Alliance for the Great Lakes’ Post

Over 100,000 #trees are being planted in north Devon to restore Celtic #rainforests, vital habitats for rare plants and #wildlife. The National Trust aims to establish 50 hectares across three sites, including coastal and inland areas. The effort includes planting the nearly-extinct Devon whitebeam. These rainforests cover only 1% of Britain and face threats from #pollution and invasive #species. Urgent action is needed to prevent the #extinction of unique plant species. Planting on the edges of existing woodlands aids #regeneration and benefits wildlife, people, and the #environment. Devon, known for places like Wistman’s Wood on Dartmoor, is ideal for temperate rainforests. The project aligns with efforts by organizations like the Devon Wildlife Trust to conserve rainforest areas. https://lnkd.in/eAG4Ts9z

🇧🇷 In 2020, This is My Earth protected the Serra Bonita mountain range forever. https://buff.ly/48TY4Ay Serra Bonita belongs to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, Brazil´s most endangered biome and the world´s second hotspot. Nowadays, less than 10% of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest remains, mostly in small fragments — although 90% of the Serra Bonita mountain range remains covered with forest. The Serra Bonita Reserve Complex (SBRC) is still a shelter to predators that require large territories, like the Puma (Puma concolor) and the Harpy Eagle (Harpies harpyja), so it is vital to expand the protected area for those species´ survival. #TogetherThroughTiME #brazil #serrabonita #wildlife #conservation #climatechange

Beavers Are Critical To the Success Of Many Healthy Ecosystems. If Beavers Are Building Dams, Add A Beaver Baffler Instead Of Removing These Magnificent Mammals. https://lnkd.in/eV7HuNTU

Farlington Marshes Nature Reserve has an uncertain future. There is just 1 week left until the Envrionment Agency closes its survey on the 19th February. If like us, you love Farlington Marshes and its wildlife, then please have your say and respond. Farlington Marshes is one of the Trust's oldest nature reserves and is a site steeped in history. It is also renowned for its bird life and is a go-to destination for seeing a huge array of species throughout the year including lapwings, avocets, short-eared owls and dark bellied brent geese. However, this site is at risk as the current sea wall is failing. Given the designations (national, European and international) there is a duty to protect Farlington Marshes and compensate for any loss. If we act now and push for maintenance of the sea wall for the foreseeable future until such a time when compensatory habitat can be secured, the habitats established and a new Farlington created, then we will be able to safeguard the wildlife of Langstone Harbour and the wider area into the future. Link below to read more about Farlington Marshes, where you will also find a link to the survey at the bottom of the blog page👇 https://lnkd.in/eNnrDmgR

Rewilders are pretending to be beavers! #RewildingDiaries We join Daniel Kinka, American Prairie’s Senior Wildlife Restoration Manager (what a title!), by the creek on the prairie floodplain where rewilders are lending a helping hand to the ecosystem and its resident wild beaver population. How? By pretending to be beavers themselves! 🦫 💚 The team has been building beaver dam analogues to slow the water down, build the water table up and restore the balanced cycle in this vast floodplain. This natural cycle of flooding, aided by beavers, plays a crucial role in the prairie’s biodiversity, carbon capture and natural riparian cycle. But, the creek cannot restore itself alone. With a helping hand, it will boom back in abundance and balance when we partner with nature. Rewilders are at the heart of nature recovery. This is another example of transformative rewilding efforts and people turning #Hopeintoaction! Why #Rewilding? 💚 Recovering beaver populations and restoring riparian habitat is one of the best ways to increase species diversity and abundance, facilitate animal movements across the landscape, and increase water availability and thermal refugia during the hot summers. Beavers also help maintain stream flows and combat drought by raising the water table. Want to hear more? Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/g3DgJKCE 

Last week, we celebrated World Seagrass Day by unveiling a new seagrass nursery in Melbourne Beach, FL, and 16 seagrass restoration projects in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL)! 🌱The decline in water quality within the IRL has had devastating effects on seagrass beds in recent years. This decline has led to over 1,000 manatee deaths, significant loss of vital fish habitats, and disrupted nutrient cycles, resulting in algal blooms and degraded water quality. In response to these challenges and in partnership with Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program, Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, Angler Action Foundation, Coastal Conservation Association, and several water management districts, counties, state agencies, utilities, and legislators, we are committed to growing over one million seagrass plants annually to plant in the IRL and working on a seagrass planting initiative consisting of 16 projects across the lagoon. These "green" projects, combined with "gray" projects such as septic-to-sewer conversions, aim to restore seagrass beds, thereby enhancing water quality and creating crucial habitats for fish, manatees, and other wildlife within the lagoon. Read more on this exciting announcement: https://bit.ly/48z50St #Seagrass #Florida #WaterQuality #WildlifeConservation

🌊🦦 Protecting our coastal ecosystems with the help of sea otters! 🌿   Did you know that sea otters are playing a crucial role in saving California's marshlands from erosion caused by striped shore crabs? A recent study has shown that the return of sea otters to a tidal estuary near Monterey has helped curb erosion rates, slowing down the damage to natural levels.   The 19th-century fur trade almost decimated the global population of sea otters, but thanks to hunting bans and habitat restoration efforts, these adorable creatures are making a comeback. Their voracious appetite for crabs has not only helped save the marshlands but also contributed to ecosystem stability in the region.   Just like the reintroduction of grey wolves in Yellowstone National Park, the presence of sea otters reminds us of the importance of top predators in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Let's continue to support conservation efforts and protect these incredible animals for generations to come. 🌎💙 #SeaOtters #EcosystemRestoration #Conservation #CoastalProtection #NaturePreservation https://lnkd.in/gDQTbvZ5

Happy #TexasWaterWednesday! Clive Runnells Family Mad Island Marsh Preserve is part of an expansive coastal prairies and wetlands system along the Texas coast. It covers over 7,000 acres of land and consists of fresh, intermediate, brackish, and saline marshland with sparse brush and flat coastal prairie (TPWD). Mad Island was purchased in 1987 to preserve coastal wetland habitat for wintering waterfowl (TPWD). The preservation of habitat within this wetland system helps reduce erosion and contributes to the overall health of Matagorda Bay, which eventually reaches the Gulf of Mexico. The preserve provides critical habitat for many wildlife species, including over 250 bird species, including the endangered whooping crane. In collaboration with The Nature Conservancy and Texas Water Development Board, Texas Water Trade (TWT) continuously monitors water quality at the Clive Runnells Family Mad Island Marsh Preserve. TWT maintains conductivity loggers in the field to measure the water’s salinity, which is a marker of estuarine health and productivity. Continuous, long-term monitoring in this region will help us better understand the dynamic nature of these types of shallow estuarine lake environments of Matagorda Bay. Read more about the history and importance of Mad Island WMA here: https://lnkd.in/gsmw6QvH #MadIsland #TexasWater #TexasCoast #Wetland #Estuary

🌱 The Eastern Mountain Avens (Geum peckii) is a rare plant species with only two populations globally. The Canadian population is geographically restricted to open peatland habitat in Nova Scotia and has been assessed as Endangered -EN by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. 🔴 The main threats are habitat loss and degradation through encroachment of woody vegetation, expanding gull populations, artificial drainage, and climate change. The existing Recovery Strategy (2010) and Action Plan (2018) identify recovery goals, objectives, and recovery activities, including several ex situ recovery activities. 👫 Workshop participants included representatives from provincial and federal governments, Recovery Team members, species experts and researchers, ex situ experts from botanical gardens, and local community representatives. They identified the potential conservation value and feasibility of ex situ conservation roles for Eastern Mountain Avens, as well as decision triggers or conditions for each recommended strategy. 📑 This report summarizes the results of the workshop process and is intended to provide advice for evaluating all potential conservation options for Eastern Mountain Avens and provide the basis of more detailed intensive management discussion and planning. Download the full report here: https://lnkd.in/dDNJY9kW 👏 Wildlife Preservation Canada, African Lion Safari, Wilder Institute 👏 #Conservation #EndangeredSpecies #PlantConservation #RarePlants #CanadianSpecies #reversethered #BotanicalGardens

The Mertens' water #monitor (Varanus mertensi) is an #endemic species found in aquatic and riparian habitats across much of northern Australia. These #reptiles are semi-aquatic and actively feed on fish, frogs, insects, crustaceans and carrion. Threatened by the spread of cane toad (Rhinella marina) west across the Top End, this species is listed as #vulnerable in the Northern Territory. Growing to about one metre, these monitors are strong swimmers and can remain submerged for a long period. What types of reptiles have you spotted? #CnRconsulting #environmentalMonitoring #nativeSpecies #northernAustralia #TopEnd #wildlife