The Conservation Alliance’s Post

Our Partners, Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful and The Biggest Little Bee City, are organizing a Saturday Morning Cleanup to support Reno’s pollinator habitats at Valley Wood Park on August 3rd from 8 to 11 am.  Why should we support pollinators? They act as the glue that holds an ecosystem together. Without them, that system would suffer, shrinking the biodiversity around us. They provide pollination services for over 85% of the world’s flowering plants.  Two-thirds of the world’s crop species depend on pollinators, and the United States alone grows over 100 crops that need or benefit from pollinators. The economic value of these native pollinators is estimated at $3 billion per year in the U.S. (Xerces Society). Learn more and volunteer at https://lnkd.in/gPJd24pT

Join Urban Land Institute Northwest Arkansas YLG as we partner with the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust in their conservation efforts of the Wilson Springs Reserve. 🏕 🌄 Wilson Springs Preserve is a 121-acre wet prairie remnant in the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Part of a historic 1600-acre prairie which is now mostly developed, the preserve is the largest permanently protected prairie remnant in Fayetteville and one of the largest wetland habitats in the region.   The NWA Land Trust has managed for invasive species in Wilson Springs since 2013. There are multiple methods NWALT uses to control invasive species; however, manual pulling invasive with large groups is one of the most effective methods.   We will be focusing our efforts on perilla mint with patches of this species spread throughout the preserve. We will split up into small groups to find these patches and manually pull the plants, while exploring the preserve as well! Where: Wilson Spring Nature Preserve. Participants will meet at the trailhead located on the south side of the Sam’s Club Parking Lot in Fayetteville. Highway 112 and N. Shiloh Dr in Fayetteville, AR (Sam’s Club Parking Lot) YLG participants will have coffee and light snacks provided.   When: March 22, 2024 9:00-11:00 am Participants will have the opportunity to join one another at a local restaurant nearby for lunch and networking.   Why it's important:   At ULI NWA we strive to build a better environment for the future! This begins with our current and future generations. Our Young Leaders Group will be volunteering during the event to build relationships and give back to our community by helping to preserve it.  If you are interested in becoming a part of YLG, this is a great way to see how we plan to serve the NWA community.   Equipment: Gloves, bug spray, whoppers, and water will be supplied by NWALT. Participants need to bring a water bottle, closed-toe shoes, long pants (the ticks are out this year), and a hat. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Evan Johnson at ejohnson@nwalandtrust.org or 479-871-3848. You can sign up at the link here 👉

This World Environment Day we've been out checking in on our hives 🐝🌱 Did you know that habitat loss is generally thought to be the most important factor driving the decline in population of UK pollinators? Over 97% (an area the size of Wales) of all flower-rich grasslands have been lost in England since the 1930s, (and this is mirrored in other parts of the UK) reducing pollen and nectar sources and leading to a serious decline in the wildlife depending on wildflower-rich habitat. UK Charity Buglife's B-Lines Project is an imaginative and beautiful solution to the problem of the loss of flowers and pollinators. The B-Lines are a series of ‘insect pathways’ running through our countryside and towns, along which we are restoring and creating a series of wildflower-rich habitat stepping stones. They link existing wildlife areas together, creating a network, like a railway, that weaves across the UK landscape. This provides large areas of brand new habitat benefiting bees and butterflies– but also a host of other wildlife. If you're looking for a charity to support that directly helps re-build our pollinator habitat then Buglife might be the one for you! For more information about B-Lines and the work that Buglife do to help pollinators head over to their site www.buglife.org.uk

The Cool Down: Experts come together to protect severely imperiled American tree species: 'Without stewardship, they will be gone' It is quite interesting when “concerned state US state government agencies and nonprofits as well as indigenous communities” team up to protect increasingly disappearing “white oak trees.” Trees have been, are, and will continue to be central — not just in the fight for climate change but also in providing ecological habitats as safe grounds for breeding and feeding to a plethora of wildlife species. It’s this and other values, protecting and conserving mature trees such as white oaks should not be politicized instead bringing stakeholders together in ensuring survival and thrive of mature trees. #whiteoak

Last week, we looked at the fascinating history and biology of lions. This week, we'll be diving into the current conservation challenges that lions face, and how we can all play a role in protecting them. What do you think is the biggest threat facing lions? What steps do you think we should take to protect them? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Currently, lions are listed as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Their numbers have declined by about 43% in the last three generations. There are many reasons for this decline, including habitat loss, human-lion conflict, and poaching. Lions face threats in both their native habitats in Africa and Asia, as well as in captivity. It's estimated that there are around 20,000 lions left in the wild, down from an estimated 200,000 a century ago. It's a sad situation, but there are conservation efforts underway to help protect these majestic creatures. There are lots of ways that individuals and organizations can help with lion conservation! Some examples include: - Donating to conservation organizations. - Spreading awareness about the importance of lions and their conservation. - Supporting businesses and initiatives that have a positive impact on lions. - Reporting sightings of lions to the relevant authorities. - Participating in research projects and surveys. - Reducing your environmental footprint. If you're ever lucky enough to encounter a lion in the wild, it's important to stay calm and follow these safety tips: - Don't run! Running may trigger the lion's instinct to chase. - Stand tall and back away slowly. - Don't make eye contact with the lion. - Try to make yourself look bigger by raising your arms or holding something over your head. - Stay quiet and speak in a low, firm voice. - Slowly move to an area that the lion can easily escape from, like an open area with an escape route for the lion. - Never turn your back on a lion Next week, we'll be exploring the conservation challenges faced by another iconic species. Join us to learn more about how you can make a difference! #lions #wildlifeconservation #action4wildlife

We see giants, they see their home. Elephants, the gentle giants of the savanna, often wander into our communities, sparking fear and frustration. But let's pause for a moment and consider their perspective. They're not invaders; they're simply searching for food and water, just like us. Through community-led conservation efforts, we're forging a new path—one where humans and wildlife thrive together. By fostering understanding, empathy, and sustainable practices, we're creating a future where elephants are not seen as adversaries, but as partners in conservation. #wildlifeconservation #communityLedConservation

Today we are celebrating #WorldEnvironmentDay! One of the key elements of this year's theme is land restoration. A hallmark of our work is facilitating the stewardship of our natural world through restoration, exploration, and preservation. We are committed to protecting the 80 acres of woods, open meadows, vital wetlands, and ponds spanning our site. All year-round, visitors to Grace Farms enjoy walks on our nature trails to experience the awe and wonders of nature. Our multi-generational programs provide a meaningful opportunity to explore the natural world and underscore the importance of caring for and respecting the environment and essential wildlife, from learning about vital pollinators to exploring how plants flourish in nature, and more. The National Wildlife Federation has certified Grace Farms as a Wildlife Habitat and we've also been named a certified Monarch Way Station by Monarch Watch. Additionally, we signed the Pollinator Pledge with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, an international nonprofit that protects the natural world by conserving invertebrates such as bees and their habitats. We are proud to be a New Canaan Pollinator Pathway partner, joining a community-wide effort to protect and establish essential native habitats for pollinators, including bees and butterflies. Remarkably, over 100 species of birds have been identified at Grace Farms, an increase from 40 species in 2015, as a result of restoring our native meadows. Learn more about our ongoing stewardship of our natural environment: https://lnkd.in/eHtJxbbz

"The question is, are we happy to suppose that our grandchildren may never be able to see an elephant except in a picture book?" - Sir David Attenborough We certainly are not. Today is World Elephant Day. These majestic giants face critical threats, with populations suffering sharp declines. Big threats demand big responses. That's why we've partnered with Diergaarde Blijdorp - Rotterdam Zoo, Rotterdam's conservation icon, to shape a sustainable future where humans and wildlife thrive in harmony. Together, we're working to strengthen our connection to the natural world and secure a future where next generations will always be able to see an elephant up close. Our guide reveals how Blijdorp's digital transformation is powering conservation efforts – and how you can make your brand a force for good and follow suit. Learn more: https://hubs.ly/Q02KVBBl0 #worldelephantday #wildlifeconservation #digitaltransformation

Community concern about wildlife impacts from a Harry Potter show planned for a Victorian conservation park is justified. An extensive body of research tells us that the lights and noise of these types of shows, plus the noise, presence and smells of the thousands of visitors, have a wide range of detrimental impacts on wildlife which can last long after the show has left the park. Biodiversity Council member Professor Euan Ritchie from Deakin University said: “While these shows can be fun for visitors and a boost for local economies their locations should be selected to avoid important wildlife conservation areas. “Australia has experienced numerous species declines and extinctions since European colonisation and wildlife conservation areas are often only tiny fragments of once widespread ecosystems. “To give the native species hanging on in these patches the best chance of survival we have to be prepared to say no to activities that aren’t compatible with their conservation. “Places like the Briars Wildlife Sanctuary, which is home to species like the threatened powerful owl, were specifically set aside for conservation; we should respect that and not introduce activities that aren’t compatible.” Learn more in this article by Jaana Dielenberg, Professor Euan Ritchie, Loren Fardell and Theresa Jones from University of Melbourne, The University of Queensland, Deakin University, and Charles Darwin University on The Conversation Australia + NZ. Mornington Peninsula Shire

Looking to the future for tigers. 🐅 2023 was a milestone success for tiger conservation, bringing with it the end of the TX2 campaign to double wild tiger numbers. During the 12 years of TX2, five countries successfully increased their populations. But there's still work to do: wild tiger populations have declined or gone extinct in half of the countries they’ve lived in. 📉 So, what's next...? We're maintaining the momentum with tiger conservation: WWF has a new goal to help increase and/or stabilise wild tiger populations and their range in 22 landscapes by 2034. We need to allow these big cats space to grow. 🧡 https://brnw.ch/21wGb83