UConn Extension’s Post

We were at the #NatureClimateDebate tonight at Chester Zoo. Recognition by politicians of the nature and climate emergency is important, but it’s the detailed policies that will decide whether we meet our legal targets.    The UK is one of the most nature-depleted places in the world and our wildlife is in freefall. We know that this #GeneralElection is a crucial one for nature: we have less than six years to go until 2030, when we need to meet our crucial domestic and international targets to tackle nature’s decline.     We can’t address the climate crisis without solving the nature crisis, and vice versa. Nature itself holds many of the solutions and there's so much evidence that proves conservation works - from protecting ancient woodlands, to restoring our peatlands, saltmarshes and seagrass beds and beyond.      Beccy Speight responds live from the event with her reflections, and why all parties need to understand the urgency of the nature crisis. We'll keep putting this case forward, including at the Restore Nature Now march this weekend. With thanks to Wildlife and Countryside Link and partners for arranging tonight’s event. More to follow. #Nature #ClimateChange 

Big win for #conservation to finally be considered as a land use on par with other land uses, no longer "less than." We're finally codifying that our earth has value in simply existing; not just in what we can extract from it or build on top of it. Thanks, CalWild for your decades of work to push for this #policy #change.

BREAKING NEWS! 🚨 The Bureau of Land Management has taken a powerful step to safeguard some of America’s wildest lands by moving to permanently protect 28 million acres in Alaska. Protecting Alaska’s Homelands is a priority TCA campaign because: 1️⃣ This is a huge win for tribally led conservation efforts. 2️⃣ This region connects land conservation and climate. 3️⃣ Protecting Alaska’s Homelands would be a boon for businesses and the economy. More than 140 federally recognized Alaska Native Tribes, local communities, and businesses representing Alaska’s $2.6 billion outdoor recreation industry have voiced support for permanently protecting this landscape. We are proud to have supported that work through on the ground partners like SalmonState. Today’s news is just one step toward finalizing protections for this region. Learn more at alaskahomelands.com.

The Crucial Role of Forest Management in Mitigating Catastrophic Wildfires Wildfires have become a severe and damaging element in our environment, with the worst of them leaving excruciating impacts on communities, wildlife, and the overall health of our planet. The key to mitigating these devastating events lies in effective forest management and understanding the intricate relationship between forest management and wildfires. History of Fire and Forest Management Before European colonization, fires regularly burned, creating a mosaic of vegetation on the landscape. Indigenous people used fire as a tool to manage land, favor specific species over others, and maintain ecosystem types. However, European settlers brought their own ideas about land management, which considered fire damaging to forests. This shift in perspective led to policies of fire suppression, which, over time, increased the risk of high severity fires that can kill entire stands of trees. https://lnkd.in/giKtw373

In Oregon, water is everything: it supports our fish and wildlife, it’s our most important economic asset and it’s critical for healthy communities. Despite its importance, it’s a poorly understood resource—and this is even more true for groundwater. Learn more: https://nature.ly/43g12x4

Today we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, which created the National Wilderness Preservation system and provided a legal framework for Congress to protect wild public lands across the country. The Bureau of Land Management's National Conservation System includes 263 wilderness areas, each one a sanctuary for wildlife, a source of clean air and water, and a place of peace for all who seek it. Since 1964, the Wilderness Act has been used by Congress to: 🌄 Protect nearly 112,000,000 acres of public lands as designated wilderness in 44 states 💰 Provide billions of dollars of economic activity and community services, such as safe drinking water, clean air, and recreational opportunities 🏜️ Protect sacred cultural landscapes and sustain Indigenous cultural connections 🌌 Safeguard natural, 'untrammeled' landscapes which offer opportunities for solitude, dark-sky viewing, and personal reflection 🌎 Mitigate the effects of climate change by providing critical habitat for flora and fauna, reducing surface disturbances that exacerbate the effects of climate change Today Arizona Representative Raúl M. Grijalva and several co-sponsors introduced a resolution to recognize September 3, 2024 as the 60th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. 👏 Photo: Cadiz Dunes Wilderness, California. Photo by Kyle Sullivan #ProtectWhatMatters

JUST RELEASED: The Strategic Plan for Hawai‘i Wetlands 2024 We are delighted to announce the launch of the Pacific Birds’ Strategic Plan for Hawai‘i Wetlands 2024. The goal of the plan is to guide the effective protection, restoration, and management of wetlands for the benefit of Threatened and Endangered (T&E) waterbirds, migratory shorebirds and waterfowl, human communities, ecosystems, and climate resilience in Hawai‘i. The plan prioritizes wetland sites and conservation actions to improve habitats for waterbirds and people in Hawaiʻi. It includes an appendix with detailed site narratives on wetlands sites across the State. It will guide Pacific Birds’ work and help our partners to prioritize actions at both a State and a local level.

Today is #WorldWetlandsDay - a good moment to recognize the invaluable role wetlands play in our environment and in supporting human health. Wetlands act as: ✅ Natural water purifiers ✅ Crucial wildlife habitats ✅ Protection against flooding They are not just a part of our natural heritage but vital for our survival. So let's stop wetland deterioration and start their restoration! Watermaster can assist rejuvenating wetlands through: ➡ CORRECTING WATER FLOW: Rehydrating wetlands by restoring water flow. ➡ NATIVE ECOSYSTEM RECOVERY: Removing invasive plants for native ecosystems to thrive. ➡ SILT REMOVAL: Eliminating excess silt, returning wetlands to a more natural state. #WWD2024 #WorldWetlandsDay2024 #Watermaster #WetlandRestoration

Did you know that today is International Owl Awareness Day? Since its founding decades ago, WildEarth Guardians has fought U.S. Forest Service proposals to log ancient forest habitat for the Mexican Spotted Owl, at one point halting logging on 21 million acres of national forests. If you give a hoot about Mexican Spotted Owls, add your name to our petition to protect old growth forests from logging: https://lnkd.in/gsTAd9AZ #OwlAwarenessDay

This World Wetlands Day, we are celebrating the significant role wetlands play in our lives. Wetlands filtrate human-made pollutants, reduce erosion and combat flooding, which protects communities, provides clean water and supports tourism and recreational industries. However, if steps are not taken to protect these natural resources, wetlands could disappear forever. Learn more about wetlands and how you can get involved in conservation efforts: https://lnkd.in/gNvSVgwU