Inside the "Black Box" of River Restoration: Using Catchment History to Identify Disturbance and Response Mechanisms to Set Targets for Process-Based Restoration

Many river restoration projects fail. Inadequate project planning underpins many of the reasons given for failure. Another major problem is the lack of an agreed guiding image to direct the activities aimed at restoring the necessary biophysical and ecological processes within the logistic constraints of on-ground works. Despite a rich literature defining the components of restoration project planning, restoration ecology currently lacks an explicit and logical means of moving from the initial project vision through to on-ground strategies. We present a worked example on the Upper Hunter River in southeastern Australia to show how understanding catchment history can reveal disturbance and response mechanisms, thus facilitating process-based restoration.

http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol15/iss4/art8/

 

Traditional Knowledge in Policy and Practice: Approaches to Development and Human Well-being

This book focuses on the relevance of TK to key environment- and development-related sectors, discusses the current debates within each of these sectors and presents suggestions as to how TK can be effectively integrated with conventional science and policy. A valuable resource to researchers, academics and policymakers, Traditional knowledge in policy and practice provides a comprehensive overview of TK, and its links and contributions to social, economic, environmental, ethical and political issues.

http://www.unu.edu/unupress/2010/traditionalKnowledgePolicyAndPractice.html

 

Degradation and Restoration of Coral Reefs: Experience in Okinawa, Japan

Coral reefs in Okinawa, Japan, have declined due mostly to human pressures. Development of techniques for restoration by artificial efforts such as underwater silviculture and transplantation are definitely required. Some 4-year-old colonies of Acropora tenuis, cultured from eggs and transplanted to the seabed at Akajima, Okinawa, had grown to 20-25 cm in diameter and initially spawned in June 2009. This indicated the possibility of using this technique to assist local coral reef restoration. Although the small scale of success so far may not be significant, given the wide range of degradation of coral reefs, certain methods of rehabilitation have proved promising enough to continue our endeavour.

http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a927491431

Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)

Native Environmentalism and the Alberta Oil Boom

Alberta, the Canadian federal government and resource companies have paid intermediaries and interpreters millions of dollars to engage native-Canadian communities - called First Nations - and record their "traditional ecological knowledge," or TEK, so it can be used in projecting and mitigating environmental impacts. But as the stakes rise - Alberta is now the United States' top foreign source for oil - some critics question the very premise of that "progressive" policy.

http://www.miller-mccune.com/politics/native-environmentalism-and-the-alberta-oil-boom-24740/

Forest Restoration

River & Watershed Restoration

New NSF Grant for Interactive Community Computer Simulation to Restore Watersheds

Researchers from the School of Science at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis have received a $410,000, three-year award from the National Science Foundation to study and improve watershed management practices. The federal grant supports the design and deployment of an interactive computer simulation framework that will enable those who live or work in watershed regions to be part of a collaborative restoration of the ecological balance disrupted by agricultural development, deforestation, urbanization and residential development.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-10/iuso-nng102910.php

 

Ducks Unlimited Canada Receives 2010 Watershed Award from GRCA

Ducks Unlimited Canada has been working for over three decades to restore wetland habitat in the Grand River watershed. DUC has invested $1.6 million in 80 wetland projects in this watershed and received a 2010 Grand River Conservation Award on Sept. 16 for its outstanding contribution to conservation.

http://www.exchangemagazine.com/morningpost/2010/week43/Wednesday/102706.htm

 

UK: Clean-up of Norfolk's River Nar Unveiled

The Environment Agency, the Norfolk Rivers Internal Drainage Board, and Natural England are working on a strategy to clean up the River Nar. They will be helped by consultants, the River Restoration Centre, to tackle years of neglect from its source at Mileham to King's Lynn where it ends.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-11684602