Manuel Moreno’s Post

Many years ago, Persina Island, briefly parting the Danube River in two only to reunite its waters shortly after, has grown quiet. Silence in nature can be haunting as it speaks back to us that something has gone wrong. The wetland on the island, once a symphony of life, was now long lost. And with them the home of countless wildlife species. 💧Persina Nature Park Directorate set out to restore this wilderness area by recreating the natural flooding of the wetland. This became possible through a series of ambitious projects implemented over several years. However, even after the critical restoration the water supply from the river to the wetland was often not enough. As part of The #LivingDanubePartnership, efforts were made to further improve the water supply, ultimately bringing back life to the area. And finally this happened. As the water returned, so did the fish, birds, amphibians, and, eventually, one very important species... 👏 Today, we celebrate the return of the magnificent Dalmatian pelican to Persina Island. This bird is an indicator species, signaling that this once-neglected ecosystem is now thriving again. 🌍This win for nature is one of many achievements made possible by the Living Danube Partnership thanks to the joint efforts of WWF-CEE, The Coca-Cola Foundation and the ICPDR in the course of 7 years. The partnership involved a wide network of collaborators, from water, nature, and forest managers to municipalities, county governments, landowners, anglers, hunters, and entrepreneurs. All of them have come and worked together to restore rivers and wetlands for the benefit of people and nature. Enjoy some of the success stories of the Living Danube Partnership by watching the short film here🎬https://lnkd.in/eC8pqduE Photo credit: © Persina Nature Park Directorate #RipplesOfChange #WWF #GreenHeartOfEurope #LivingDanube

It’s National Meadows Day this Saturday, a great time to get out and enjoy your local meadow. Wildflower meadows look their best in summer when the flowers are in bloom. But they don’t just look lovely, they are an important resource for wildlife and food source for pollinators. Sadly meadows are in trouble. The majority of the UK’s ancient species-rich grasslands have been lost. Mitie landscapes are committed to reversing this decline with a range of nature recovery solutions. At Mitie Landscapes, we're working on innovative projects, such as our pilot study of flowering lawns in Leuchars, Scotland, and Dudley, West Midlands. These lawns, a blend of traditional manicured lawns and wildflower meadows, are designed to enhance local biodiversity. Our trials aim to understand how these flowering lawns can support bees and other pollinators by providing essential nectar and habitats. This not only helps plants to thrive but also supports a sustainable ecosystem for birds, bats, and other wildlife. We're excited to share the results of our study and demonstrate how small changes can make a big difference. Whether on small properties or larger estates, incorporating wildflower meadows and pollinator-friendly plants can create beautiful, resilient landscapes that support biodiversity. #NationalMeadowsDay #Biodiversity #Pollinators #WildflowerMeadows #Sustainability #MitieLandscapes

In the latest installment of our Species Awareness Series, we look into the fascinating world of the Glass Eel. These slender, bony fish embark on an incredible journey between saltwater and freshwater as part of their life cycle. However, this remarkable species faces a dire threat: illegal harvesting and trafficking. Often referred to as elvers, these baby eels are coveted in illicit markets, driving both the American eel and European eel to endangered status, as classified by the IUCN. The Glass Eel's plight is exacerbated by poaching, overfishing and the loss of crucial freshwater habitats, leading to a severe decline in their populations. At Focused Conservation, we're dedicated to shedding light on lesser-known species like the Glass Eel that desperately require protection from trafficking and exploitation. Join us as we continue our mission to raise awareness and advocate for the preservation of our planet's precious wildlife. Together, we can make a difference for species like the Glass Eel and ensure a sustainable future for all. #FocusedConservation #WildlifeProtection #GlassEel #Conservation #SpeciesAwareness #StopWildlifeTrafficking #IllegalWildlifeTrafficking

NATURE CANNOT SURVIVE IN FRAGMENTS. There it is - truth in a nutshell. For nature to be healthy, it needs to be able to travel. Whether that's flora or fauna, whether it's bees or birds or amphibians or, well, all of it! Unless there's movement from one places to another, unless cross-fertilization happens at every level of nature, you end up with declining islands of biodiversity. I love below picture. First came across it, and the 'Weald to Waves' project, thanks to Libby Drew of the Knepp Wildland Foundation. Below folks first came together in 2022. As Sussex landowners, they agreed to work together to create a 100-mile corridor. Even now, when you visit the website > https://lnkd.in/dMnQ4yAM you can access the maps and get a sense of just how much is happening toward making that corridor a reality that boosts and restores biodiversity, sequesters carbon ... and helps build up a healthy rural economy that gives rise to flourishing communities in tandem with nature. This is a really good story - check through the website, learn about the method. Reach out to Libby it you, in your area, want to create a similar network, I'm sure she'd be glad to share her insights. Charlie Burrell James Baird Sebastian Anstruther Alexander Briggs Molly Biddell Knepp Estate Rewilding Britain Sussex Wildlife Trust The Wildlife Trusts Cain Blythe Merlin Hanbury-Tenison (extend the corridor!) #rewilding #rewilderweekly #naturerestoration

This week, we have been celebrating National Hedgerow Week, organised by the Tree Council. 🌳 The unsung heroes of our landscapes, here are just some of the benefits planting hedgerows can provide: - Hedgerows provide essential habitats for wildlife, including birds, insects, and small mammals, supporting biodiversity in urban and rural areas alike.🐛🐦 - They act as natural windbreaks, helping to reduce wind erosion and create microclimates, this can be particularly beneficial in Scotland's varied landscape.🌳 - Hedgerows also serve as corridors for wildlife, allowing species to move safely between fragmented habitats, aiding in conservation efforts and maintaining genetic diversity.🦔 At Elsoms Trees, we're passionate about supporting initiatives like National Hedgerow Week. That's why we offer a variety of hedgerow mixes tailored to suit any location. We work with you to ensure your project receives the correct mix of species. Some of our favorite species for hedges include Blackthorn, Rose, Green Beech, and Hornbeam. Burnet rose (Rosa pimpinellifolia) is an excellent choice for hedging due to its dense growth habit, prickly stems, and fragrant flowers, making it an effective barrier plant that also adds beauty to the landscape. Its resilience in various soil types and ability to tolerate coastal conditions make it a great choice for many locations. Let's celebrate the invaluable role of hedgerows in our environment! 🌿 #NationalHedgerowWeek #TreeCouncil #ElsomsTrees

A lovely Marsh Fritillary spotted this week on a Bodmin Moor peatland restoration site 🦋 This beautiful species, once widespread, is now threatened in the UK and across Europe. Marsh Fritillary relies on extensive habitat networks and is now confined to the western side of Britain and Ireland. As the name suggests, its main habitat are damp marshlands and shorter grasslands. They also rely on Devil's-bit Scabious and other Scabious species as their main foodsource and also hibernation spots. A sighting of a rare species like this, the first in years at this location, is a key reminder of the vital importance of creating spaces where nature and wildlife can thrive, particularly the often overlooked insect species. We are sometimes told 'nature will heal herself' - this is not the case. Humans have, and have had, such a vast impact on the landscape that we now need to invest in our wild spaces, shape the right habitats to flourish and think thoughtfully about how to tackle degrading and drained landscapes that provide little biodiversity support. Spaces like this area of holistic peatland restoration works on South West Water land on Bodmin Moor are doing just that, holding back water in the landscape, slowing the flow down, tackling erosion, improving the hydrological functioning of the peat and diversifying plant and wildlife species. Watch this space 💧 Lovely fritillary spotted by SWW Director of Natural Resouces Carolyn Cadman SWPP is funded by Natural England South West Water #UpstreamThinking #DuchyOfCornwall National Trust Environment Agency Cornwall Council #peatlandrestoration #peatbog #peatland #generationrestoration #landregeneration

Eternal Forest is creating a network of protected forest sanctuaries. Why a network? Why not just one or two? A creation of a living breathing network of forest sanctuaries is a dream of living in an interconnected world, teeming with complexity of life, beauty and supporting human and more-than- human kin. And it is also a necessity. From an ecological point of view, our forests ecosystems all around the world are disrupted, partitioned, many of them are disconnected from one another, which creates difficulty for wildlife to move around, to find mates, to find food and survive. Around many little islands of forests are roads, cultivated fields, monocultures of trees and large industrial areas. From a cultural point of view, the loss of connection with wilder nature and increasingly extractive relationship with the wild we have developed over centuries, led us to dismiss how much we rely on the presence of sanctuaries of wilder places in our lives. For spiritual connection, medicine, art, crafts, inspiration. Every little island of biodiversity near a community means a place of retreat, solace, creativity, long-life learning and resilience in times of trouble. We envision a network of communities and projects that are connected bioregionally, that relate to each other and support each other, exchanging knowledge, methodologies, art, practices, seeds. We envision a global movement of forest guardians who carry the vision to be manifested in all parts of the world, be it creation of a forest from scratch or protection of an existing one, supported by an arts and science program and the local community stewarding the forest sanctuary for generations to come. Join Eternal Forest Camp at Gathering Of Tribes 11-15 September https://bit.ly/ef-got #regenerativeculture #regenerativeart #eternalforest #forestnetwork #forestsanctuary #regeneration #forest #community

💬 “Wholesale moving of ecosystems can’t be undone, so should be very much a last resort. Our #woodland wildlife often depends on native trees: for example well over 300 species are completely dependent on our native oak trees." - Andrew Allen 👉 'As the world gets hotter, could helping trees migrate northwards protect them?' from Phoebe Weston in The Guardian https://lnkd.in/efRifffR 🌳 Native trees have a high capacity to adapt to change, especially if consideration is given to allowing regular cycles of natural regeneration. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eeEJWqTS

Enhancing biodiversity in urban landscapes involves creating an environment that supports a wide range of plants, animals, and microorganisms. The first way to do this is to plant native species. 🌿 Why? Native plants are adapted to local conditions and provide food and shelter for native wildlife. 🌿 How? Choose a variety of plants with different heights, blooming seasons, and habitat types. The mighty oak tree is of course the most iconic of English plants. Did you know the oak tree supports more wildlife than any other native UK tree, including over 2,300 species? #enhancingbiodiversity #biodiversity #landscapes #urbanlandscapes #propertymanagement #landscapemanagement #landscapes #gardens #trees #plants #nativeplant

🔔Land Protection Alert! We are thrilled to announce that NEWT has permanently protected nearly 3,400 acres of wetlands and forests in central Maine. The new Birch Stream Wilderness Preserve in Lagrange safeguards ecologically significant wetlands and expansive pine forests as forever wild, ensuring a home for the many species who call this landscape home. “Birch Stream Wilderness Preserve is a tremendous example of the multiple benefits of forever-wild places,” said Jon Leibowitz, President and CEO at Northeast Wilderness Trust. "As the Preserve’s forests and wetlands, particularly its peatlands, grow older, they will draw more and more carbon from the atmosphere. Meanwhile, myriad wildlife will continue to thrive on the property as it rewilds.” Today, just 3.7% of Maine is protected as forever wild. Abutting Birch Stream Wilderness Preserve to the south is a 9,849-acre tract owned and managed primarily for wildlife by the Penobscot Nation. Together, these complementary properties create a diverse protected area, fostering biodiversity and providing vital habitat for countless species of flora, fauna, and fungi. 🔗Read more about the Preserve here: https://zurl.co/piNv 📸: Photography by Ryan Smith #landconservation #rewilding #maineforest #foreverwild #landprotection #maine