Connecting Nature Enterprise Platform’s Post

This new rewilding project in my native Essex looks really exciting. Further evidence that biodiversity net gain might just work as envisaged, allowing more homes to be built while delivering big improvements in nature and enhanced ecosystem services. It is possible to envisage a scenario where there is more development on the Green Belt, but it actually becomes better for nature and a more beautiful and rewarding place for those who enjoy it. https://lnkd.in/gPxESAmR

📣New study uncovering the potential of green jobs along the European Green Belt   As part of the BESTbelt initiative, Trinomics has conducted a study for the EuroNatur Foundation on the potential of sustainable jobs along the European Green Belt (EGB). What is the European Green Belt? It is a large, unique ecological network, stretching over 12,000 km along the former Iron Curtain, where the lack of human presence along the border zones has resulted in minimal human effect on wildlife and biodiversity. The EGB covers 24 countries, 49 national parks and 150 committed organisations with the objective to support nature conservation in the region. Since 2021, the EGB has benefitted from the BESTbelt project, supporting biodiversity action including promoting green jobs. In this study, we assessed the status quo, current opportunities and future potential for green jobs in the EGB, particularly making a distinguishment between green jobs that directly contribute to the conservation and restoration of the EGB (e.g. nature conservation, sustainable forestry/agriculture) and green jobs that are created as a result of the existence of the EGB but have no detrimental impact on it (e.g. eco-tourism). From these findings, we made several recommendations on how to develop green jobs within the (overwhelmingly rural) areas it crosses, including: 🌳expanding protected areas, 💶investing in nature restoration, and ⛺developing nature tourism.   The report was written by our experts Laurent Zibell, Pavla Cihlarova and Oana Forestier.

Love this podcast at #Mongabay – rewilding! - listening as I write. I'm actually trying to do some rewildling here in the US – specifically wetlands. I was so inspired by #OrlandoWetlands – seeing the hundreds of bats sheltering there, the rare bird species, the alligators. That wetlands ecosystem is actually part of the city's water treatment system, and it delivers exceptionally clean water back into the river. While wildlife has adopted the place in droves, this wetlands is also a carefully maintained system of locks and water-levels. Orlando is kind of my "dream project," however, TN wetlands are more vernal, more forested than these low lying Florida wetlands. Eoghan Daltun's story is inspiring because I'm hoping to buy a piece of land and spend my time doing as he has done. Many conservation programs and grants here (gov. agencies as well as non-profits) will help land owners conduct conservation activities on their property – even incentives to leave farmland idle. Some programs supply native plants or trees for de-forested land. In TN you have to own 15+ acres before declaring your property "conservation land." Eoghan Daltun talks about over-grazing. Here in mid-TN, we have a lot of over-grazed and mono-cropped farm land (for animal feed), and a good bit of this land is former wetlands. On my quest to find the right piece of land for my project, oddly, I've been looking for land adjacent or contiguous to larger, protected tracts, such as a preserve or state forest. I'm generally thinking about aiding wildlife – birds, frogs, small furry critters – and things like "wild land connectivity." A story I recently wrote for #Sierra showcases the new wildlife crossings they're putting in to help animals get across the Interstate. It's all about connecting the land so animals can relocate as needed. So "fencing the land off," as Daltun has done with a 2-meter fence, seems counter-intuitive to me. But in my land hunt, I haven't thought much about the plants that have to be there to make animals stay! :) This is interesting. Maybe my project would be looking at a timeline that starts with a fence but eventually loses the fence? If you're reading this, feel free to send links to projects on this wavelength or mention communities that are doing this type of work – buying land with the intention of conserving it. As for me, I have started a Meetup.com group called Conservation Land Collaborative with about 16 local members. The idea is to compare ideas and possibly work with other like-minded people. I'm learning there is little interest in in-person meetups. If this continues, I'll move to online meetups with conservation speakers and such – so for my distance connections, I'll keep you posted here!

📣 Two projects announced for our second Project Acceleration Series event! 🌳 FORMAS DA NATUREZA: Sustainable crafts that protect the Atlantic Forest, is a sustainable wood-based crafts initiative that plays a significant role in the protection of the Atlantic Forest. The initiative is planting trees for use in craft making and other woodworks instead of cutting natural forests, hence reducing pressure and preventing the deforestation of the Atlantic Forest. 🌱 CHEIROS E SABERES DA MATA ATLÂNTICA: drop by drop we can change the world, the Quilombola community of Ribeirão has an ancient relationship with the Atlantic Forest and has always extracted everything from it to satisfy basic needs, including plants that heal diseases of the body and spirit. Parts of these species are indigenous and rich in essential oils and plant oils. These species with potential for oil extraction are planted in agroforestry systems. 🗓️ June 26, 2024, 14.00-16.00 CEST 🖋 Register here to take part: https://lnkd.in/eXZ_gFfz #bankablenaturesolutions #climatefinance #climatesmart #agriculture #forestry #Brazil #indigenous #agroforestry #crafts #sustainability #Atlanticforest

🛒 Sustainable Shopping? EcoCart highlights EcoCart has a goal.  "Saving the world, one online order at a time. We're on a mission to make fighting climate change simple, cost-effective, and accessible for everyone." And we're helping. To date, CompoCloset has offset 108,442 lb of carbon dioxide (CO2) 126.1k Miles driven by an average gasoline vehicle. 813.3 Tree Seedlings grown for 10yrs 6.0M Smartphones Charged. We are still supporting the Global Forestry Projects Portfolio. About This curated portfolio contains a variety of forestry-based carbon offset projects-from reforestation to protection and improved forest management. These projects take place all over the global south. By supporting this portfolio, we are funding projects like the Katingan Peatland Restoration and Conservation Project, the Mai Ndombe Project, the Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve, the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Envira Amazonia Project. Read more about the Global Forestry Project and other projects at EcoCart.io https://lnkd.in/d6mi5pXg

Grants of up to 6000 euros per hectare are now available under a new local forest conservation program, confirmed by Minister of State Pippa Hackett. The initiative aims to support the restoration and enhancement of existing natural forests. Landowners will be required to address inadequate management, contributing to the sustainability of forest ecosystems. Participating farmers may also be eligible for additional payments of 500 euros per hectare annually for seven years as part of an increased payment for ecosystem services. The department will provide a maximum grant of 3000 euros per hectare for state forests. This scheme encourages the creation of small natural forests ranging from 0.1 to 1 hectare, open to both farmers and non-farmers. Applications are accepted for two categories: the establishment of small forests and the creation of water protection forests. The total area available for creation under the program is limited to 2 hectares per farm. Support includes grants for establishment and annual premiums over a 10-year period, totaling 22,060 euros per hectare for the first category and 22,840 euros per hectare for the second. Your endorsement of this program will not only contribute to the restoration of natural forests but also lead to increased sustainability and biodiversity. Showcase your support by sharing this significant news with your LinkedIn network. What are your thoughts on this news?

Celebrating National Rewilding Day Today marks National Rewilding Day, a time to reflect on the transformative power of rewilding our landscapes. Rewilding, at its core, is a progressive approach to conservation that focuses on letting nature take care of itself, enabling natural processes to shape land and sea, repair damaged ecosystems, and restore degraded landscapes. This year, I had the pleasure of exploring the Knepp Wildland Project Knepp Estate one of the largest rewilding projects in lowland Europe, alongside some of my friends from the On Purpose Cohort On Purpose London. Knepp stands as a beacon of rewilding success, sprawling over 3,500 acres in West Sussex, England. What started as a conventional farming operation has morphed into an extraordinary biodiversity hotspot, thanks to the vision of its owners, Charlie Burrell and Isabella Tree. By stepping back and allowing nature to take the reins, Knepp has become a living laboratory, demonstrating how rewilding can benefit both wildlife and people. Herds of free-roaming cattle, ponies, pigs, and deer have become the architects of the land, creating a mosaic of habitats that support an astonishing variety of life. The project has garnered global attention, attracting conservationists, scientists, and policymakers eager to learn from its success. It demonstrates how rewilding can not only restore biodiversity but also provide ecosystem services like flood mitigation, carbon sequestration, and soil regeneration, offering solutions to some of the most pressing environmental challenges we face today. Our journey with the On Purpose Cohort to Knepp was more than a visit; it was an immersion into the possibilities of a wilder future. As we celebrate National Rewilding Day, let's draw inspiration from Knepp and similar projects around the world. Let's champion the wild, not only for the sake of biodiversity but for the health of our planet and future generations. In embracing the wild, we discover not only the untamed beauty of our world but also the potential for a harmonious coexistence with the natural world. Here's to rewilding, a path forward that rekindles hope, fosters resilience, and renews our sense of wonder in the natural world. A natural world which existed before us and will rekindle itself willingly, if we let it. #Rewilding #Nature #Wildlife #Conservation #Rewild #NatureLovers #Biodiversity #Sustainability #Sustainable #EcoFriendly #SustainableLiving #Environment

🌍 Scottish Rewilding in the Highlands is suitable and could help achieve the 30x30 restoration goals. This was a great artical to wake up to today. The scale and opportunities in the landscape when you visit Scotland always leaves me super excited for what could be possible. "Restoring Scotland's natural landscapes could be crucial to help the U.K. meet its biodiversity targets." "As almost a sixth of the U.K.'s wildlife is threatened with extinction, it's more important than ever to give nature places to thrive. Rewilding is one part of the solution, which looks to restore natural processes that allow ecosystems to regulate themselves." In my opinion the opportunities go beyond just the Highlands, at Ecosulis we're working with, and exploring, a raft of projects options all over Scotland. We're even working with a farmer-led cluster of circa 5000 ha in the Pentland hills who are looking to put nature back on the farm and have secured a #FIRNS extension with round 2 funding to see how private and blended finance can help make these aspirations and reality. The options are many and the time to act as now, articles like this one should be used to help gather momentum, galvanize projects and create positive outcomes for nature. #rewilding #naturerecovery #biodiversity https://lnkd.in/eFgehv3u

THIS: "planting trees may be the single most important ecotechnology that we have to put the broken pieces of our planet back together." Three billion additional trees are going to be planted in the EU by 2030… “Tree planting” is primarily necessary to create woodland of a certain composition, usually for commercial forestry, where it is most profitable, where it is a mono-culture of the same tree species of the same age: this makes modern forestry easier, more profitable. Tree planting is a gigantic scam, meant to cloud the issue. Even if we plant all space that’s available full of trees, it won’t be enough to suck the carbon out of the air: we need to DE-CONSUME. The amount of trees planted is meaningless: it’s how many trees there are, their biomass, their species, its related fauna, their habitat etc., that are really important. Forests of one kind of tree = industrial boredom & it scares birds off; trees go extinct in silvicultures. You don't have to plant trees to create woodland. You just have to STOP whatever land practice is stopping woodland generation, & that is mostly ANIMAL AGRICULTURE & INDUSTRIAL MEAT PRODUCTION, so again: there are no environmental arguments against veganism, in favour for eating meat,—leave the land alone, & it becomes woodland from itself. Whatever…plants & trees & wildlife fauna & flora play an important role in the ecosystem: we have to keep them with care so we don’t have to restore them! 🌱 https://lnkd.in/ehJ6Tnag

Showcasing Sustainable Resource Management ~ Lessons for our Global North. More than half of Mexico’s forests are in indigenous hands ( https://lnkd.in/djU98xmZ) — a situation unlike anywhere else in the world and helps explain Mexicö’s success in protecting its forests and biodiversity at peril worldwide. Globally an estimated 36% of remaining intact forest landscapes are on Indigenous land. Studies show that not only do community-controlled forests absorb more C02 than those under government or private control, but deforestation rates are lower. They also suffer less during severe water shortages, greatly reducing wildfire risk. In the case of Mexico, logging operations are closely regulated by Ixtlán’s community forestry enterprise, which wrested forests away from a private concession in 1982. Ixtlán’s success had been happening all over Mexico since, after 1970, communities took advantage of state forestry reforms and subsidies to exert greater local control. https://lnkd.in/dd6YddQk