SER Logo Competition Ends FRIDAY January 27, 2012! - Calling All Graphic Designers

The Society for Ecological Restoration in Washington D.C. is seeking an Executive Director

Coalition sponsoring free ecological training course 
The Calumet Stewardship Initiative is sponsoring its first volunteer leadership training course, slated to begin in the coming weeks. The free, five-part program is to teach participants the basics of ecological restoration, how to successfully lead a volunteer restoration workday, control invasive species, and identify native plants.

EcoSummit 2012-Ecological Sustainability- September 30- October 5, 2012

Louisiana: Help Restore a Floodplain! -Jan 28 & Feb 24, 2012
The Nature Conservancy and US-Fish & Wildlife Service are looking for 50 volunteers (at least) per day to help them plant over 10,000 trees at the Upper Ouachita Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana.

Strategies of Landscape-Scale Restoration in the Tropics-New Haven, CT-January 26-28, 2012
The Yale Chapter of the International Society of Tropical Forests is holding their 18^th Annual Conference in New Haven, Connecticut. The conference is free and open to the public. Registration closes Jan 15^th.

6^th Annual Conference on Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration - Call for Abstracts Feb 1, 2012

History and Values in Ecological Restoration-Workshop Call for Papers- Papers due February 20, 2012 This workshop focuses on restoration in landscapes with complex histories, shaped by the ongoing interaction between humans and nature.

EC12 Conference & Expo of the International Erosion Control Association- February 26-29, 2012

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

SER-Midwest-Great Lakes 4^th Annual Meeting-Call for Abstracts-Due March 9, 2012
The SER-MWGL chapter is holding their 4^th annual meeting May 4-6, 2012 at the University of Michigan. Oral and poster presentation submission are due by March 9, 2012.

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

20th High Altitude Revegetation Workshop - Ft Collins, CO - March 6 - 8, 2012

ER Special Issue on Corridor Restoration - Call for Papers April 1, 2012

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

2012 Conference Listing on the Global Restoration Network (GRN)
 Check out our 2012 conference listing for a full year view of upcoming conferences and meetings

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

Picking ranchers' brains, from Colorado to Mongolia
Maria Fernandez-Gimenez shares her experiences studying Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) from Mongolia to western America to the Arogonese Pyrenees. Fernandez-Gimenez was one of the first researchers in her field to concentrate on ranchers in the West, whose ecological knowledge and practices risk being lost as rangelands are transformed by development and environmental change.

Washington: Student-Created Facebook Game Tackles Real Life Wetland Restoration Issues
The Center for Serious Play (CSP) at University of Washington Bothell today released UWB Wetlands Restoration game, a free-to-play Facebook game that centers on the restoration of the Wetlands. The game allows players create and maintain a biologically diverse wetlands environment in a fun, interactive way within Facebook. Its gameplay cycle lasts 25 real-time days and shows players the evolution of the environment from a blank landscape to a fully functioning wetland that represents 50 years of real world progress.

VIDEO: Mangrove Restoration: Marco Island, Florida
Robin R Lewis talks about his Mangrove Restoration Project on Marco Island, Florida in this ABC7 highlight. Acres of mangroves have been destroyed in Collier County and now a push is underway to restore the lost habitat. Lewis and the Coastal Resources Group have raised $90,000 so far, but need $750,000 to complete their imperative project.

US: Study shows restored wetlands rarely equal condition of original wetlands
Wetland restoration is a billion-dollar-a-year industry in the United States that aims to create ecosystems similar to those that disappeared over the past century. But a new analysis of restoration projects shows that restored wetlands seldom reach the quality of a natural wetland. Moreno-Mateos's study, co-authored by Francisco A. Comin, calls into question a common mitigation strategy exploited by land developers: create a new wetland to replace a wetland that will be destroyed and the land put to other uses. At a time of accelerated climate change, carbon storage in wetlands is increasingly important, he said.

Fueling Extinction: How Dirty Energy Drives Wildlife to the Brink
The ten species most threatened by fossil fuels were recently highlighted in this new report by The Endangered Species Coalition, in partnership with seven conservation groups, released the report on January 19th.

Report Finds High Expectations for Stacking in Environmental Credits
Some call it "stacking", and others call it "bundling". Whatever the term, it refers to a restoration or protection project selling credits in multiple environmental markets that are generated from a single piece of land. Advocates of stacking say it generates much-needed revenue for restoration, but others have argued that marketing the same project in more than one ecosystem service market is 'double-dipping'.

The Biodiversity Crisis: Worse Than Climate Change
The main conclusion from scientists from University of Copenhagen, after 100 researchers and policy experts from EU countries were gathered this week at the University of Copenhagen to discuss how to organise the future UN Intergovernmental Panel for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, IPBES was this: The challenges of conserving the world's species are perhaps even larger than mitigating the negative effects of global climate change.

Gulf Coast: Calculating the Carbon Value of a Swamp
The American Carbon Registry and a Gulf Coast electric company, on Wednesday announced that it had published a proposed methodology for calculating the benefit of restoring wetlands on the Gulf Coast. The number of tons of credits that would be generated by an acre would vary according to the type of wetland - saltwater, fresh water, mangrove, cypress or something else. The proposed standard is now available for public review, as if it were a proposed federal rule.

National Fish, Wildlife & Plants: Climate Adaptation Strategy
The National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy will provide a unified approach-reflecting shared principles and science-based practices-for reducing the negative impacts of climate change on fish, wildlife, plants, and the natural systems upon which they depend.

China Sets Historic Limits on GHG Emissions from Select Regions
Last week, China's government ordered five cities and two provinces to institute historic limits on GHG emissions.

Illinois: Winnebago County forest board berated over removal of trees

Iraq: Scottish botanists to restore Garden of Eden
Would you Adam and Eve it? A team of Scottish botanists are heading to Iraq to help restore an area thought to be the biblical Garden of Eden.The Centre for Middle Eastern Plants (CMEP), based at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, has joined forces with conservation charity Nature Iraq to rebuild the delicate eco-system of the Iraqi marshlands, which were drained by Saddam Hussein in the 1990s. The area south of the city of Basra, is regarded by scholars as being the location of the Old Testament Garden of Eden. 

Oregon: 920-acre former ranch on Columbia River to be restored to estuary & prime fish habitat
The $5.3 million purchase of the 920-acre Columbia Stock Ranch is the biggest, single habitat acquisition in the Columbia estuary in 40 years. Under pressure from a federal court, the BPA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Native American tribes are scouring the Columbia basin for habitat projects to mitigate for dam operations that have helped put 13 runs of salmon and steelhead on endangered or threatened lists.

NHL Foundation Waters An Oregon River
As part of its commitment to maintaining healthy ecosystems that foster recreation and youth participation in sport, The National Hockey League Foundation (NHLF) has pledged to restore 1,000 gallons of water to the Deschutes River in Oregon for every goal scored during the 2011-12 regular season.

Canada: Parks Canada Transfers Bison to American Prairie Foundation Lands in Montana
Parks Canada today announced the transfer of 70 plains bison to American Prairie Foundation. The project supports the foundation's internationally significant work in grasslands conservation and the restoration of bison to the Great Plains north of the Missouri River in north-eastern Montana. This historic trip completes a full circle journey for North America's plains bison increasing the Foundation's herd to approximately 210 animals.
 
California: Grassland Restoration Aids Endangered Species in Southern California
San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy scientists, horticulture staff and volunteers arrived with shovels in hand on Jan. 17 to plant 1,000 native-grass seedlings as part of a habitat restoration project for the endangered Stephens' kangaroo rat at the Southwestern Riverside County Multispecies Reserve.

Arizona: Scientists to hold open house for Tumamoc Hill hikers
People and Habitats, is the first in a series of centennial events put on by the University of Arizona to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Arizona statehood on February 14, 2012.The site is a 100-year-plus experiment in restoration of desert ecology. The hill is also an important archaeological site.

Massachusetts: Mattapoisett considers large-scale scallop restoration project
The town is among eight seaside communities asked to participate in a state-funded project aimed at restoring bay scallops in areas impacted by the 2003 Bouchard barge oil spill in Buzzards Bay. Gagne said the Buzzards Bay Cooperative Bay Scallop Restoration Project is a four-year, $1.8 million project that hopes to seed 15 million juvenile hatchery-raised bay scallops in the hospitable coastal waters of Mattapoisett, Marion, Wareham, Fairhaven, Dartmouth, Westport, Falmouth and Bourne.

Mexico: Scripps researcher showcases the restoration of Marine Park in Baja
A decade-long ban on fishing in a marine park in southern Baja has resulted in a dramatic resurgence of ocean life, according to Scripps Institution of Oceanography Postdoctoral Researcher Octavio Aburto-Oropeza. Aburto-Oropeza showcased the success of Cabo Pulmo National Park to a near-capacity audience at January's Jeffrey B. Graham 'Perspectives on Ocean Science' lecture hosted by the Birch Aquarium.

Philippines: Fund to restore coral reefs
The Environment Department is allocating P14.05 million for the restoration of five coral reef areas this year in line with the aim of preserving marine resources, an official said yesterday. The Tacdogan reef in Ticao Island will be one of the sites in the restoration program this year.

US: Leatherback sea turtles granted massive protected area along U.S. west coast
The U.S. federal government has designated 108,556 square kilometers (41,914 square miles) as critical habitat for the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), the largest of the world's marine turtles and one of the most endangered. The protected area, around the size of Guatemala, spans coastal sea waters from California to Washington state, but does not protect the migration routes environmentalists hoped for.

US: Scientists team with art designers to restore Año Nuevo Island
On a tiny, windswept island off the San Mateo County coast, a team of scientists and art designers has engineered a creative solution to give mating seabirds a boost: ceramic "love shacks." These handcrafted underground nests are one piece of the Año Nuevo Island Restoration Project, a unique collaboration between scientists and artists that hopes to reverse some of the human damage done to the island since the 1800s.

New US Wildlife Refuge Established in Florida
A 10-acre (4-hectare) land donation, will make up the 556th unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The new addition to the system comes as part of the Obama administration's America's Great Outdoors initiative.

Michigan: Invasive mute swans are target in White Lake habitat restoration
The $2.16 million habitat restoration project will now include control of the invasive mute swan population on White Lake.

UK: Squirrels put on a wonderful show; Red squirrel reintroduced into East Anglia
It was the official launch of the red squirrel breeding programme of the Countryside Restoration Trust (CRT) at its Mayfields smallholding at Themelthorpe, in the wilds of Norfolk. What a memorable time: numerous Telegraph readers coming from all over East Anglia and as far away as central London to see this fantastic scheme down the slipway. And, for many of them, their first ever sight of red squirrels.

Missouri: Area's natural resources focus of restoration plan
A plan that could promote restoration projects along waterways, protect natural prairies and restore aquatic areas in Southwest Missouri will unveil a plan is based on an extensive natural resources damage assessment that was conducted by both agencies. Part of the plan will address the restoration of mining sites in Jasper and Newton counties.The plan will be implemented and paid for with money from settlements with the mining and chemical companies that have been linked to the damage.

UK: Anger over changes to plan for Cutacre
 UK Coal began extraction work at the site in 2006, on the proviso that it would be transformed into a country park when the short-term work was completed. However, Bolton Council has since approved plans to turn swathes of Cutacre into an industrial estate a decision later upheld by the Planning Inspector although this is also the subject of a public consultation.

Colorado: Ideas sought to restore ecology around Rocky Mountain Arsenal
Two funds totaling $27.4 million have been set up to provide environmental project grants to nonprofit groups and municipalities in the northeast metro area in Denver."The money probably isn't going to serve a pocket park with playground equipment - that isn't where we're going with this," Kenison said. "This is really a larger-scale project aimed at ecological restoration."

Italy: Cruise Ship Environmental Issues
 The January 13 capsizing of the Concordia off the coast of Italy, caught the world off guard and is shining a spotlight on cruise ship safety and environmental issues. The cruise ship hit a reef and nearly hit their fuel tanks. Beyond concerns over passenger evacuation there are other environmental concerns such as cruise ships air emissions and sanitary waste discharges.

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.

USDA General Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program Funding- Closes Feb 10, 2012
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Kansas State Conservationist Eric B. Banks announced recently the availability of General Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program (WREP) funding to enter into agreements with eligible partners to carry out high priority wetland protection, restoration and enhancement activities on eligible lands. WREP is a voluntary conservation program that works through partnership agreements with states, nongovernmental organizations and tribes.

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: Natural Resources Damage Assessment Multi-year Implementation Grants-Closes Feb 23
NOAA cooperates with the public to identify restoration projects that benefit a wide variety of habitats and biological resources and will partner with non-profit groups, local governments, and other organizations to carry out the restoration. The deadline for applications is February 23, 2012.  

US: Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife- Closes Feb 29, 2012
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife is accepting grant applications for the Aquatic Land Enhancement Account. The agency expects to award about $180,000 in grants from the program in the coming year. Five types of projects are funded through the program - habitat restoration, research, education and outreach, facility development and artificial production. Applications must be received or postmarked by Feb. 29.

US: Minnesota State Funding Available for Environmental Project-Closes April 6, 2012
The Legislative Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) has issued its 2012-2013 Request for Proposal (RFP) for funding from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund beginning July 1, 2013. Approximately $31 million is expected to be available for projects being sought in environment and natural resource areas that will provide multiple ecological and other public benefits. Proposals responding to the 2012-2013 RFP are due Friday, April 6, 2012.

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.