Fair Carbon’s Post

Lessons from successful mangrove forest restoration in 🇸🇻 El Salvador Most mangrove restoration projects fail. Despite growing global attention and funding, the majority of efforts don’t last beyond a few years. But in Jiquilisco Bay, El Salvador, a different story is unfolding—one where community-led restoration is reversing decades of degradation, writes Alfredo Quarto in an analysis. Here are five key lessons from their success: 1️⃣ Start with the root causes, not just planting trees. ↳ Many projects jump straight to planting without addressing what caused the mangroves to disappear. ↳ In Jiquilisco Bay, blocked waterways were drowning the forest. Restoring natural hydrology was the first step. 2️⃣ Community knowledge is as valuable as scientific expertise. ↳ Local fishers and farmers understand the rhythms of the land and sea. ↳ When their wisdom is combined with ecological restoration best practices, results are transformative. 3️⃣ Restoration requires labor, patience, and long-term commitment. ↳ Clearing 4.2 km of clogged waterways took months of coordinated effort. ↳ But over 70 hectares of mangroves regenerated, fish populations rebounded, and livelihoods improved. 4️⃣ Success isn’t measured by trees planted—it’s about survival. ↳ The goal isn’t a short-term planting campaign but a self-sustaining ecosystem. ↳ Over 300 local residents took part, ensuring long-term stewardship of the restored mangroves. 5️⃣ Empowered communities become resilient communities. ↳ This project wasn’t just about mangroves—it was about people reclaiming their environment and future. ↳ Local leadership and ownership ensure that conservation isn’t just a one-time intervention but a way of life. Restoring nature isn’t just a technical challenge—it’s a social one. When communities lead, ecosystems thrive. 📽️ Jiquilisco Bay’s restoration: https://lnkd.in/dtK7v83S Mongabay News: https://lnkd.in/djsGmuuM 📸 Mangrove restoration in Jiquilisco Bay by the Mangrove Action Project (MAP).

Environmental Engineers No, I don’t mean people. I’m talking about beavers, those furry critters with the buck-teeth and the long, flat tail.  Beavers are known for their ability to gnaw and chew down trees and build elaborate dam structures, but did you know beaver dams provide a diverse ecosystem? Biodiversity Creating a safe habitat is the main reason beavers build their dams.  But beavers are a keystone species, impacting not only water and water quality, but affecting a large variety of plants and animals that live there.  Fish, birds, amphibians, and many insects are all aided by beaver dams.  In these areas, it is estimated that plants increase by 33%, and 25% of animal species living around these dams and wetlands are dependent on the beavers for their survival. So, beaver dams benefit plants and animals living there, but do the dams actually improve water quality and movement?  Yes, they really do. When water flow slows down because of the dam, sediment settles to the bottom and pollutants get filtered out.  The slow moving water also helps reduce flooding downstream.  Not a Real Dam? Beaver dams are so efficient and beneficial that beaver dam analogs are being built.  These are structures made by human hands that mimic a beaver dam.  These analogs are able to slow down and hold water, just like a “real” beaver dam.  WWF has built several of these beaver dam analogs, which can be customized for the landscape and water needs.  According to Madalen Howard, “beaver dam analogs offer a flexible and cost-effective approach to habitat restoration and water management.” I have seen only a few beaver dams, but I would love to see one of these analogs in action.  Through these conservation efforts, the analogs improve water conditions, increase biodiversity, and create healthy ecosystems.  Keep up the good work. Howard, M., (2024).  How beaver dams–and human-made replicas–help save wildlife and restore freshwater habitat.  https://lnkd.in/ecS-_p5m Payne, M., (2024).  How do beaver dams affect water quality?  https://lnkd.in/ekB7GVsy Rubin-Thomas, C. and Blackledge, S. (2023).  Beavers are “ecosystem engineers” and fight climate change, too.  Environment America.  https://lnkd.in/eiZAresu

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT - HABITAT PILES Did you know habitat piles enhance biodiversity by creating a variety of microhabitats? At Stonbury, we actively restore and preserve natural habitats across the UK, collaborating with various governmental organisations and charitable trusts to implement environmental and habitat establishment projects. This involves comprehensive long-term management plans and partnerships with entities like the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales and wildlife and rivers trusts. With a focus on ecological sustainability, our team's initiatives encompass river channel management, landscape enhancement, river restoration, in-channel modifications, and controlling invasive non-native species (INNS). By recognising the environmental significance of these efforts, we prioritise the importance of adhering to strict biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of INNS. To learn more about our commitment to habitat piles, read more in our Project News > https://ow.ly/hybr50Sx2aP #HabitatPiles #BiodiversityEnhancement #NaturalHabitats #EnvironmentalRestoration #INNSControl #WaterIndustry #WaterEvironment #Repair #Refurbish #Maintain #Build #Stonbury

The Forest Conservation Certificate is a good step in incentivizing state governments in forest conservation. Not quite the Rhino Fund but getting there. We just need to create a private sector driven RM1+++ billion fund to drive the message. https://lnkd.in/g6AY_v_G

🌲🌍 **New Conservation Model with Carbon Credits in the Great Bear Rainforest!** 🌍🌲 The Great Bear Rainforest, a 6.4-Million-hectare treasure of old-growth trees, rich biodiversity, and the iconic Spirit Bear 🐻, is embracing a new future. The province of British Columbia and the Kwiakah First Nation have announced a new forest management area to replace commercial logging with a conservation-focused model that generates revenue through carbon credits 🌿💡. For Kwiakah Chief Steven Dick, this agreement signifies a leap towards a sustainable conservation economy, serving as a potential model for other Indigenous communities. “This creates a bright future for Kwiakah members to be out on the land – where they see opportunity not only for learning but over time, creating resources for future generations,” he said 🌱. The new M̓ac̓inuxʷ Special Forest Management Area spans 7,865 hectares within the Great Bear Rainforest. This initiative, the ninth of its kind, involves amending the Great Bear Rainforest (Forest Management) Act to reduce commercial logging. The lost revenue from logging will be offset by carbon credits and regenerative forestry jobs 🌳🔄. British Columbia has developed its own system for forest carbon offsets, which are now a key part of financing the Great Bear Rainforest's conservation efforts. The primary purchaser of these credits is the B.C. government, aiming for a carbon-neutral public service. Since the 2016 agreement, over 9.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases have been sequestered 🌎. The Kwiakah First Nation, one of B.C.'s smallest with only 20 registered members, oversees core territories rich in history and wildlife, including all five species of Pacific salmon and majestic bears 🐟🐻. This collaboration marks a significant step towards preserving one of the world's most pristine rainforests while fostering economic growth through innovative, sustainable practices 🌟. https://lnkd.in/gFG5ZjMf #Conservation #GreatBearRainforest #Sustainability #CarbonCredits #IndigenousLeadership #Forests #RainForests #EnvironmentalInnovation #ClimateAction

📰: Protecting the Chesapeake Bay, One Stream at a Time Stream restoration projects like Cattail Creek offer multifaceted benefits to watersheds and ecosystems The Cattail Creek stream restoration project, now complete for five years, is an example of the benefits of stream restorations, both locally and to the Chesapeake Bay watershed as a whole. Stream restoration projects generally aim to promote absorption of nutrients and the retention of sediments in addition to slowing and cooling off water. These projects also reduce erosion, protect infrastructure, reconnect areas of the floodplain, and reestablish habitat. While many other restoration projects are initially focused on curtailing pollutants, Claudia Donegan, the director of DNR’s Center for Habitat Restoration and Conservation, said that projects are most successful when they can address multiple factors to increase the health of the stream and surrounding environment, as the Cattail Creek project has done. “What’s great to really achieve is this multi-system recovery, all the way down to these insects and these birds,” she said. “We’re trying to do some nitrogen and phosphorus uptake, but this is a process-based stream restoration project that’s multifaceted in terms of ecological recovery.” Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eTUhbea3

"Nearly 25 percent of the world's total land area suffers from degradation. Restoring these landscapes can provide a wide range of benefits, including food security, biodiversity conservation, enhanced local incomes and cleaner water. Recognizing this, several global and regional initiatives such as the Bonn Challenge, the New York Declaration on Forests, AFR100 in Africa and Initiative 20x20 in Latin America, have committed to restoring millions of hectares of land by 2030. But restoration is complex: each landscape has a different set of needs, actors and natural conditions. Transforming these large-scale restoration commitments into project-level implementation requires thorough planning, complete with clear pathways, tools and guidance. The Restoration Launchpad, a new guidebook from WRI, presents a step-by-step process for planning and implementing a landscape approach to restoration projects. It identifies the five essential stages of every project: • Scope, • Design, • Finance, • Implement, and • Monitor. Each stage is outlined with key steps and a checklist to help planners track their progress and ensure that each topic has been taken into consideration. These checklists can be adapted and implemented by planners and practitioners in a variety of ecosystems, including grasslands, pasturelands, farmlands, coastal zones, wetlands, and peatlands. [...]." For more information and download the guide please visit https://lnkd.in/dsNdvK2c #WRI #LargeScaleRestoration #LandDegradation #grasslands #pasturelands #farmlands #CoastalZones #wetlands #peatlands #RestorationProjects #LandscapeApproach #RestorationLaunchpad #officiodotambienteatgmailcom - Repost by Officio Ambiente Ltda. http://goo.gl/GCk5pL

Every day is World Environment Day for our team! 🌏 Leading with science, we aim to inform environmental decisions and deliver positive solutions. This year's focus is on 'Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience' – areas we are deeply familiar with. Across the country, restoration efforts are carefully undertaken to replenish the environment. 🌱 The question is are we going about this the right way and adequately considering the original state of the environment before its transformation? We believe the answer is no, not often enough. 🧐 Interested in learning about an alternative perspective on revitalising our environment? Head to our website to read about recognising and restoring Australia's Native Grasslands and Grassy Woodlands. 👉 https://bit.ly/3Q7GUXU   Andrew Whitford I Gordon Patrick   #WorldEnvironmentDay #GenerationRestoration #EcoLogicalAustralia #TetraTech #LeadingWithScience #ApprochableExperts #Restoration #Biodiversity #EcoSystemRestoration

ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION : Ecosystem restoration, also known as ecological restoration or habitat restoration, is the process of helping damaged ecosystems recover. It involves actions such as: Planting mangroves, grass, or other vegetation Agroforestry Soil enhancement Improved management Natural or assisted regeneration Ecosystem restoration differs from conservation, which focuses on preventing damage to ecosystems, while restoration aims to fix ecosystems that have already been damaged. Ecosystem restoration can help create healthier ecosystems with greater biodiversity, which can lead to benefits like: More fertile soil and Larger yields of timber and fish. Some examples of ecosystem restoration include: Reintroducing beavers: Beavers can create new wetland habitats by building dams. Restoring beneficial fires: In southwestern ponderosa pine forests, restoration efforts include safely restoring beneficial fires. Protecting and reintroducing species: Restoration efforts can include protecting species like the Mexican spotted owl and northern goshawk, and reintroducing the Mexican gray wolf as a top predator.

The findings of this research on #ForestRestoration in #LatAm entail significant groundwork (166 practitioners across 14 countries), resulting in the following key points: 1️⃣ Diverse restoration approaches are used concurrently, tailored to conditions. 🔄 2️⃣ Lower-cost strategies prevail at larger scales. 📈 3️⃣ Active tree planting is the most common restoration method. 🌱 4️⃣ Long-term funding is crucial for widespread success. ⏳ 5️⃣ Monitoring efforts often don't align with biodiversity conservation goals. 🔎