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The Society for Ecological Restoration in Washington D.C. is seeking an Executive Director
 SER is currently seeking to fill the Executive Director position at our Washington D.C. office.

SER Releases New Brochure on the Economics of Restoration at CBD Scientific Meeting
 SER delegation highlights why investing in our ecological infrastructure makes economic sense.

New SER Australasia Website and 2012 Conference in Perth

2012 Conference Listing

Australia: Kings Park and Botanic Gardens seeking Restoration Ecologists

Louisiana: Elmer's Island Habitat Restoration Dec 10-15, 2011

California: San Geronimo Habitat Restoration November 30, 2011 through December 31, 2011

EcoSummit 2012 - Call for Abstracts Deadline January 20, 2012

Louisiana: The Nature Conservancy is seeking volunteers help restore the Ouachita River floodplain January 2012

RAE 6^th National Conference - Call for Proposals Deadline February 1, 2012

Mangrove Forest Ecology, Management and Restoration Course - Florida, USA - March 1-2, 2012

Nominations now open for 2012 Thiess International Riverprize - Application Closes March 16, 2012

The 8th Conference of the Society for Ecological Restoration - Europe - September 9-14, 2012.

SER Members receive 25% off Island Press purchases. Contact caroline@ser.org for details!

Loss of bio-diversity affects everyone - Shigwedha
 Namibian award-winning environmental journalist, Absalom Shigwedha, said the key to effectively reporting biodiversity, is the ability for journalists to show people they are part of the process, reliant on its riches and deeply affected by its loss.

East Africa: In Kenya the Forest Is a Woman
Explaining the Wangari vision, Karanja Njoroge said Green Belt approaches community development from the grassroots level. Using tree-planting as an entry point, the movement mobilises communities, especially women, to plant trees and improve their livelihoods. Women organise themselves into tree nursery groups and learn about the importance of environmental protection. They take an active role in improving their communities by growing and nurturing tree seedlings. Once grown, these trees provide community members with basic services like food, firewood and building materials.

Forests of the Future Reshaped by Climate, Diseases
 In a new report, scientists outline the impact that a changing climate will have on which tree species can survive, and where. The study suggests that many species that were once able to survive and thrive are losing their competitive footholds, and opportunistic newcomers will eventually push them out.

Restoration on the Range: Healing America's Iconic Landscapes
 Researchers at the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) are working on a variety of restoration projects that aim to restore the functions of healthy rangeland ecosystems so that they remain resilient and capable of delivering the ecosystem services on which Americans depend.

PAYMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES: FIRST GLOBAL INVENTORY OF SCHEMES PROVISIONING WATER FOR CITIES (FAO)

Bamboo use 'could help stop Africa's deforestation'
 The use of bamboo charcoal and firewood is being promoted as an alternative source of energy in Africa, in the hope that it will help prevent growing deforestation on the continent.

India's first REDD project in the East Khasi Hills
 The current project may seek certification under Plan Vivo, if the Federation decides to move forward with the project. The Plan Vivo system was selected because it is NOT carbon centric and values all environmental and socio-economic benefits emerging from community forestry efforts. It is not subject to the constraints imposed by other REDD+ frameworks. Under this project, all revenues from carbon sales would be channeled to the participating communities. The project would be administered by the community forestry federation and they would be responsible for establishing utilization rules and developing mitigation activities that they find appropriate. As such, this would be one of the first REDD+ Type projects to be entirely controlled and operated by indigenous communities.

'Forests are not for carbon stocks' -- climate justice activists condemn REDD
 "While most countries have been hesitant to overtly state their positions at such an early stage in the negotiations, the Bolivian delegation took a strong stance against the mainstream consensus of the talks thus far", Omar reported. "As people who live in the forest, we are not carbon stocks. We disagree with REDD because we oppose the commoditisation of the forest... It's a complex and dangerous situation to see forests as carbon stocks. The forest provides a role as food security, a water source and biodiversity for our Indigenous population. REDD reduces the function of the forest to just one, carbon stocks. We have an alternative proposal, not based on market solutions."

Japan to continue supporting forestry projects in India
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Friday said it will continue to support forestry projects in India by making focused efforts to rejuvenate the forests and help communities earn a sustainable livelihood.

Observing Deforestation from Space
Global climate change can now be observed from space. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) launched a new technology that can survey the world's forests via satellites and provide a more accurate, global picture of common threats to the environment, such as deforestation, degradation or illegal logging.

Malaysia: Contracts signed to restore 800ha of land for Orang Utan
The Sabah Forestry Department (SFD) has recently awarded reforestation contracts to four contractors to restore degraded forest area in North Ulu Segama, within the Ulu Segama- Malua Forest Reserve, in Lahad Datu district. According to SFD director, Datuk Sam Mannan, a total of 800 hectares of degraded forest area would be replanted with indigenous tree species and wild fruit trees within the next twelve months.

Brazil's Senate approves farm land overhaul
The government says the new rules will be much more firmly enforced than the current ones and landowners will have to register with programs that will monitor their progress in restoring forest coverage. Farmers will be cut off from rural credit if they fail to meet their obligations, it says.

Ducks Unlimited Wisconsin Chapter Honored with Wetlands Award
 Wetlands enthusiasts from around the state gathered recently to recognize individuals and groups whose work advances the protection, restoration, and enjoyment of Wisconsin's wetlands at Wisconsin Wetlands Association's 2011 Annual Membership Meeting and Wetlands Awards Ceremony. Ducks Unlimited's Wisconsin chapter was honored among them.

Iowa: Hungry goats improve habitat for rare native species
 The project began in 2008 when the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture awarded a competitive grant to Iowa Heartland Resource Conservation and Development to study the benefits of incorporating livestock onto conservation lands. By dining on unwanted buckthorn, goats helped restore a rare swamp white oak savannah and created habitat for a wide array of native species, including Blanding's turtles, listed as threatened in Iowa.

Oregon: Middle Fork restoration work on video
 A new video produced by the Bonneville Power Administration examines ongoing restoration work on the Middle Fork John Day River in Grant County. The video focuses on efforts to restore fish habitat and health hydrology on a stretch of river through the Oxbow Conservation Area, west of Austin Junction.

Gulf Coast: Feds give Gulf plan $50 million boost
 The federal government on Monday committed $50 million to jump start a sweeping new road map for restoring the Gulf of Mexico after decades of environmental abuse. The U.S. Department of Agriculture pledged the money to reduce runoff, improve water quality and increase wildlife habitat on agricultural lands in seven river basins that drain into the Gulf, including the San Antonio River in Texas.

RESTORE Act Fines Could Provide Job Opportunities in Gulf Coast
 The Clean Water Act penalties from last year's BP oil disaster could kick start the launch of a long-term investment in ecosystem restoration and create jobs that would benefit at least 140 businesses with nearly 400 employee locations in 37 states, including more than 260 in the Gulf Coast and nearly 60 in Florida, according to a new Duke University study.  The report--"RESTORING THE GULF COAST: New Markets for Established Firms," funded by Environmental Defense Fund--is based on a sample of 140 firms linked to coastal restoration projects already undertaken or completed.

Bi-National Seabird Restoration Effort Launched on the Baja California Pacific Islands
 The Montrose and Luckenbach Trustee Councils and the Government of Mexico have announced a $4 million dollar award to a U.S-Mexico partnership that will implement a comprehensive five-year program focused on restoring seabird populations on seven islands off the Pacific coast of Mexico.

Restoring Delaware's lost habitat
 On Dec. 11, volunteers will gather at one of the dune sites south of Seaford to remove trees that have been cut down. "We do everything by hand," said Lynne Staub, volunteer service coordinator for the state Division of Fish and Wildlife. That's because the area is so environmentally fragile that state officials want to keep disturbance by heavy equipment to a minimum.

New Jersey: City Landscapes, Urban Habitat
 The University of Virginia department of landscape architecture recently hosted restoration ecologist Dr. Steven Handel of Rutgers University for a presentation and discussion of his work in restoring urban habitat. 

New Hampshire: Restoration of Berry Brook involves community, experts
 The City formed a professional team that has expertise in stream restoration, fish habitat management, invasive species removal, and streamside plant science, stormwater management, and conservation education. With the consultants' plan in hand, the residents' desire to improve their neighborhood, and the assembling of a project team, the City applied for and received funding from the NH Department of Environmental Services.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Request for Proposals - Closes Dec 12, 2011
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is accepting project proposals to protect, restore and enhance Great Lakes fish and wildlife habitat under the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act (Act).The Service requests interested entities to submit restoration, research and regional project proposals for the restoration of Great Lakes fish and wildlife resources. The purpose of the Act is to provide assistance to states, tribes, and other interested entities to encourage cooperative conservation, restoration and management of the fish and wildlife resources and their habitats in the Great Lakes Basin.

USDA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative-Closes Jan 15, 2012
 The USDA Forest Service Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) is the largest investment in the Great Lakes in two decades. A task force of 11 federal agencies developed an action plan to implement the initiative. This action plan covers fiscal years 2010 through 2014. Funded topics include: cleaning up toxics and areas of concern; combating invasive; promoting watershed protection; wetland & habitat restoration; tracking progress and working with strategic partners. The next submission dates for funding recipients are from January 1-15, 2012.

US: WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grant Funding Opportunity, Closes: Jan 19, 2012
 The Bureau of Reclamation is seeking proposals from states, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts and other organizations with water or power delivery authority to partner with Reclamation on projects that increase water conservation or result in other improvements that address water supply sustainability in the West.

Arkansas landowners Wetlands Reserve Program - Closes Jan 27, 2012
 State Conservationist Mike Sullivan with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service says Arkansas is second in the nation in the program's wetland restoration, with more than 200,000 acres restored.

Australia: New South Wales (NWS) Environmental Trust Grants-Closes Jan 31, 2012
The NSW Environmental Trust is an independent statutory body established by the NSW government to support exceptional environmental projects that do not receive funds from the usual government sources. Community groups are now invited to apply for funding for large-scale bush re-generation projects. The Community Bush Regeneration Large Project Stream is offering grants of between $200,000 and $250,000 for projects which will run for up to six years.

US: NFWF Five Star Restoration Grant Program- Closes Feb 15, 2012
 The national Fish and Wildlife Federation (NFWF) Five Star Restoration Program provides modest financial assistance to support community-based wetland, riparian, and coastal habitat restoration projects that build diverse partnerships and foster local natural resource stewardship through education, outreach, and training activities.

US: Emergency Forest Restoration Program
 USDA Farm Service Agency's (FSA) Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) provides payments to eligible owners of nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) land in order to carry out emergency measures to restore land damaged by a natural disaster.

Earth Island Institute: Supporting community-based wetland restoration initiatives
Through the Small Grants Program, Earth Island Institute has been able to support locally based restoration efforts to do just that. Small grassroots efforts to restore the coastal habitats of Southern California, which have been depleted by an astounding 98%, have been slowly working to bring our wetlands back from the brink of extinction. By supporting and empowering the new restoration leaders, we ensure our collective success in restoring some of the earth's most fragile ecosystems.

The Gulf of Mexico Foundation's Community-based Restoration Partnershiphas reached a milestone by providing grants for now more than 75 different projects in coastal areas throughout the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Restoring a total of about 15,000 acres over the past decade, these CRP projects have improved a wide variety of habitat types, including coastal dunes, coral reefs, oyster reefs, marshes, seagrass beds, mangrove forests and artificial reefs. Funding from NOAA and EPA make it possible for the GMF to provided more than $3 million to projects. Other partners have contributed an additional $5.5 million in funding.  The GMF is offering a new round of CRP funding for 2012.

 Terra Viva Grants develops and manages information about grants for agriculture, energy, environment, and natural resources in the world's developing countries. 

 California: Ecosystem Restoration on Agricultural Lands (ERAL)
 Grant funding applications are accepted on a year-round basis. The WCB meets four times each year, normally in February, May, August, and November to consider approval of funding for projects.

 Tamarisk Related Grant Opportunities
 The Tamarisk Coalition has developed a list of available Grant Opportunities to address tamarisk issues and riparian restoration. This list was revised as part of the Colorado River Basin Tamarisk and Russian Olive Assessment.