Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s Post

The May 2023 release of the report, Wildlands in New England: Past, Present, and Future, has helped to catalyze a growing awareness of Wildlands and the important role they play in mitigating climate change, biodiversity loss, and threats to human health and safety. Support for Wildlands is growing! There has been a recent increase in public policies and funding initiatives, as well as in private sector awareness and support for these protected, intentionally unmanaged land areas.The Wildlands in New England: Past, Present, and Future report has not only sparked a swell of interest, but also allows us to follow the actively growing inventory of Wildlands throughout the region. In the latest issue, From the Ground Up publisher Marissa Latshaw and Harvard Forest’s Brian Hall highlight recent exciting Wildlands additions in Maine and Connecticut, share public policy advancements and private conservation initiatives that specify Wildlands protection, and offer a refresher of what criteria an area has to meet to be considered a Wildland. Go Wild and read this inspiring article: https://buff.ly/3V7X3iz #maine #connecticut #wild #wildlands #conservation #newengland #northeast #landconservation #wwfc #fromthegroundup

New fish passage barrier removal efforts on #BigChicoCreek stand to make waves for native fish conservation. Learn more about it in this week’s Fish Report: https://lnkd.in/gnFGEWj7

Pollinators play a crucial role in the preservation of terrestrial ecosystems, yet they are on the verge of extinction as a result of numerous threats that have worsened in recent years, largely due to human action. That is why legal and administrative measures must be adopted to promote and guarantee the protection of pollinators, specifically bees and beekeepers. BeeLife represents the interests of beekeepers seeking to establish public policies that guarantee a healthy environment for pollinators, the protection of bee flora and consolidate the beekeeping sector as a strategic component for the country's food security and sovereignty and the conservation of ecosystems. #beelife #beekeepers #beekeepers #beekeepers #bees #pollinators

Seems to me it’s time for a clear and active policy, with the criteria clear for everyone, and proper consideration of the impacts on farmers and landowners … #ecologicalrestoration #speciesreintroduction https://lnkd.in/exgSiwFk

Changing native vegetation laws to allow burning on private land is good fire management https://lnkd.in/gRfYdeBz

Protecting federal Indian Reservations as homelands for Tribes and protecting federal lands for public parks and wildlife refuges requires protecting waters that accompany those lands. While most of the water battles we hear about are west of the Mississippi, climate change and massive water appropriations for industry, farming, mining and other uses makes these fights urgent in the Great Lakes region and farther east as well. Diverting massive amounts of groundwater or surface water, even temporarily, can irreparably harm hydrologic systems and the people and other species that depend on them. It’s worth the time and resources to ensure responsible permitting. It’s also federal law. #waterislife 💧💦🌨️🌊🕸️🐟🐊🌱

#CRTNewsRoundup: The Duck River is considered one of the most biodiverse rivers on the continent, thanks to its variety of mussel and fish species. A new report by the conservation group American Rivers listed the Duck River — which flows about 270 miles entirely within the state — as this year’s third-most endangered river in the nation. In recent years, the Duck River has become increasingly vulnerable to development. The report identified “unsustainable water use” as the primary risk to the waterway. Read more in this WPLN piece: https://lnkd.in/eiDcQYzj

Spring has sprung and migratory birds are returning to the area - ready to take full advantage of the burgeoning insect populations, budding plants, and abundance of nesting locations. 🐦 Did you know that at least 4,000 species of birds are regular migrants, making up about 40 percent of the total number of birds in the world? As these feathered travelers make their way, they rely heavily on staging areas and stopovers where they can land to rest and refuel before continuing their long, arduous journeys. Unfortunately, the landscape has changed significantly over time, with farms and towns encroaching upon these vital habitats. In California, where shorebird populations have been declining, a new program run by the National Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, and Point Blue Conservation Science called BirdReturns is working to address this issue. BirdReturns incentivizes farmers to flood their land, creating temporary wetlands when and where birds need them most. It's a win-win situation, benefiting both wildlife and land owners. To learn more, check out this article:  https://lnkd.in/gQqvKD5u #BiodiversityProtection #ShorebirdConservation #FarmersForNature

https://lnkd.in/ehRZDSjZ The story of the Rogue River is fascinating and I returned to the subject recently when I was researching barrier removal for a job I was doing. The story of the Rogue River is relevant to much of the conflict that goes on between the different angling and other interests in Irish rivers. Somehow the people of Oregon managed to summon the will to remove all the major barriers (e.g. dams and weirs) impeding fish migration on the Rogue River. The result has been a spectacular resurgence in the native migratory salmonids (salmon and steelhead trout) . It would tend to demonstrate that barrier removal (or effective mitigation where that is not feasible) is key to restoring migratory salmonids in our rivers. The other thing that this article does not cover is that the (common, cyprinus carpio) carp population of the Rogue River was much reduced as a consequence of barrier removal. There had been large areas of slack water behind weirs and dams, and this had been exploited by carp. The carp population declined in proportion to the amount of carp habitat that was lost and they did not need to be removed in order for the trout and salmon to recover. Similarly in Ireland if we want more salmonids (trout, salmon) we need to remove barriers and restore the head waters of our rivers. That means that, where windy shallow streams have been turned into deepened straight drainage ditches, they will need to be restored to their original course. Also weirs and dams should be removed where possible; there is no point pretending this will be easy. Weirs concentrate fish and make them easier to locate- I often fish near weirs for this reason. Personally, I believe that restoring trout reds (spawning beds) on the Inny system has improved the quality of the river and the abundance of fish generally, including the roach and perch. Also, the idea that removing tench from lakes helps trout is idiotic; they do not exploit the same habitats, and they do not compete with each other. Anyway, great to read an article about salmon and sea trout that is not depressing.

⛰️ The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public feedback on its draft plan for managing the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in Oregon. Currently managed under three separate management plans, this new proposal aims to consolidate the efforts to protect the National Monument’s one-of-a-kind biodiversity. The draft management plan addresses key issues such as wildfires and environmental protection. Our Friends Grassroots Network member Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou has provided some great information on how to comment and some key concerns to consider addressing in your feedback to the BLM. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/d6sE3hfr. The BLM is also hosting a series of public meetings on the plan, including one virtual meeting (May 8) and three in-person meetings (May 14, May 16, and May 18). The meeting info is detailed in the link above. Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is the ancestral homeland of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, Shasta, Modoc, Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla Nations. #ProtectWhatMatters #NationalMonument #MonumentsForAll #Conservation