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EcoSummit
Sept 30- Oct 5, 2012
Columbus, Ohio, USA |
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RESTORE is a free bi-weekly e-bulletin provided to current members of SER. RESTORE links you to the latest breaking news stories keeping you up-to-date on a wide variety of topics related to ecological restoration. To contact the editors, please email info@ser.org. |
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SER in the News
Restore is Going Bi-Weekly!
SER is committed to provide exciting, up-to-date, restoration news to its membership through our e-bulletin, RESTORE. In an effort to provide high-quality news without cluttering your inbox, RESTORE will be published every other Wednesday as of May 30, 2012. Please contact the editor at info@ser.org with questions or concerns.
SER Assists Ramsar on Understanding the Benefits of Wetland Restoration
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands asked SER's Program Director, Sasha Alexander, to partner with the Society of Wetland Scientists on a paper (or "Briefing Note" in Convention Parlance) describing the potential benefits of wetland restoration. This Briefing Note, entitled The Benefits of Wetland Restoration, is now available on Ramsar's website. It provides brief wetland restoration case studies and explains linkages with other Ramsar and international environmental agreement policies.
New SER Membership Structure Effective June 1, 2012
In an effort to streamline membership registration and provide better quality member services, the SER Board of Directors approved a new membership fee structure for the first time since 2005. The new membership structure will go into effect on June 1, 2012. Click here for important details. |
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New Books & Articles
New Google Earth tool maps deforestation, threatened forests in Sumatra
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and a coalition of Indonesian environmental groups known as Eyes on the Forest have released a new Google Earth-based tool that maps forests, land use, carbon stocks, and biodiversity across the Indonesian island of Sumatra. |
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Restoring Natural Capital (RNC)
A Green Economy without a Pricetag on Nature?
Manipadma Jena interviews ACHIM STEINER, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). As thousands gear up for the 2012 Earth Summit, Rio+20, scheduled to kick off in Brazil on Jun. 20, questions on the viability and adequacy of a 'green economy' abound. Experts, activists and policy makers are divided on what is needed to solve the deadlock on carbon emissions agreements and tackle global warming. |
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Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)
Spain: Lend an ear to the past
In a new study led by researchers from Spain, the importance of traditional ecological knowledge and religious faith in building resilience to environmental extremes has been assessed. Olsson and his colleagues conducted their study in Doñana, the largest wetland in Spain. With more than 174,000 inhabitants, the land is not only well preserved but also highly diverse in ecosystems. |
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Forest Restoration
Saving Dominican forest and an elusive songbird
An elusive songbird that wings its way each year from austere mountaintops of the northeastern U.S. to the steamy forests of the Caribbean has inspired the creation of what conservationists hope will be a new model for nature reserves in a country that has long struggled with deforestation. The government sees the reserve as a potential example, showing that such land can be put to better uses than burning down the trees to convert it to pasture, a typical approach in this Caribbean country with only about 40 percent of its forest cover left.
Washington: Biochar Blanket Turns Plant Waste Into A Kiln
When forests are logged, managed or selectively trimmed so they'll be less susceptible to raging fires, there are usually huge piles of stumps, branches and other wood debris left laying on the ground. Now a group of researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle is developing a portable technology to turn these waste piles into treasure troves by converting them into biochar; charcoal made from plant material that can be burned for energy or applied to soils, where it helps plants grow.
California: Sierra Conservancy funds on course for Auburn-area forest health
Healthy forest efforts in the Auburn area are in line for nearly half a million dollars in grant funding from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy. About $4.9 million in grant awards for work to restore Sierra Nevada forests to ecological health and prevent damaging forest fires will be up for approval at the June 7 meeting of the conservancy's governing board. The quarterly meeting will be in Inyo County's Lone Pine. |
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Wetland Restoration
Florida: Restoring Flatford Swamp will be a lengthy process for water management district
The district has begun planning how to restore Flatford Swamp to its historical hydroperiod. A feasibility study is being done on potentially transporting 12 million gallons from the swamp each day to The Mosiac Company's Wingate Mine roughly six miles away, said spokeswoman Robyn Felix. That would help both parties as excess water will be removed and the mine will discontinue using ground water, which is a limited resource.
Iowa: USDA, Iowa to invest $6 million to improve North Raccoon River Wetland Initiative
The U.S. Agriculture Department and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said on Tuesday they will invest $6.2 million to improve water quality in the North Raccoon River Wetland Initiative in the western part of the state.
Delaware: Wetlands experts weigh in on Prime Hook refuge
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge officials recently toured the refuge with top regional wetlands restoration scientists to get new eyes on the pressing environmental problems at the refuge. What the visiting group saw surprised them. Refuge officials have stated the preferred alternative in the soon-to-be released conservation plan involves restoration of Unit 2 to a salt marsh. Guiteras said to begin restoring the marsh, the system requires an influx of sediment or dredge material, either in large quantities or in small sections. |
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River & Watershed Restoration
US: River restoration projects to begin in every state & DC
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today identified river projects in 10 which are part of a list of 51 ongoing projects from the America's Great Outdoors River Initiative one of which is occurring in each state and the District of Columbia. The initiative will work with states and communities to advance river restoration and recreation by providing technical and other assistance through existing programs and staff, and by leveraging non-federal investments.
Florida: Mecca Farms proposed for Everglades restoration
The South Florida Water Management District wants to swap some of its land for Mecca Farms -- the former orange grove that has been sitting idle since Palm Beach County bought it for $60 million as a potential site for The Scripps Research Institute in 2004. Barnett said the district wants all 1,920 acres for its Loxahatchee River Restoration project.
Hawaii: DLNR proposes to restore watershed at Ka'u Forest Reserve
The Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) is seeking public comment on a Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) for a management plan for the 61,641-acre Ka'u Forest Reserve. "This management plan is part of the DLNR's goal to increase protection of Hawai'i's forested watersheds, as well as to fulfill our mandate to restore native Hawaiian species such as the 'Alalā (Hawaiian crow)."
Philippines: Proposed power firm vows watershed restoration
The proposed Mindanao Power Corp. (MPC) will allocate P200 million yearly to restore watersheds in the island, as Mindanao's hydropower plants' reliability largely dependent on the environment. Antonino, chair of MinDA, stressed that the reliability of hydropower plants in Mindanao, which supply more than half of the island's power needs, had been affected by the critical condition of the watersheds. |
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Lake Restoration
Iowa: Cleaning up Lake Geode
The idea is to keep as much silt out of Lake Geode as possible. Silt ponds and settlement basins have been constructed around the park as part of a $1.2 million project to keep sediment from being washed into the lake. Mike McGhee, DNR's program manager for lakes restoration, said there's a lot of work still to be done at Geode. |
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Coastal & Marine Restoration
Louisiana House approves 50-year plan for restoring coast
A 50-year, $50 billion plan for restoring Louisiana's eroding coast, along with the annual plan for the coming year, won the unanimous support from the Louisiana House of Representatives last Tuesday, the last hurdle in a sometimes-contentious process that began in January. |
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Get Involved
Comment on the Restoration Center's PEIS- Due May 31, 2012
NOAA is developing a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) to help the agency measure the impact of restoration projects. To learn more about the PEIS process or make suggestions about issues they should consider, you can look over the latest documents online.
Colorado: Volunteer Opportunity to Monitor Native and Invasive Plant Species- June 4
Brazil: IX Simposio Brasileiro de Recuperação de Áreas Degradadas-July 11-13
Recriando Ambientes Sustentáveis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
SER-Great Basin: Post-Fire Land Restoration Workshop & Field Trip - July 12-13
The workshop will be held July 12-13, 2012 at the Best Western Airport Plaza in Reno, Nevada.
Utah: Field Tour and Summer Meeting-SER Great Basin -June 18-20
SER-Great Bain and The Utah Chapter of the Society for Range Management will hold a combined meeting and field tour on June 18-20, 2012 in Ephraim, Utah.
Texas: Soil & Water Conservation Society- 2012 Annual Conference- July 22-25
SER-Texas: 2012 Annual TxSER Conference- Call for Papers - Due Aug 31
TxSER will hold their annual conference from Nov. 2-4, 2012 in Weslaco, Texas.
Thicket Forum 2012: Reconnecting People and Thicket- Sept. 4-6
SER-Europe: The 8th European Conference on Ecological Restoration-Sept 9-14
EcoSummit 2012-Ecological Sustainability- Sept. 30- Oct. 5
6th Annual Conference on Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration- Oct. 20-24
Florida: Creation and Restoration or Wetlands Workshop- November 8-10
SER-Australasia: Inaugural Conference- -Nov 28-30
2012 Conference Listing on the Global Restoration Network (GRN)
SER Members receive 25% off Island Press book purchases. Contact caroline@ser.org for details! |
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Funding Opportunities
US: Chesapeake Bay Trust Restoration Grant Programs- Due July 6, 2012
The Restoration Grant Program supports projects that provide accessible funds to organizations and agencies for demonstration-scale, community-based, on-the-ground restoration projects. Approximately $500,000 is available for the 2012-13 Restoration Grant Program. Applicants for projects identified in or based on a watershed plan may request up to $50,000. Applicants for projects not identified in or based on a watershed plan may request up to $25,000.
UK: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew -- Small Grants 2012
Through the Bentham-Moxon Trust, Kew Gardens (UK) makes 30 to 40 small grants per year to botanists and horticulturalists for plant collection and field research; international visits or work at Kew; travel and conferences; and other project support. Preference is for grants that involve a developing country. The closing date for applications is 30 September 2012.
Australia: The Endeavour Awards
The Endeavor Award is the Australian Government's internationally competitive, merit-based scholarship program providing opportunities for citizens of the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas to undertake study, research and professional development in Australia. Awards are also available for Australians to undertake study, research and professional development abroad.
New Hampshire: Grant Funding for Wetlands Restoration and Drinking Water Protection
The Aquatic Resource Mitigation Fund grants are available for eligible wetland restoration, land protection or habitat improvement projects; and drinking water supply protection grants are available for lands in the southern I-93 corridor and Lake Massabesic Watershed. Aquatic Resource Mitigation (ARM) Fund payments are collected according to nine service areas.
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 Partnership has reached a milestone by providing grants for now more than 80 different projects in coastal areas throughout the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Restoring a total of more than 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 help make it possible for the GMF to provide more than $3 million to projects, leveraging an additional $5.5 million in non-federal support from project partners. The GMF will be offering a new round of CRP funding for 2012. Visit our website for more information on the upcoming funding opportunity.
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. |
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