The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s Post

"Exploration Series: Compelling Reads" #Topic1: Seagrass, often overlooked in discussions about carbon sequestration, holds immense potential in mitigating climate change. With its ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere at rates comparable to forests, seagrass meadows play a crucial role in decarbonization efforts. Implementing seagrass restoration projects worldwide can not only help in preserving marine biodiversity but it has the potential to also act as a powerful natural carbon sink, capturing significant amounts of CO2. By restoring and protecting seagrass habitats, we can combat ocean acidification, enhance coastal resilience, and contribute to global carbon sequestration goals. Harnessing and surrendering to the power of The Nature to create a #sustainable future! So profound and exciting! #Seagrass #CarbonSequestration #ClimateAction #OceanConservation #SustainableDevelopment #BlueCarbon #ClimateSolution #EcosystemRestoration #MarineBiodiversity #GreenFuture #NaturebasedSolutions #ConscientiousLeadership

For National Threatened Species Day, and we asked our Nature Advisory and Ecology Teams to shine a spotlight on a handful of species that need our help the most.💚 It wasn’t an easy task, with so many Australian species under threat. We’ll be sharing a full article soon with deeper insights into Australia’s vulnerable wildlife. For now, take a look at the team’s selection below, and let us know which species resonates most with you (the Cumberland snail is quite an interesting one!) A big thanks to our nature-loving team: Jenni Garden, Danielle Smith, Sarah Day, Cassie Cheeseman, Elena Riano, Katie Denoon. Protecting these species is critical to preserving the balance of our ecosystems, and we’re dedicated to making a difference. If you’d like to learn more about our Nature and Ecology services, feel free to reach out directly to the team or explore our services here: https://lnkd.in/gCMEC257 . . . #EdgeImpact #NationalThreatenedSpeciesDay #ThreatenedSpecies #AustralianWildlife #NatureConservation #NatureAwareness

Read the latest peer-reviewed article on our website, Assessing Ecological and Socio-Political Factors in Site Selection for Ocelot Reintroduction in Texas. The authors describe an assessment to identify potential sites for reintroducing the endangered ocelot in Texas, where 97% of land is privately owned. Their assessment incorporates ecological factors like vegetation cover and threats as well as socio-political factors related to land ownership patterns and potential landowner support. Click the link below to see how a geospatial analysis evaluated sites based on habitat size, ocelot ecological requirements, possible threats, and socio-political factors like land ownership fragmentation. #eastfoundation #ckwri #nri #peerreviewed #privateland #southtexas #ocelot #habitat #ranchland #wildlife #management #conservation #stewardship Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute-Texas A&M University Kingsville Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute https://lnkd.in/gEit-6PX Martinez, L., J.V. Lombardi, G. Powers, A.D. Anderson, T.A. Campbell and R.R. Lopez. 2024. Assessing ecological and socio-political factors in site selection for ocelot reintroductions in Texas. Conservation Science and Practice e13113. https://lnkd.in/gnTRBqeR (East Foundation Manuscript 099)

Did you know the sagebrush biome is one of most intact and least modified ecosystems in the world? And it supports hundreds of species and helps power rural economies. Yet, we’re losing more than a million acres of the most intact sagebrush areas annually despite our current conservation efforts due to invasive annual grasses, expanding conifers, and large wildfires. ARS-led research is among the 20 peer-reviewed articles from 24 organizations featured in a special issue of the journal Rangeland Ecology & Management. The special issue includes work from experts representing 24 organizations, focusing on the science behind conserving the sagebrush biome. This work builds upon the Sagebrush Conservation Design (utilizing the ARS-led Rangeland Analysis Platform), and explores how, where, and why partners are working together for this purpose. Explore the science by visiting the new Sagebrush Conservation Gateway: https://loom.ly/W9r4WG4 #ScienceSagebrushBiome #SaveCoreSagebrush Photo Courtesy of Working Lands for Wildlife.

"Like other whales, the species was driven nearly to extinction by commercial whaling. But unlike other whales — such as humpbacks, grey whales and blue whales — it has been much slower to recover. Populations of right whales are larger in the Atlantic Ocean, as well as in the Southern Hemisphere. North Pacific right whales were favored by hunters because they swim slowly near shore, and float after death. By the late 1800s, as many as 40,000 North Pacific right whales had been slaughtered." Point Blue Conservation Science https://lnkd.in/gC2-fHUi

Monarchs stand as global symbols for all pollinators. Embodying their essence, and safeguarding them will yield advantages for both pollinators and a multitude of other flora and fauna. As a component of ESI's terrestrial ecology services, our team conducts habitat assessments to ensure the enrollment and compliance of rights-of-way within the Nationwide Candidate Conservation Agreement for the Monarch Butterfly on energy and transportation lands. We look forward to another year of engaging and exchanging knowledge with members of the Monarch Joint Venture (MJV), a coalition consisting of federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations, businesses, and academic programs united in their efforts to protect the monarch migration across the United States. #ESI #RealScienceRealSolutions #MonarchConservation #Pollinators #MonarchMigration2024 #MJVMeeting #ProtectPollinators #ButterflyBiodiversity #SustainableHabitats #MJV2024

Exploring the intersection of public policy and urban ecology, I delve into the compelling narrative of #Flaco, the Central Park owl whose life and untimely death highlight the urgent need for chemical reform in urban wildlife conservation. As we strive for sustainable urban environments, this piece calls for reevaluating our pest control strategies and advocates for policy-driven change to protect our city's wildlife and natural heritage. https://lnkd.in/epHePuWH #Flaco #publicpolicy #urbanecology #centralpark

New paper: Rapid on-ground survey of 21 rare & threatened plant species in northern NSW after 2019 #BlackSummer fires reveals new information on ecology, population size & distributions. Our work: ✅ contributes ecological data for a number of species that had no previous data available ✅ documents new ecological interactions and distribution patterns, and ✅ highlights the value in funding post-disturbance rapid on-ground surveys to inform long-term conservation outcomes for rare and threatened taxa This project was funded by the Australian Government’s Wildlife and Habitat #BushfireRecovery Program back in 2020. It's taken longer than expected, after a few project delays and my recent shift into parent mode, but I'm very happy we can finally share these data! 🌱 🔥 #fireecology#threatenedspecies https://lnkd.in/gjtepcxm

The Rafael Kuusakoski Memorial Fund has awarded grants totaling €48,300 to support young researchers and projects focused on Baltic Sea birds, marine ecology, climate, and landscape conservation. 🕊️ The awarded projects explore topics such as forest integrity and corridors on wildlife species, the impact of climate change on wildlife habitats, the effects of wetland management on bird biodiversity, the changing environment of the Baltic Sea, the role of standing dead wood in nature conservation, the effects of drainage and restoration on beetles as well as the incubation behavior of long-lived seabirds under ecological stressors. Each project contributes valuable insights into the challenges facing our environment and underscores the importance of conservation efforts. 🌱 Find out more about the grant winners from the link in the comments. #Kuusakoski #KuusakoskiRecycling #ResearchGrants #RafaelKuusakoskiMemorialFund #BalticSea #YoungScientists

It’s inspiring to hear about the resilience of the Australian bush following devastating fires. The perspective from the Environment Institute’s Wayne Boardman highlights an important aspect of the ecosystem: that fire is a natural part of its life cycle. Many native plants have evolved to not only withstand fire but to thrive in its aftermath. 🌿 The ability of the landscape to recover, given the right conditions, speaks to the resilience of nature and the complex adaptations that have developed over millions of years. This recovery is a testament to the power of ecosystems to rebound, even after catastrophic events. It also underscores the importance of protecting and restoring these environments to support their natural regeneration processes. The journey of recovery can be both a challenge and a source of hope, reminding us of the need to respect and understand the delicate balance of our ecosystems. Read article here on “How fire has shaped the unique ecology of South Australia’ https://shorturl.at/29MzM #recovery #Australianbush #environmentinstitute #ecosystem #ecology #bushfire #bushfirerecovery