate mining in the Aravalli hills, mainly around Gurgaon and Faridabad, are leading to what experts call creeping desertification of areas that were earlier basins for water and home to trees. Delhi itself is testimony to the ravages of mining: some of the deepest mined pits in the Capital's Aravalli belt, now in Vasant Vihar's Aravalli Biodiversity Park, will take years of effort before they can sustain normal ecosystems again.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/delhi-sits-on-ecological-minefield/456883/
Minnesota: Leech Lake, Say No to Tar Sands Pipeline
A set of corporations has offered $10 million to the Leech Lake tribe in exchange for a 20-year lease of tribal lands. The proposed Enbridge Alberta Clipper pipeline is one of the most controversial in history, with immense environmental and economic impacts. Leech Lake band and the rest of northern Minnesota would do well to stop the pipeline, joining with thousands of Canadians, Indigenous peoples and indeed a host of shareholders who think this project is a sham, as well as an environmental and ethical disaster.
http://www.reznetnews.org/article/leech-lake-say-no-tar-sands-pipeline-33210 |
| Invasive Species
$5 Million on Table for Tamarisk Removal along Colorado River
A $5 million grant from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to eradicate tamarisk from a 56-mile stretch of the Colorado River, from the Utah state line past Palisade, is being debated among Grand Valley political leaders and conservationists. In order to get the grant, the Tamarisk Coalition is asking its partners in the Grand Valley for $10,000 to study how best to eradicate the nonnative species and determine how much each member of the coalition should spend on the program. In addition the coalition needs to appoint a lead agency - such as Mesa County, Grand Junction, a new nonprofit or an existing nonprofit such as the Mesa Land Trust - to coordinate efforts.
http://www.gjsentinel.com/hp/content/news/stories/2009/05/02/050309_3A_Tamarisk_SIDE.html
Illinois: Volunteers Fighting Invaders
The invaders put up a formidable defense but buckthorn fighters in Mettawa are employing unique tactics to control the pesky shrubs. Joined by DePaul University, volunteers not only are nurturing native plants on the former horse pasture at Riverwoods Road and Route 60, but have established the site as an incubator for groundbreaking research. They hope to pinpoint quicker and less expensive techniques that can be used throughout the region to remove the nasty plant and restore areas to their native state.
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=292356&src=3 |
| Recreation & Tourism
Texas: Adolph Thomae Park to Undergo Restoration
Nearly a million dollars will be spent restoring the shoreline at Adolph Thomae Park near Arroyo City. Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz (D-Corpus Chisti) said more the Minerals Management Service awarded $847,000 to the Texas General Land Office to improve the county park, which is located in the Laguna Atascosa region. "The Laguna Atascosa area remains as one of our dearest natural resources in my district; this is the right time for it to receive much needed funding to help protect and preserve the habitat in the area," Ortiz said.
http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/adolph-97752-park-thomae.html |
| Funding Opportunities
Indiana American Water to Fund Innovative Environmental Projects - Closes June 1, 2009
Indiana American Water announced today that the application process is now open for its 2009 Environmental Grant Program to support innovative, community-based environmental projects that improve, restore or protect watersheds and community drinking water supplies. The company will award grants of up to $10,000. The program is designed to support diverse types of activities, such as watershed cleanups, reforestation efforts, biodiversity projects, streamside buffer restoration projects, wellhead protection initiatives and hazardous waste collection efforts.
http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?ID=35173
New Jersey: Assistance Available for Wetland Restoration - Closes June 1, 2009
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced that applications will be accepted through Monday, June 1 for 2009 funding of wetland restoration projects on active or previously-farmed lands in New Jersey.
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20090221/NEWS/90219061/1010/newsfront
Minnesota: Wetland Restoration Dollars Available - Closes June 5, 2009
Government money is available to compensate rural landowners interested in restoring wetlands on their property. Through June 5, landowners can sign up for payments through the state's Wetlands Reserve Program to restore wetlands that have been drained and have a history of being used for agriculture production. Payment rates are based on township-average land values.
http://www.hutchinsonleader.com/news/announcements/wetland-restoration-dollars-available-through-june-5-104
FishAmerica Foundation Request for Proposals - Closes June 22, 2009
FishAmerica Foundation annually requests proposals from public and private organizations and local, state and tribal governments to fund projects that result in on-the-ground habitat restoration and clearly demonstrate significant benefits to marine, estuarine or anadromous fisheries resources. Projects must involve community participation through an educational or volunteer component tied to the restoration activities. FishAmerica also requests that applicants strive for a 1:1 non-federal match (cash or in-kind) on project proposals.
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/restoration/projects_programs/crp/partners/fishamerica.html
National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program - Closes June 26, 2009
The National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program provides States with a means of protecting and restoring these valuable resources. Projects can include (1) acquisition of a real property interest (e.g., easement or fee title) in coastal lands or waters from willing sellers or partners (coastal wetlands ecosystems) for long-term conservation or (2) restoration, enhancement, or management of coastal wetlands ecosystems for long-term conservation.
http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=44928
Nebraska: USDA Offers Grassland Reserve Program Sign-up - Closes July 1, 2009
Nebraska landowners wishing to maintain grazing land in grass, including range and pasture land, can apply for funds through the Grassland Reserve Program by July 1, 2009 at any USDA Service Center according to a USDA official. "Applying for GRP is continuous however, ranking dates are established to evaluate and select applications for funding," said Steve Chick, State Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service. GRP is implemented jointly by the NRCS and the USDA Farm Service Agency. Landowners can start their applications at either USDA office.
http://www.chadrad.com/newsstory.cfm?story=14278 | |
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