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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. | |
Get Involved / Community-Based Restoration
Get Involved/Community-based Restoration
Restoring Habitat at Rust Nature Sanctuary
The Habitat Restoration Project at the Rust Nature Sanctuary, which took place April 9 and 10, was a great success. This event was a follow-up to past restoration efforts at Rust that took place last year and the team made some great progress! Ann Garvey organized and led the effort as Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy habitat restoration volunteers, as well as several Virginia Master Naturalists (VMN), worked together to remove invasive plants on the property, and replace them with native plants. http://www.loudounwildlife.org/blog/2010/04/restoring-habitat-at-rust-nature-sanctuary/
Duwamish Alive! Nets 938 Volunteers
Nature Consortium hosted at least 938 volunteers plus coordinators in 12 sites who celebrated Earth Day 2010 with a large work party event as a part of Duwamish Alive! The Nature Consortium's Urban Forest Restoration Project is committed to long-term stewardship and restoration of the West Duwamish Greenbelt, the largest remaining contiguous forest within Seattle city limits. http://www.westseattleherald.com/2010/04/17/news/duwamish-alive-nets-938-volunteers
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People in the News
Six Wetland Stewards Receive 2010 National Wetlands Awards
The Environmental Law Institute announced today that six recipients from across the country have been recognized for their exceptional and innovative contributions to wetlands conservation. "Once again, ELI is proud to have worked with a team of leading experts to choose the winners of the national wetlands awards," stated ELI President Leslie Carothers. "With our partners from six federal agencies, we look forward to an awards ceremony that showcases the remarkable contributions the winners have made to a healthy and productive environment." http://www.enn.com/press_releases/3313
Goldman Prize Honors Activists Working to Save Land, Animals
Lynn Henning, a small farmer, exposed the water pollution caused in her Michigan county by concentrated animal feeding operations. In Costa Rica, biologist Randall Arauz forced his government to enforce its laws to protect endangered shark species from slaughter just for their fins. They're just two winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize being presented today in San Francisco. The prize, the largest for grass-roots activists in the world, comes with a $150,000 check for each of six recipients, one for each inhabited continent. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2010-04-19-goldmanprize19_ST_N.htm
Sherwood-area wetland restoration honored with State Land Board Award
The Oregon State Land Board recognized the Munger Farm Restoration project Tuesday in an awards ceremony honoring exemplary efforts to promote responsible stewardship of Oregon's natural resources. In presenting one of two 2009 Wetland Project Awards, State Treasurer Ted Wheeler, a member of the Land Board, said the project "demonstrates how agencies and funding partners can come together to create large-scale, community-based wetland restoration." http://sherwood.katu.com/content/sherwood-area-wetland-restoration-honored-state-land-board-award |
| Restoring Natural Capital (RNC)
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| Agro-Ecology
Smallholdings and community farming can improve habitats for biodiversity
Smallholders and people involved in community farming schemes are naturally keen to farm with their environment to improve habitats for wild flowers, insects, birds and mammals. Field edges sown with wild flowers and grasses provide essential habitats for invertebrates, birds and mammals. Animals provide a solution to managing undesirable vegetation. Grasses can be useful to prevent soil erosion and diffuse water-course pollution after heavy rain. To find out more about these ways of farming for biodiversity take a look at the Flora locale workshops this year. http://www.smallholder.co.uk/news/8104179.Smallholdings_and_community_farming_can_improve_habitats_for_biodiversity/ |
| Biodiversity & Climate Change
Bolivian President Blames Capitalism for Global Warming
Bolivian President Evo Morales said capitalism is to blame for global warming and the accelerated deterioration of the planetary ecosystem in a speech today opening an international conference on climate change and the "rights of Mother Earth." http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/apr2010/2010-04-20-02.html
Is Dave Matthews' carbon offsets provider really carbon neutral?
The company's model is unique, and controversial. NativeEnergy mostly sells offsets for projects that have yet to happen or are only in the works. What it calls a "help build" concept is not accepted by the leading independent certification organizations, which typically verify only carbon reduction emissions that actually have occurred. NativeEnergy sells its emission reductions upfront - and says they will be verified later, when they occur. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2010/0420/Is-Dave-Matthews-carbon-offsets-provider-really-carbon-neutral
Concern Over UN Plan to Preserve Forests
A UN-backed forest preservation scheme could become too valuable and complex, raising the risk that local communities could be shut out, scientists say. Reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation, or REDD, has attracted billions of dollars in funding pledges from rich nations keen to see the scheme established as part of a broad climate pact from 2013. REDD would allow developing nations to earn carbon offsets for projects that preserve or rehabilitate forests, which soak up carbon dioxide. http://www.irishtimes.com/weather/eye/2010/0417/index.html |
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Arizona: Newest endangered species - old growth pines Ecological Restoration Institute scientists at Northern Arizona University continue to urge forest restoration treatments on a scale never tried before. Such treatments would protect the now vulnerable old growth ponderosas. They would require raking forest duff away from the base of the oldest and largest trees to keep fire from killing the base of the trees; thinning out millions of small trees that create a ladder for flames to climb into the canopies of the old growth; restoring meadows and wetlands that are vanishing from the forest; and when the landscape is ready, bringing back low-intensity fire. Proposals are now under way in Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado to do just that -- and do it at the scale of millions of acres. http://www.azdailysun.com/news/opinion/columnists/article_4e706e6a-4299-5120-be0c-ae72f6baa934.html
Tom Tidwell Named 17th Chief of USDA Forest Service"The Forest Service focus on restoration will be closely tied to landscape-scale conservation. Especially in an era of climate change, we need to restore the resilience of America's forests to disturbances of all kinds. The treatments needed will improve watershed health, increase water quality, build community prosperity, and meet our shared vision of healthy sustainable forests." http://www.fs.fed.us/ |
| Wetland Restoration
The Changing Bay: Wetland Restoration Projects in Northern California
Since 2000, more than 300 wetland restoration projects have been commissioned, varying in size from the 0.7-acre large 12th Street Reconstruction Project in Alameda County to more than 13,000 acres being restored as a part of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project in San Mateo County. However, the collective size of the projects (58,889.5 acres across California) is dwarfed when you consider that the state has lost 95 percent of its wetland habitat in the past 125 years. http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2010/04/18/the-changing-bay-interactive-google-map/
Virginia: Wetland Restoration for Elizabeth River Environmental Restoration
This project involves the construction of a vegetated wetland in the Elizabeth River at the mouth of a major stormwater drainage canal on the campus of Old Dominion University. Also included are the construction of shoreline improvements and deck and dock facilities. The wetland component consists of a 467-foot long stone breakwater/sill, 175 feet of low-profile riprap guides for wetland area encasement, a permanent stone check dam in the existing canal for velocity dissipation, 2,820 cubic yards of imported sand, and 14,600 tidal wetland plants. http://www.implu.com/federal_contracts/listing/W91236-10-R-0015 |
River & Watershed Restoration
Georgia: Launching restoration project in wildlife area
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is beginning a three-year restoration project in the sandhills of the Townsend Wildlife Management Area in McIntosh and Long counties. David Mixon, regional game management supervisor for DNR's Wildlife Resources Division, says longleaf pines will be restored on more than 2,000 acres along the Altamaha River. Mixon says the project will begin with the removal of 500 acres of non-native sand pines and some loblolly pines. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/20/1588020/ga-launching-restoration-project.html |
| Grassland Restoration
BEC MN Pheasants Inc. Receives Grant To Restore Native Grassland
The Blue Earth County Chapter of Minnesota Pheasants Incorporated has received more than eight thousand dollars in state grants to restore native grassland.The group will enhance 31 acres of farmland either next spring or this fall after soybean harvest.They will plant 10 different kinds of grasses and 20 species of flowering plants to complete the ecosystem around a wetland just southwest of the Highway 60 -169 intersection.Howard Ward says, "Definitely a need for more wildlife habitat and this particular component that was missing was nesting cover. These areas are open for public use. Bird watching and general wildlife enjoyment."Once the restoration is complete, the group plans to sell the land to the DNR, and use those funds to continue wildlife work throughout the area. http://www.keyc.com/node/36129 |
| Desertification & Arid Land Restoration
Africa: Some comforting news
Several studies indicate that investing in ecosystem restoration increases production and helps keep people on the land. The village of Ranawa on the northern part of the Central Plateau of Burkina Faso is an interesting example. Due to recurrent drought, land degradation and food shortages, it lost 25% of its population between 1975 and 1985. Since land rehabilitation activities (=ecosystem restoration) began in 1984/85, not a single family has left the village and several families returned from the southwest where they had tried to settle. Between 1985 and 1996 its population doubled. This may be an extreme case, but there is some evidence that the demographic dynamics of villages which invest in their natural resources are different from those in which little or no investments are made. http://africa-regreening.blogspot.com/2010/04/activity-report-nr-3.html |
| Lake Restoration
Government of Canada Celebrates Restoration of Healthy Ecosystem at Wheatley Harbour The restoration of water quality in Wheatley Harbour is an outcome of Canada's Great Lakes Action Plan. Through the Plan, the Government of Canada is working to restore and protect water quality and the health of the aquatic ecosystem in the Canadian Areas of Concern on the Great Lakes. "We are very proud of what has been accomplished at Wheatley Harbour. Restoration of water quality and ecosystem health in Wheatley Harbour is incredibly important to its continued sustainability as a centre for the Lake Erie fishery and regional food processing." said Minister Prentice. http://finance.alphatrade.com/story/2010-04-16/CCN/201004161205CCNMATHWCANADAPR_0600182001.html |
| Coastal & Marine Restoration
Maryland: Smith Island restoration projects await funds
A $17.5 million Smith Island environmental restoration project has been approved but not yet fully funded. The comprehensive project, for which the Corps partnered with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, would restore submerged vegetation and construct bulkheads off the shore of the nearby Martin Wildlife Refuge, just north of Smith Island. http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1938120 |
| Extractive Industries
US: Interior Moving to Curb Coal Mining Pollution, Require Mountaintop Restoration
The Interior Department is writing new regulations for mountaintop-removal coal mining that would expand protection for waterways and require the restoration of dynamited areas. Establish a clear standard for restoring dynamited mountaintops. The 1977 Surface Mining Reclamation and Control Act requires that mountaintops be restored to their "approximate original contour," but defining the term has been left to individual states.
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/04/19/19greenwire-interior-moving-to-curb-coal-mining-pollution-60221.html |
| Invasive Species
California: Invasive weed removal and habitat restoration
The ultimate purpose of control efforts is to reduce or eradicate populations of Sahara mustard, while maintaining or increasing the abundance and diversity of native annual plants. It is not hard to kill individual plants, either by pulling them from the ground or spraying them with herbicide. However, killing plants often have other undesirable side-effects. For example, if control methods cause soil disturbance, germination rates may increase in the soil seedbank, thus increasing Sahara mustard populations during subsequent years. Thus, the ideal control method for Sahara mustard would be one which significantly reduces seed production of the treated cohort, does not improve site conditions for future generations, and has a net positive effect on the abundance and diversity of native plants. http://www.werc.usgs.gov/Project.aspx?ProjectID=95
Counting the cost of alien invasions
Far too many governments have failed to grasp the scale of the threat from invasive species, warns UN Environment Programme's executive director Achim Steiner. In this week's Green Room, he issues a call to arms to halt the alien invasion. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8615398.stm |
| Urban Restoration
New York: Incarcerated Nature
As part of the University at Buffalo's Ecosystem Restoration through Interdisciplinary Exchange program, UB researchers and graduate students will specifically be utilizing the wetland area. This area provides researchers with the opportunity to study a natural habitat surrounded by a manmade environment, sometimes referred as "incarcerated nature." Ultimately, the program aims to maintain or restore the quality of the West Seneca ecosystem, as well as others. http://www.ubspectrum.com/news/incarcerated-nature-1.1345110 |
| Funding Opportunities
Australia: River Prize - Closes May 14, 2010 Nominations are sought from individuals and organisations engaged in best practice river and catchment management and restoration from across Australia. (Australian river and catchment management groups may enter both the national and international Riverprize awards). Previous entrants are encouraged to apply again. http://www.riverfoundation.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=47
FishAmerica Foundation Community-Based Fish Habitat Restoration - Closes May 17, 2010 The American Sportfishing Association's FishAmerica Foundation invites proposals for citizen-driven habitat restoration projects under its partnership with the NOAA Community-based Restoration Program. The partnership requests proposals for local efforts to accomplish meaningful on-the-ground restoration of marine, estuarine, and riparian habitats, including salt marshes, seagrass beds, mangrove forests, and freshwater habitats important to anadromous fish species (fish like salmon and striped bass that migrate to and from the sea). Emphasis is on using a hands-on, grassroots approach to restore fisheries habitat across coastal America, the Great Lakes region, and U.S. Territories of the Caribbean. https://researchfunding.duke.edu/detail.asp?OppID=8190
USDA NRCS Wetland Reserve Program - Closes May 24, 2010 Under WREP, NRCS enters into agreements with eligible partners to help enhance conservation outcomes on wetlands and adjacent lands. WREP targets and leverages resources to carry out high priority wetland protection, restoration, and enhancement activities and improve wildlife habitat through agreements with States (including a political subdivision or agency of a State), nongovernmental organizations, and Indian tribes. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/wrp/pdfs/2010-8143.pdf
Watershed Restoration Projects, Coos Bay, Oregon - Closes May 28, 2010 Specific watershed restoration and conservation efforts with non-BLM partners on federal and non-federal watershed lands in the Coos Bay District of Oregon shall include identifying, planning, and implementing culvert replacement, in-stream habitat improvement, road sediment abatement, and unwanted invasive species encroachment control projects. http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&oppId=53743
CIAP Protection and Restoration of Critical Forested Habitats - Closes July 31, 2010 Approximately $16M of the CIAP funds allocated to the state of Louisiana are being used to develop and implement a Coastal Forest Conservation Initiative (CFCI) to conserve critical coastal forest habitat for storm damage reduction and the protection and restoration of rare, declining, or ecologically significant habitats. http://www.lacpra.org/index.cfm?md=pagebuilder&tmp=home&nid=72&pnid=2&pid=61&fmid=0&catid=0&elid=0 |
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