Christina Spade’s Post

A community-led restoration success story from New Orleans offers a prototype for wetland restoration efforts worldwide. In the Lower Ninth Ward, local residents have transformed a 40-acre area into a thriving wetland, bringing back native bird species and revitalizing the ecosystem. This initiative, driven by grassroots efforts, highlights the immense potential of community-led conservation. By removing invasive species, planting native vegetation, and restoring the natural water flow, the project has recreated critical wetland habitats, vital for both wildlife and flood resilience. Birds like herons, egrets, and kingfishers are returning, and the restored wetland now serves as a key flood buffer, protecting the surrounding neighborhoods. This bottom-up approach to ecological restoration shows how community engagement, combined with targeted environmental interventions, can restore ecosystems while addressing local needs like flood mitigation. As a prototype, this project underscores the power of collective action in restoring biodiversity and building climate resilience in urban areas. Could this model inspire similar wetland restoration efforts in other communities worldwide? Learn more about the inspiring work in New Orleans here: https://lnkd.in/dZjQH3EX. Photo: Sankofa Nola https://lnkd.in/dZjQH3EX. #WetlandRestoration #CommunityConservation #Biodiversity #EcosystemRecovery #UrbanResilience #NewOrleans #EarthRegeneration

Zoning and management changes to further conserve Great Sandy Marine Park’s unique habitats have come into effect today. Great Sandy Marine Park, in the Wide Bay-Burnett Region, surrounds the K’gari (Fraser Island) World Heritage Area and is an area of exceptionally high natural and cultural value that extends from Double Island Point in the south to Baffle Creek in the north. The changes are a boon for biodiversity, with 28.5 per cent of Great Sandy Marine Park now falling within highly protected green and yellow zones. Changes include: 🐟 Increasing the marine park's green zones (where fishing and netting are not permitted) from 3.9 per cent to 12.8 per cent, protecting iconic species that call this habitat home. 🦈 Increasing designated Go-Slow areas to better protect threatened marine species such as turtles, dugongs, shorebirds and grey nurse sharks. 🐠 Removing commercial large mesh gill and ring netting from the yellow conservation park zones within Baffle Creek, Elliott River, Burrum River system, the Great Sandy Strait and Tin Can Inlet. Financial assistance is available for the commercial fishing sector directly impacted by the re-zoning. For more, see https://buff.ly/3wIDPrz #GreatSandyNP #30by2030 #Saved #MarineParks #Conservation

Public lands are vital to our ecosystems, communities, and recreational activities. The Bureau of Land Management’s new Restoration Blueprint is a forward-looking strategy to tackle invasive species, improve wildfire resilience, and ensure sustainable use of these treasured landscapes. Explore the goals and impact of this critical initiative: https://lnkd.in/gZee4R8i #BureauOfLandManagement #PublicLands #RestorationBlueprint #OutdoorRecreation #Conservation #PublicPolicy #Environment

I had a meeting with North Branch Land Trust earlier this week, and I visited its Forest Echo Bird Sanctuary before heading home. Though it is a small sanctuary, at 17 acres, this natural space is providing important wildlife habitat and water quality benefits in this suburban area. North Branch Land Trust staff are taking a very active management role at this sanctuary, treating invasive plants and doing riparian buffer restoration. I believe that active management is critical even for preserved (I prefer "conserved") lands. The fact is that no place on Earth is pristine anymore; there is no place that is not being affected by climate change, and there are many pathways for invasive species to infest even the most remote natural lands. Most of the forestlands of Pennsylvania were clearcut about 100 years ago and therefore could need help with forest growth, diversity, and regeneration. In most cases, a "hands-off" approach is not the best way to ensure healthy and highly-functioning ecosystems, even on preserves. If you want to consider active management on conserved lands, please reach out to Grow Conservation or collaborate with an agency, nonprofit, trust, or conservancy that is doing it well, like North Branch Land Trust. #conservation #riparianbuffer #watershed #climatechange #invasives

Green Foothills has published a new report, 'Coyote Valley: A Vital Landscape', about how recent proposals for rezoning the Monterey Road corridor threaten the progress that’s been made in protecting this crucial area. Coyote Valley, just south of San José, is a key location for preserving wildlife connectivity, regional biodiversity, and trails and public open space. Numerous scientific studies support conserving all of Coyote Valley as protected open space for the sake of climate resilience, biodiversity, and flood protection. Santa Clara County voters agree and have consistently and overwhelmingly supported conservation of this region. Yet now, these efforts could be undermined by recent proposed developments directly in the Coyote Creek corridor between Monterey Road and US Highway 101. Squeezing development into this narrow, critical slice of land and water will have dramatic, negative impacts. But maintaining this protected corridor, and locating development in urbanized areas rather than the green fields of Coyote Valley, will provide numerous benefits to all the species who share this area – including humans. Find the full report at https://lnkd.in/g9nRAcEe #CoyoteValleyForAll #WildlifeCorridor #Environment

Look Ma, we're in the @statesman! The Hill Country Conservancy has secured a landmark $23.2 million federal grant to protect 8,200 acres of rural Texas Hill Country from development. This effort spans Hays, Kendall, Kerr, and Mason counties, conserving watersheds tied to key rivers like the Pedernales, Blanco, and Guadalupe. Through conservation easements, landowners retain the ability to use their land for ranching or recreation while ensuring it remains undeveloped for generations, safeguarding water resources, wildlife habitats, and the region’s scenic beauty. This initiative is vital as the Hill Country faces rapid urbanization, threatening aquifers, ecosystems, and iconic landscapes. By preserving these lands, the Conservancy protects endangered species like the golden-cheeked warbler and ensures the resilience of natural systems amidst climate change. Though private, these conserved lands benefit everyone by maintaining water supplies and the region's charm—offering “hilltops, not rooftops” for the future. Read on: https://lnkd.in/g3iq5Jsn #HereForever #Nature #Wildlife

Today is World Environment Day, and this year’s theme is land restoration – our specialty!   Restoration involves the recovery of species, ecosystems or landscapes that have been damaged or degraded. This process aims to re-establish habitat to allow wildlife communities to thrive once again – to put back what we’ve lost.   At Greening Australia, we’ve been restoring landscapes for over 40 years and have rebuilt thousands of hectares of habitat to date. Our planting projects provide a multitude of benefits, including food and shelter for Australia’s unique wildlife, tackling salinity on farmland, preventing millions of tonnes of eroded soil from reaching waterways, cooling temperatures in urban areas, and much more.   We can’t turn back time but we can restore forests, revive waterways and bring back soils. Will you be part of #GenerationRestoration? #WorldEnvironmentDay2024

Here's some good news for your Wednesday! Vital foraging habitat for shorebirds on the Lower Lakes has been expanded by about 18 hectares, thanks to major infrastructure works. Teringie Wetlands, on Lake Alexandrina, have been officially reopened after the $4m works, which were jointly funded by the state and federal government’s Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin program. The upgrades included the installation of two flow regulators to enhance water management and connectivity between the wetland basins. Access tracks, which previously acted as barriers to water flow, have also been improved, fostering a healthier habitat for native species like aquatic plants, fish, turtles, frogs, and yabbies. These improvements will boost the site's cultural, ecological, and social value. Discover more about the Teringie Wetlands restoration and its impact on local wildlife and communities: https://lnkd.in/gnZsWSBk Learn more about the Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin program: https://lnkd.in/gAzMFQww #HealthyCoorongHealthyBasin #LowerLakes #LakeAlexandrina #TeringieWetlands #Shorebirds #Habitat #Environment

Aging and hazardous dams have got to go! 👎 Many dams in Massachusetts, including this one along the Quinapoxet River, were built over a hundred years ago but are now obsolete and dangerous. Thanks to Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration + partners, removal of the Quinapoxet Dam is underway! When complete, the project will open 35 miles of river for fish and wildlife, enhance a popular fishing and recreational area, build climate resilience to the surrounding communities, and much more! https://lnkd.in/eb2NfcmX #RiverRestoration #DamRemoval #HotToGo

Bold Progress Towards the 30x30 Conservation Goal in California! Four years ago, California embarked on an ambitious journey to conserve 30% of its lands and coastal waters by 2030 under the 30x30 Initiative. Now, with over 1.5 million acres added to protected areas, the state has conserved 25.2% of its lands and 16.2% of coastal waters. This milestone was achieved through a range of impactful actions: San Gabriel Mountains National Monument Expansion: Added 120,000 acres of federal lands under protection. Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Expansion: Enhanced protection for this vital region. Ancestral Land Return: A groundbreaking initiative that returned 10,300 acres of Klamath River watershed to the Hoopa Valley Tribe, funded through a $100 million grant. Chuckwalla National Monument Proposal: A proposed 650,000-acre conservation area, including an expansion of Joshua Tree National Park. Chumash National Marine Sanctuary Proposal: This could be a significant addition if it meets conservation standards. Nature-Based Solutions Initiative: Transforming over 50 million acres into multi-benefit landscapes to absorb carbon, reduce wildfire risks, and protect water supplies. While challenges like budget cuts remain, California is pushing forward, with strong support from federal funding and growing philanthropic interest, particularly in ancestral land returns. This progress is setting a high bar, not only for the state but also for national and global conservation efforts. California is showing how ambitious goals, strategic partnerships, and community collaboration can make a lasting impact on Nature Restoration and Earth Regeneration. Read more on L.A. Times https://lnkd.in/dC-qy96b Photo: A man scales a sequoia tree to conduct drought research in Sequoia National Park in 2015.(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) #30x30 #Conservation #ClimateAction #Biodiversity #AncestralLands #NatureBasedSolutions #NatureRestoration #EarthRegeneration