Avista’s Post

Excellent article about the potential big benefit of mini forests. Creating a mini forest has wonderful possibilities for community collaboration, for city-supported environmental/climate change programs, for participation with schools, NGOs/nonprofits, for organization outreach programs. For biodiversity.

We have big news to share! We’re thrilled to announce our role as a founding member of the Tree Equity Alliance, a powerful coalition with American Forests, GreenLatinos, and One Tree Planted, all dedicated to promoting equitable tree canopy in low-income and racially diverse communities nationwide. Together, we aim to advance Tree Equity across 100 cities by 2030! 👏 🌳 ⏺ Urban trees have proven to be one of the simplest yet most effective ways to mitigate the impact of climate change. As cities across the country become increasingly hot, wet, and smokey, urban trees – already essential – become even more critical to protect the health and well-being of communities. It's time for us to come together and take action! ⏺ As the Tree Equity Alliance takes root, our path forward will be a collective endeavor with the potential for growth and nationwide influence. With more members, we can provide even more communities in need with greater tree coverage. If you or your organization want to learn more about the #TreeEquityAlliance or become a member, check out the link below. https://lnkd.in/e9c55GUh #TreeEquityAlliance #TreeEquity #GreenCities #CommunityImpact

Read this important op-ed from Endangered Ecosystems Alliance executive director, Ken Wu, regarding the recent announcement from the BC government on conservation financing, its central importance, and what this vital step should look like moving forward. Last week, David Eby and the BC NDP announced funding totalling $300 million ($150 million from the province, as well as $150 million from the BC Parks Foundation) that will support First Nations communities in establishing new Indigenous Protected Areas (IPCAs). The fund will grow over time from additional federal, provincial, and philanthropic contributions. See a few excerpts from Wu’s op-ed below or read the full op-ed at the link below. --------------------------- "Conservation financing is funding for Indigenous communities linked to the establishment of new protected areas and conservation initiatives. In BC, the Province cannot unilaterally establish protected areas and 'just save the old-growth' on Crown/unceded First Nations lands; the support of local First Nations governments is a legal necessity in their territories. The establishment of protected areas and deferrals for logging move at the speed of the local First Nations whose territories it is; so, the BC government’s policies and funding can either facilitate or hinder the abilities of First Nations to protect ecosystems. Conservation financing is a vital enabling condition that can greatly facilitate and speed up the protection of old-growth forests. Those who believe that the BC Government can unilaterally 'just save the old-growth forests' across BC without the consent of the local First Nations (200 different communities) in their unceded territories continue to hold a long outdated and simplistic model of conservation in BC, and therefore fail to understand the centrality of conservation financing. That is: First Nations communities are in the driver’s seat for new protected areas in their unceded territories. The BC Government must provide the vehicle—the policy framework and the funding—for First Nations to drive to where we all need to go: the protection of the diversity of ecosystems in BC. Conservation financing is key to meet the needs of Indigenous communities for sustainable economic development alternatives to their old-growth logging dependencies. Many BC First Nations have an economic dependency fostered by successive BC governments on old-growth logging.” #oldgrowth #conservationfinancing #ancientforests #IPCAs

Not an expert but this article is insightful for beginners!!! Link: https://lnkd.in/gddkvMnj From the read: 🌱 For a tree-planting program to succeed, we need good ecological understanding, long-term planning, and follow-ups. 🤼 Focus on community engagement, addressing the underlying cause of deforestation and preventing unintended harms. 🤲 Transparency is a key factor -Encouraging transparency creates a safe space to share experiences, and learning from failure can help influence a culture where sharing data about both successes and failures is encouraged and valued. #forbeginners #treeplanting #reforestation #learningprocess

🌱 Members of TLT's Future Energy team recently spent a volunteering day at Belmont Estate's rewilding project, Watercress Farm.   Under the watchful eye of Belmont's estate management team - and its free-grazing heard of Devonshire cattle - the team created tree planting areas, laid paths, helped to monitor biodiversity, and installed information panels about Belmont's re-wetting project.   Sustainability is a core part of our approach, because it’s our responsibility to inspire positive and sustainable transformation in our business, people, and wider network. Our 2040 net-zero target has been verified by the Science Based Targets initiative. We’re active members of The [Chancery Lane] Project, helping to draft climate-aligned contract clauses. And we’re working with businesses to drive change and share best practice, including Forest Green Rovers Football Club and Belmont Estate.   Delivering conservation projects and educational programmes, Belmont’s commitment to the natural world works to secure a sustainable future rooted in connection with the natural world, and each other. It’s an ethos we share – so thank you to Belmont Estate for hosting, and the Future Energy team for getting stuck in, in every sense of the word!   Watch the video below to see more of what our Future Energy team got up to:   #Rewilding #Volunteering #Sustainability

America the Beautiful Challenge is a public-private grant program for locally-led ecosystem restoration projects that invest in watershed restoration, resilience, equitable access, workforce development, corridors and connectivity, and collaborative conservation, consistent with America the Beautiful Initiative. The America the Beautiful Challenge coordinates funding from multiple Federal agencies and private philanthropy into one competitive grant program. This streamlines the application process, enabling larger, more impactful cross-boundary projects, while making it easier for states, Tribes, territories, local groups, non-governmental organizations, and others to apply for multiple funds with one application. This one-stop-shop solicitation is the result of financial contributions from the U.S. Department of the Interior through the Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Forest Service, the U.S. Department of Defense, and Native Americans in Philanthropy, as well as private philanthropy. The America the Beautiful Challenge seeks to advance conservation and restoration projects that are consistent with the principles outlined in the Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful report and that focus on at least one of the following core areas of need: Conserving and restoring rivers, coasts, wetlands, and watersheds Conserving and restoring forests, grasslands, and other important ecosystems that serve as carbon sinks Connecting and reconnecting wildlife corridors, large landscapes, watersheds, and seascapes Improving ecosystem and community resilience to coastal flooding, drought, and other climate-related threats Expanding access to the outdoors, particularly in underserved communities Applicants are encouraged to develop large landscape scale and/or cross jurisdictional projects that advance existing conservation plans or are informed by Indigenous Traditional Knowledge. Learn More Here: https://ow.ly/6XnN50QPeNW

The Waikato Catchment Ecological Enhancement Trust, or ‘WCEET’, is a collaboration between Mercury Power and the conservation groups that were involved in the re-consenting process for the company’s Waikato River dams. Together they manage an enhancement fund that supports efforts to environmentally compensate for the dams’ impact. WCEET’s financial support has had a hugely positive impact on the Waikato and Lake Taupo catchments since it was established two decades ago – its funding of 300+ conservation projects has collectively enhanced 2600+ hectares of wetland and 2600+ hectares of riparian habitat, with 2.43 million natives planted and predator control applied to 7200+ hectares. “We’ve supported some truly inspirational volunteer groups, landowners and businesses dedicated to protecting and enhancing the environment,” said Trust Chair Gwyn Verkerk. “Without any promotion, our funding rounds are always over-subscribed. So we’ve set up the WCEET Fund with Momentum Waikato, as both a new investment income stream in its own right, and to provide an easy way for the public to donate towards the expansion and long-term sustainability of this crucial local conservation funding.” Read more https://lnkd.in/gChXwqBV

The urban greening movement hit another monumental milestone! The U.S. Forest Service announced over $1B, through the Justice40 Initiative and the Inflation Reduction Act, for nearly 400 regreening projects nationwide. The combined force of public-private partnerships can truly magnify the impact for local communities. Federal funding and philanthropic initiatives, like our Greening America's Cities work, can unlock unprecedented support for local community groups and in neighborhoods that have gone far too long without access to green spaces. It’s thrilling to see several of our initiative partners among the Urban and Community Forestry grantees. By elevating local leadership and ensuring that funds enable community-centric priorities, public-private support can help address past injustices and provide nature's benefits to historically underserved communities. Together, we're laying the groundwork for communities that are not only greener but also more resilient, inclusive, and just. Curious to learn more? Dive deeper into the grant's details here → https://bit.ly/3rnxCOW. #GreeningAmericasCities

The Emmerson family owns and sustainably manages more than 2.4 million acres of West Coast timberland. Through their forest-products company, SIERRA PACIFIC INDUSTRIES (SPI), they are among the largest US producers of lumber, millwork, windows, and renewable energy. SPI prioritizes the creation of quality wood products, rural job opportunities, wildfire-resilient forests, wildlife habitats, and recreational spaces. The Sierra Pacific Foundation has provided more than $6 million in scholarships to children of SPI crew members, including $521,000 in 2023. Earlier this year, the foundation pledged $1.1 million to rebuild a Northern California youth camp, ensuring future generations of children will enjoy outdoor educational experiences. With 2,411,000 acres, the Emmerson Family takes the No. 1 spot as America's largest landowner in The Land Report 100 presented by Peoples Company: https://lnkd.in/eXCDviwP PHOTO CREDIT: © Sierra Pacific Industries - Peoples Company #RedEmmerson #LandReport100 #SustainableForestry #TimberlandManagement #timberland #ForestProducts #RenewableEnergy #WildlifeHabitat #LandConservation #SierraPacificIndustries #Americaslargestlandowners #landowners #land

What's not to like about billionnaire philanthropists doing rewilding? It raises serious concerns for a start. First, it most often promotes the "fortress conservation" model / privatisation of land. Secondly, this contributes to diverting the debate away from tighter environmental regulations mandating a decline in our own destruction, and towards restoration, preferably in another country where land is cheap. Third, they often promote the creation of financial markets trading biodiversity #offset credits - now rebranded #biodiversity credits, despite their documented lack of environmental integrity. To be clear, restoration and rewilding are good, but only insofar as they come in addition to and not instead of curbing destruction, and do not grant rights to tradable financial instruments of dubious environmental integrity. https://lnkd.in/emhfi5DR