ReefCycle’s Post

These are the types of projects we want to see more of. One caveat: as the oceans warm, crustaceans will struggle. So we need to also address the climate - which will in turn benefit from these types of projects. It is all interlinked. #regeneration has to be the focus now.

🦪 A billion oysters are set to completely transform New York Harbour. 🗽 Just as trees are indispensable to a forest, oysters are vital for marine habitats. At the heart of New York City on Governor's Island, the Billion Oyster Project is revolutionising marine restoration. Historically, New York Harbour boasted 220,000 acres of vibrant oyster reefs, supporting a rich ecosystem of whales, dolphins, seals, seahorses, herring, striped bass and hundreds of fish species in its once-clear waters. Now they’re on a mission to bring that back. Oysters are incredible ecosystem engineers that provide a host of ecosystem services including: 🌿 Carbon Sequestration 🐠 Habitat Creation (for marine life) 🌊 Shoreline Protection (reefs minimise waves) 💰 Economic Benefits (through increased marine life) 💧 Water Filtration (each oyster filters 150-200 litres a day) What impact could 1 billion oysters have? In just 7.5 to 10 days, they could completely filter the harbour's 1.5 trillion litres of water! 🤯 Diving Deeper: ✊ Empowering Youth: From a high school class to a city-wide movement, the project empowers students with hands-on environmental science, fostering real-world skills through oyster cultivation and ecosystem research. 🤝 Volunteer Impact: Annually, volunteers sort and clean hundreds of thousands of pounds of oyster shells, laying the foundation for new habitats. This growing community effort shows visible, impactful results, inspiring continuous support. 🌎 A Global Model: The techniques developed here could inspire coastal cities worldwide (22 of the largest 30 cities in the world are built on tempered estuaries like New York Harbour), demonstrating that local initiatives can have a global environmental impact. I can’t wait to see a future where New York Harbour has clear waters, is teeming with marine life and reverts back its incredible historical marine biodiversity. Sending all the best to Murray Fisher, Peter Malinowski, Carolyn Khoury, Robina Taliaferrow and the rest of the team on your incredible project. I’m excited to follow your progress. 🙌 This is exactly the type of ambitious nature restoration initiative that I want us to support at Earthly and I’m looking forward to exploring how we help! (🎬 Credit: The Prince and Princess of Wales) #BillionOysterProject #NewYorkHarbour #EcosystemRestoration

What I also like about this project/ mission is it’s inter-generational approach i.e., getting youth involved and placing trust in their capabilities. #habitatrestoration #ecosystemsrestoration #ecosystems #restoration #conservation #ecology #marineconservation #marineecology #youth #youthconservationprogramme

Take a seat and let me tell you about a Lagoon. 💺 Coastal lagoons are waterbodies found along our coastlines, separated from the sea by barriers. They come in various forms, each with their own unique ecological stamp. ❎ Here’s a quick guide to the main types of lagoons you might find: 🌿🌊 Isolated Lagoons: Completely separated from the sea, seawater enters only through seepage or over-topping. These lagoons are often low in salinity and temporary due to natural changes. 🌿🌊 🌿🌊 Percolation Lagoons: Separated by shingle banks, seawater seeps through or occasionally over-tops during storms. Water levels and salinity vary, and these lagoons are formed by natural sediment movement, making them relatively short-lived. 🌿🌊 🌿🌊 Silled Lagoons: Retained by a rock barrier or ‘sill,’ these lagoons experience minimal tidal changes and regular seawater input. Found mainly in Scotland, they host unique plant life like green algae, rare charophytes, and eelgrass. 🌿🌊 🌿🌊 Sluiced Lagoons: Modified by human-made structures, such as culverts or sluices, these lagoons have water movement controlled by these barriers. The communities within resemble those of silled lagoons and vary with substrate and salinity. 🌿🌊 🌿🌊 Lagoonal Inlets: Open to seawater on each tide, these inlets have high salinity at the seaward end and can feature a gradient from salty to fresh water. This gradient supports a diverse range of habitats and species. 🌿🌊 One example of a lagoon in Strangford Lough is Ardkeen Bay - a silled lagoon on the eastern shores. A rocky entrance holds back the water in the bay as the tide falls, which creates a waterfall feature. Unusually many deep water animals are able to survive in shallower areas here such as starfish, sunstars and brittle stars. #CoastalLagoons #MarineBiology #EnvironmentalScience #Conservation #Ecosystems #Biodiversity Photo from Strangford and Lecale AONB Facebook Page. (I cannot believe I don't have my own photo of this). SHAME!

A great article on the importance of discovering and protecting genetically important remnants of our ancient tree cover, good luck and happy hunting Trees for Life!

“Just let nature take its course, it'll take care of itself” is the WORST restoration advice you can give. This simply doesn’t work for peatlands. Let me tell you why. 👇 Humans have interfered with ecosystems for decades, draining wetlands, digging peat, clearing forests, cultivating land, planting monocultures... The result is that, especially here in Germany, there's hardly any truly untouched nature left. There are only cultivated landscapes. Last week we were in my favourite restored bog, the Venner Moor, and despite the heavy rain there were an incredible number of birch trees growing there. Trees drain the precious water from the peat bogs, so as you know, trees aren't welcome in peat bogs. So the bog will only remain a bog until there are people to restore and look after it. Germany used to be a country rich in bogs, but without our help we are losing these important ecosystems. It's time for us to give back to nature what we have taken from it. Now you know why we scientists prefer to talk about restoration rather than renaturation. On our trip from Canada and Patagonia, I saw TRULY pristine nature. And I'm telling you, it was breathtaking. Goose bumps everywhere. When was the last time you had goose bumps from nature? #wetlands #restoration #nature

Excited to be quoted in this piece. One of North America's most spectacular landscape for migrating birds: Keweenaw Heartlands Use by Migrating Raptors Underscores the Nature Conservancy’s Goals to Preserve Lands The Nature Conservancy views the Keweenaw Heartlands as a critical stopover for migrating raptors underscoring the land’s protection status. Recently leadership from the Nature Conservancy expressed belief in the Keweenaw Heartlands as a critical ecological region containing a variety of landscapes and systems desirable to migrating raptors. Home to rocky cliffs the Keweenaw peninsula provides a critical rest stop for thousands of species including raptors like eagles hawks, and owls, before making the great journey across Lake Superior. Midwest Director Patrick Doran says that much like families seeking a rest stop while on a summer road trip, raptors too need to refuel and rest. Adding that any given spring day in the Keweenaw Peninsula you’ll see raptors soaring high in the sky. With the perfect geography giving way to strong gusts of wind and granite cliffs the region offers great launch points for many species. Including the many streams rivers and creeks leading to Lake Superior and the many fish the region has a reliable food source too. Those interested in learning more about the Keweenaw Heartlands’ importance to migrating raptors in North America can find more details below. #birding #conservation Keweenaw Heartlands Use by Migrating Raptors Underscores the Nature Conservancy’s Goals to Preserve Lands via @@kreport https://lnkd.in/eai3Pypi

As we delve into the plight of seagulls in urban environments, an article from the BBC offers a compelling narrative that challenges our perception of these adaptable birds. The article "Seagulls 'charismatic' not 'criminal', say scientists" ([BBC News]()) reveals the pressures driving gulls away from their natural habitats and into our cities. It's a poignant reminder of the broader environmental issues we face. The decline in gull populations is a red flag, signaling the impact of human activity on wildlife. Overfishing, habitat destruction, and climate change are not just abstract concepts; they manifest in the daily struggles of these birds for survival. As they resort to pilfering our leftovers, their behavior reflects their intelligence and adaptability, but also our responsibility to coexist peacefully. The article suggests simple, effective solutions such as secure bins and public awareness to reduce human-gull conflicts. This approach aligns with the broader principle of sustainable living: understanding the interconnectedness of our actions with the natural world and taking steps to mitigate negative impacts. Let's view seagulls not as nuisances, but as fellow inhabitants of our planet, facing challenges much like our own. By fostering empathy and implementing practical measures, we can help protect these 'clever birds' and, by extension, the delicate balance of our ecosystems. It's a small step towards a more harmonious coexistence, which can lead to significant positive change for all species involved, including our own. #UrbanWildlife #Coexistence #SustainableSolutions

Tropical Forests 101: Everything You Need to Know Quick Key Facts What Are ‘Tropical Forests’? Tropical forests are rich ecosystems located in tropical zones surrounding the equator. They have a dense upper canopy of broad-leafed trees and an astonishingly diverse array of animal and plant life. These forests pack an enormous amount of biodiversity into the six percent of the planet’s land surface […] The post Tropical Forests 101: Everything You Need to Know appeared first on EcoWatch .

🌊 Explore the Depths: Pelagic vs. Demersal 🐠🐙 At Malas Foundation, we believe in unraveling the mysteries of the ocean. Today, let's dive into the fascinating world of marine habitats and discover the difference between pelagic and demersal zones! 🌊 Pelagic Zone: Picture yourself floating in the vast open ocean, away from the coastline. This is the realm of the pelagic zone. It encompasses the water column from the surface to the ocean floor, where sunlight penetrates and supports the growth of tiny plants called phytoplankton. The pelagic zone is home to an array of incredible creatures, including majestic whales, swift tuna, and graceful sharks. These organisms are adapted for a life of constant movement, roaming freely in search of food and mates. 🌊 Demersal Zone: Now, let's shift our focus to the ocean floor. This is where the demersal zone comes into play. Unlike the pelagic zone, the demersal zone refers to the benthic or bottom-dwelling habitats. Here, marine life thrives in close proximity to the seabed, relying on the resources it provides. From colorful coral reefs to rocky outcrops and sandy plains, the demersal zone is a diverse and vibrant ecosystem. You'll find a myriad of species, such as bottom-dwelling fish, crustaceans, and unique creatures like the elusive octopus and camouflaged flatfish. Understanding the distinction between pelagic and demersal zones helps us appreciate the complexity and interconnectedness of marine ecosystems. Each zone plays a vital role in sustaining life beneath the waves, and it is crucial to protect and conserve both habitats. At Malas Foundation, we are committed to preserving the delicate balance of our oceans. Join us in our mission to raise awareness, support research, and advocate for the sustainable management of these precious marine environments. Together, we can make a difference for the pelagic and demersal zones and the incredible life they hold. 🌊🐠🌊🐙🌊 #MalasFoundation #PelagicVsDemersal #OceanExploration #MarineHabitats #Conservation #protectouroceans