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SER2013
October 6-11, 2013
Madison, Wisconsin |
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Restoration Ecology
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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
SER Board Elections Close June 26th! Vote Today
It's time to cast your vote for candidates in SER's 2013 Board of Directors' election! As the governing body for SER, the Board of Directors is responsible for setting the overarching direction of the organization and guiding its working groups and committees. Please help the Society elect new Directors. Voting will close on June 26th, 2013 at 5pm EDT. Click Here to Read Candidate Biographies
Click Here to Cast Your Vote
Please note: If you have already voted, you will not be able to access the survey again
SER2013 Early Registration - Closes July 15
Register before July 15 to receive $125 off regular registration! Registration fees include full access to all scientific sessions, conference materials, lunch and coffee breaks on all four days of the scientific program, a Welcome Reception on Sunday evening, poster reception, and evening screening of the film Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for Our Time.
SER and Island Press Student Video Contest with $500 Scholarship- "Why Restore?"
Final submissions for the Island Press Student Video Contest on ecological restoration projects are due September 1, 2013. The top five, 1-4 minute videos will be chosen by public vote and the winner will be selected by a panel of expert judges. The winner will be announced at SER2013, will receive a $500 travel scholarship to the conference, and the potential to work with an Island Press publishing team to author a short E-ssential on restoration. Click here to learn full details on how to submit your prize winning video.
Don't forget!SER Members receive a 25% off ALL Island Press book purchases. Active SER members can enter promo code 2SER to receive the discount. |
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People in the News
New Zealand: Youth Keen to Save Omaru River
Young leaders are making waves in Glenn Innes located in New South Wales, New Zealand, with a community led restoration plan for Omaru River kicking off next month. The aim is to return the river to its former glory as an abundant place for fishing, collecting seafood and swimming. At the moment it is heavily polluted and neglected. The community driven project is being coordinated by Tamati Patuwai of Mad Ave Studios, but the spotlight is on 17 year old Lasini Fehoko who is at the forefront of the project.
Canada: Environmental Awards Honor Diverse Group
Individuals from across Niagara were honored last week for their contributions to the environment through the 2013 Niagara Region Environmental Awards. |
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New Books & Articles
Three quarters of the U.S's bird and plant extinctions have occurred in Hawaii. One third of the country's threatened and endangered birds and plants reside within the state. Regardless of these frightening statistics there is still hope. In Restoring Paradise: Rethinking and Rebuilding Nature in Hawaii Robert Cabin shows why current attempts to preserve Hawaii's native fauna and flora require embracing the emerging paradigm of ecological restoration.
Restoration Ecology Early View: Habitat Restoration and Climate ChangeRestoration programs need to increasingly address both the restitution of biodiversity and ecosystem services, and the preparation of habitats for future climate change. One option to assist in the adaptation of habitats to a changing climate in the temperate zone is the translocation of southern populations to compensate for climate change effects. This method is known as assisted migration. Although assisted migration is widely criticized for endangered species, there is growing confidence among forest managers that tree populations can be successfully translocated.
In this new Restoration Ecology research article "USDA Conservation Practices Increase Carbon Storage and Water Quality Improvement Functions: An Example from Ohio", the authors compare potential denitrification and phosphorus absorption in restored depressional wetlands, restored riparian buffers, and natural riparian buffers. The study was performed in central Ohio to determine to what extent systems restored under the U.S Department of Agriculture's Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) provide water quality improvement benefits, and to determine which practice is more effective at nutrient retention.
My Manifesto for Rewilding the WorldGeorge Monibot's "Manifesto for Rewilding the World" argues that there is an opportunity to reverse the destruction of the natural world through rewilding. Nature responds when we stop trying to control it. Rewilding - the mass restoration of ecosystems - is an opportunity to reverse the destruction of the natural world. Monibot believes that rewilding should involve reintroducing missing animals and plants, taking down the fences, blocking the drainage ditches, culling a few particularly invasive exotic species but otherwise standing back. It's about abandoning the biblical doctrine of dominion which has governed our relationship with the natural world.
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Biodiverity & Climate Change
Mexican Climate Fund Short of Cash and Slow Off the MarkMexico is particularly vulnerable to increasingly frequent extreme weather events, which make climate change mitigation and adaptation measures essential to preserving its natural landscapes. The Fund, adopted in November 2012 in reaction to the global strategies which emerged from COP16 in 2010, is meant to attract and channel public, private, national and international resources for actions against the effects of climate change, with a priority on adaptation. The biggest challenge Mexico faces is the enforcement of anti-corruption standards. Experts say that a corruption risk assessment is needed as well as people's participation and involvement in the monitoring the process.
Cuba Braces for Climate Change by Reclaiming CoastsAfter Cuban scientists studied the effects of climate change on its 3,500 miles of coastline, their discoveries were so alarming that officials decided not to share the results with the public to avoid causing panic. In recent months, inspectors and demolition crews have begun fanning out across the island with plans to raze thousands of houses, restaurants, hotels and improvised docks in a race to restore much of the coast to its natural state. |
Forest Restoration
Ancient woodlands in the UK are set to be restored in an ambitious scheme by the North York Moors National Park Authority. It follows the planting of more than 1,482 acres of new native woodland in the park since 1998. The restoration of historic woods, particularly those which have become conifer plantations over the years, will be a key part of the park's woodland program, along with the restoration of habitats corridors.
Haitian and Dominican Leaders Launch Reforestation ProjectIn honor of World Environment Day on June 5th the Haitian President Michel Martelly met with Dominican President Danilo Medina on their shared border. There the two leaders launched a bi-national reforestation project called "Hispaniola Island under environmental protection". |
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Wetland Restoration
US: Researchers Makes Case for Restoring Wetlands on Agricultural Lands
New research by an Indiana University scientist reveals the value of restoring wetlands and riparian habitat on agricultural lands. The study is among the first to demonstrate the water quality benefits of converting farmland back to natural habitats. Scientists analyzed soil samples from restored wetlands and natural and restored riparian buffers. They compared analyzed soil with samples taken from nearby farm fields. The research was conducted in central Ohio and an ongoing project in Indiana shows similar results.
Ask The Scientist: How Do You Know a Wetland Restoration is Successful?
SER member and restoration ecologist for the Wetlands Initiative, Iza Redlinski, discusses how one can tell when a wetland restoration project is one track. |
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River & Watershed Restoration
U.S. EPA Announces $5 Million in San Francisco Bay Watershed Restoration Grants Available
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today is now accepting proposals for nearly $5 million dollars in grants intended to protect and restore San Francisco Bay watersheds, wetlands and prevent polluted runoff. Projects funded under this award will receive between $800,000 and $2 million, and will focus on water quality results, such as the restoration of impaired waters and the enhancement of aquatic life. All proposals must be submitted to EPA no later than July 9, 2013.
Michigan: Restoration of the Detroit River Nearly Complete
The Detroit River was once regarded as one of the most polluted bodies of water in North America. In 1969 one of its tributaries was so laden with oil that it caught fire. This event sparked public outcry resulting in significant efforts to clean up and remediate local waterways. A number of initiatives were implemented including upgrading wastewater treatment, installing overflow collectors, and the rehabilitating the river's shoreline. Nearly half a century later, efforts brought the Detroit River close to its natural state.
India: Karamana River Restoration Project on the Cards
In an effort to restore the Karamana River the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) has given shape to an integrated river basin management project focusing on curbing pollution and cleaning up a one km stretch of river. The restoration project will include preventing the inflow of waste from populated areas and the construction of eco-toilets.
Wisconsin: EPA Announces "Cleanup Complete" at Sheboygan River Area of Concern
The U.S Environmental Protection Agency today announced the completion of all dredging and habitat restoration projects required to remove the Sheboygan River "Area of Concern" from a list of toxic hot spots identified in the 1987 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Over $800 million has been spent to dredge contaminated sediment and restore river habitat. During the past year almost 400,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment were removed from the Sheboygan River between Kiwanis Park and Lake Michigan.
India: Draft Master Plan for Cooum Restoration Ready by September
The draft master plan for the Integrated Cooum River Eco Restoration Plan, a project to restore the Coum River in India, is likely to be ready by September. LKS India Private Ltd. was chosen as the consultant to prepare the master restoration plan. The restoration project, spearheaded by the Chennai Rivers Restoration trust (CRRT), aims at cleaning the 32 km polluted stretch between Paruthipattu anicut near Avadi and the mouth of the river. Suggestions by the residents and representatives of NGOs will be incorporated into the draft master plan. |
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Coastal & Marine Restoration
Gulf Coast: BP Ends Cleanup in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida
BP issued a press release this morning stating that it's finished its "active" cleanup in three Gulf States, following its unprecedented oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. In the Release the company said their extraordinary progress resulted in a sustained three year effort that cost the company $14 billion.
US: Seagrass Restoration Goes International
Dr. Robert JJ Orth has led restoration of underwater grasses since 1999, and now his ideas and practices have gained popularity among European entrepreneurs and scientists. Dr. Orth's work resulted in 4,700 acres of lush eelgrass meadows in the Virginia Bays making them the largest and most successful example of seagrass restoration in the world. Dr. Orth's techniques are now being used by entrepreneurs and scientists who hope to bring Virginia's success to Europe.
Louisiana: Restaurants to use Oyster Shells to Restore Coast
A new program announced by the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana is aimed at helping New Orleans area restaurants recycle oyster shells. Shell Oil Co. has provided $ 1 million for the program, which will collect the shells and return them to coastal water. The oyster shells will be used to revitalize public oyster seed areas and as material in coastal restoration projects. |
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Wildlife Restoration
De-extinction Critics at Scientific American Are Missing the Point
Resurrection biology could bring back extinct birds and even mammoths, but many believe the amount of money put into the practice will take away from the conservation and restoration of existing species. The strongest argument for resurrection biology is that it allows wildlife conservationists to push forward against the onslaught of extinction, in some sense, and to win back lost territory while restoring, rejuvenating, and rewilding. Additionally, the practice could potentially attract increased awareness to extinction and habitat protection.
South Africa: Restoring Trees to Save South Africa's Rarest Parrot
The green and gold Cape Parrot, a south African native, is one of the most endangered parrots in the world. National Geographic Emerging Explorer Steve Boyes is trying to pull the Cape parrot back from the brink of oblivion. Boyes has a plan to restore the endemic yellowwood forests that once flourished across a wide swath of the southern tip of Africa, giving the parrots and other species that depend on the trees a chance to rebound.
Hawaii: Predator-Free Restoration Zone to Break Ground
The Kauai Wildlife Refuge Complex in Hawaii has announced its plans for the Nihoku (Crater Hill) Ecosystem Restoration Project, located on the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. The goal is to preserve and restore the native environment of Nihoku through integration of science, natural resource management and environmental education. Additionally the fence would keep introduced predators- including cats, dogs, mongooses, rats, and mice- out of the area so that native species like the moli (Laysan albatross) and endangered nene (Hawaiian goose) can flourish in a safe environment.
UK: Biologists Consider Lynx Restoration
Biologists in the UK say they might be able to use some of the research compiled on Colorado lynx as they plan for a possible reintroduction of Eurasian lynx in Cairngorn National Park, UK. In a draft report focusing on ecosystem restoration, scientists identified lynx as one of the species that could help restore the ecological balance in an ecosystem without predators. Without these predators deer have run rampant, degrading forested areas. The report addresses questions about whether people have a moral obligation to restore extirpated species.
Montana & Wyoming: Agencies Seek to Restore Powder River Basin Sage Grouse Habitat
The Bureau of Land Management, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and other agencies are participating in a project to restore sage grouse habitat in the Power River Basin. Their goal is to focus on areas with abandoned gas wells and make those areas hospitable for sage grouse again, by planting sage brush and removing roads and power lines. |
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Extractive Industries
Scotland: Coal Firm Gives Just 1 Million Pounds for Clean-Up of Disused Mines
Hargreaves Services, the company vying to control Scotland's coal-mining industry, has contributed £1 million to the Scottish Government initiative for cleaning up disused mining sites. While sources insisted this was not a one-off payment, it is a long way short of the likely £70m-£100m cost of restoring the former mines in Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Fife left by the recent collapses of mining companies ATH Resources and Scottish Coal. |
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Invasive Species
Utah: Invasive Reed Threatens Millions in Restoration
Millions of dollars have been spent on the restoration of Utah Lake, but a simple reed, phragmites, threatens to ruin it all. Phragmites are a dense reed from Europe. Forests of phragmites around Utah Lake are harboring West Nile virus-spreading mosquitos, ruining historic sandy beaches, wrecking critical wildlife habitat and overtaking native vegetation. There is no easy solution but local legislature is actively seeking new and sustainable ways to combat this issue. |
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Get Involved
3er Diplomado Online "Restauración del Bosque de Niebla"- Julio 19 - Noviembre 20
La 3ra edición del Diplomado aporta herramientas y conocimientos de excelencia académica, desde las bases de la restauración para este tipo de bosque hasta las valiosas experiencias de expertos de todo el continente americano. Los alumnos de ediciones anteriores han apreciado mucho el incluir un concepto equilibrado entre teoría, práctica y actividades, todo ello en un modelo flexible y autodidacta que permite al alumno ser arquitecto de su propio conocimiento. El Diplomado es organizado por Pronatura Veracruz A.C., el Instituto de Ecología, A.C. y Natureserve con el apoyo financiero de US Fish and Wildlife Service, programa Wildlife Without Borders.
Diplomado en línea: Restauración de ecosistemas y servicios ambientales-- 2 de Septiembre de 2013 al 7 de Febrero de 2014
El diplomado es organizado por la Fundación Internacional para la Restauración de Ecosistemas (FIRE) y tiene el aval académico del Instituto de Ecología, A. C. (INECOL, Mx) y de El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR, Mx). Los profesores son investigadores consolidados de estas y otras prestigiosas instituciones de Iberoamérica y España. Dirigido a profesionales del área de las ciencias ambientales y afines, investigadores, docentes, estudiantes y representantes del sector público y privado, cuyo interés y trabajo se enfoque en la restauración de ecosistemas degradados.
Massachusetts: Hands-On Wetland Restoration Workshop for Professionals - June 25-26
2013 International Congress for Conservation Biology- July 21-25
5Th National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration (NCER) - July 9- August 2
Vienna: 5th European River Restoration Conference - September 11-13
SER2013: 5th World Conference on Ecological Restoration- October 6-11, 2013
SER will hold its 5th World Conference on Ecological Restoration in Madison, Wisconsin, USA, on October 6-11, 2013. This event marks the 25th Anniversary of SER and will celebrate the conference theme of "Reflections on the Past, Directions for the Future."
SER-Texas Annual Conference- November 1-3
SER Texas will hold its annual chapter meeting November 1-3, 2013 in Junction, Texas.
Michigan: 2014 Science, Practice & Art of Restoring Ecosystems Conference- January 2014
Quebec - Responsible Management of Peatlands: Implications of the Industrial Sector- Feb 2014
SER 2013 Conference Listing on the Global Restoration Network (GRN)
For more listings, visit SER's Calendar of Events. Posting to the Calendar is a member benefit. |
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Funding Opportunities
Minnesota: Wetland Restoration Program Sign-Up Now Available - July 2013
The Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced today that the 2013 RIM-WRP program sign-up is now open. The program offers competitive payment rates for landowners to restore wetlands that have been drained and have a history of being used for agricultural production. The RIM-WRP sign-up period begins June 3, 2013, with funding decisions expected by mid-July. Eligibility is statewide, but priority is given to areas of Minnesota that have experienced the greatest wetland losses.
Pennsylvania: CFA Offering Abandoned Mine, Watershed, & Greenways Grants - Due July 31, 2013
The Commonwealth Financing Authority is now accepting applications for grants under the Act 13 Marcellus Legacy Fund. Program cove abandoned mine drainage abatement and treatment, watershed restoration and protection, water quality data, greenways, trails and recreation and orphan and abandoned well plugging programs. Applications are due July 31 and will be considered at the CFA's November 13 meeting. For more information, contact Brian Eckert or Matthew Karnell at 717-787-6245 to discuss potential projects before commencing the application process.
Sustain Our Great Lakes is a public-private partnership that works to sustain, restore, and protect fish, wildlife, and habitat in the Great Lakes basin by leveraging funding, building conservation capacity, and directing partners and resources toward key ecological issues. Administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the program is accepting applications for competitive funding to be awarded through the 2013 funding cycle. In 2013, grant funding will be awarded in three categories - habitat restoration, delisting of beneficial use impairments within Great Lakes areas of concern, and private landowner technical assistance. Approximately $5 million to $9 million is expected to be available in grants ranging from $25,000 to $1.5 million.
US: Wildlife Restoration Program- Region 5 Grants- Applications Due August 31, 2014
WR provides Federal grant funding to the 50 States, Commonwealths, and territories for the selection, restoration, rehabilitation, and improvement of wildlife habitat; wildlife management research; wildlife population surveys and inventories; land acquisition; hunter education and safety programs; coordination; development of facilities; facilities and services for conducting a hunter education and safety programs; and provisions for public use of wildlife resources.
WWF-US: EFN Reforestation Grants- Applications Due September 1, 2013
EFN, with generous funding from the UPS Foundation, has launched a special grant opportunity focused on Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR). FLR is defined as a planned process that aims to regain ecological integrity and enhance human wellbeing in deforested or degraded forest landscapes. (WWF and IUCN 2000.) Local organizations from select WWF-US priority ecoregions must meet all of the eligibility criteria to be considered for a grant. Applications must be completed online and submitted to the EFN Conservation Workshop Grants by September 1, 2013.
US: DEP Grants to Restore & Protect Coastal Zones in Pennsylvania- 2013 Applications Open
The Department of Environmental Protection has awarded more than $900,000 in annual coastal zone management grants to organizations dedicated to protecting and preserving Pennsylvania's coastal zones along Lake Erie and the Delaware Estuary. The agency is now accepting applications for 2013. Coastal zone management grants support programs that measure the impact of various pollution sources; improve public access; preserve habitats; and educate the public about the benefits of the state's coastal zones.
USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
USDA's CRP has a 25-year legacy of successfully protecting the nation's natural resources through voluntary participation, while providing significant economic and environmental benefits to rural communities across the United States. Rather than wait for a general sign-up (the process under which most CRP acres are enrolled), producers whose land meet eligibility criteria can enroll directly in this "continuous" category at any time.
US: Emergency Forest Restoration Program
The 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 are ensuring the collective success of restoring some of the earth's most fragile ecosystems.
The Gulf of Mexico Foundation's Community-based Restoration Partnership Funding for the 2012 cycle of the Gulf of Mexico Foundation's Community-based Restoration Partnership (CRP) is now available. The CRP has 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. By 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.
Terra Viva GrantsDirectory 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
Tamarisk Coalition, a non-profit advancing the restoration of riparian lands throughout the American west, posts current funding and training opportunities applicable to riparian restoration on the Riparian Restoration Connection. |
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