#wetlands conservation

[wetlandsday]

Check out the World Wetlands Day events in your country

Congratulations to India, France, Ireland, South Africa and Ecuador for hosting numerous events.

Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #WorldWetlandsDay

[typhlonectes]

Stop the Army Corps from Draining Thousands of Acres of Wetlands

Yet again, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has resurrected a destructive project in Mississippi's South Delta that would damage at least 90,000 acres of wetlands that support more than 450 species of birds and wildlife. Their “preferred alternative” for the Yazoo Backwater Area Water Management Project is slated to include a massive pump that will drain and damage hemispherically important wetlands.

Urge the Army Corps to abandon this project once and for all. The deadline to comment is August 27.

Note: Your letter will be sent directly to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as part of a public comment period and will become part of the public record.

Photo: Marjie Goldberg/Audubon Photography Awards

Take action here!

[reasonsforhope]

"The Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans has recently witnessed an incredible eco-renaissance following decades of damage and neglect.

Led by a local community development group, a 40-acre wetlands park has been restored to glories past with hundreds of local trees that attract over a hundred species of birds, plus joggers, picnickers, and nature lovers besides.

The story begins with Rashida Ferdinand, founder of Sankofa Community Development Corporation (CDC). Growing up in this historic part of New Orleans, where Black homeownership thrived, where Fats Domino was born, and where locals routinely went out into the wetlands to catch fish and crustaceans, she watched as it suffered from years of neglect.

Poor drainage, ruined roads, illegal trash dumping, and unmitigated damage from hurricanes slowly wasted the wetland away until it was a derelict eyesore.

In the name of restoring this wild heritage indicative of the culture in the Lower Ninth, and in order to protect her communities from flooding, Ferdinand founded the Sankofa CDC, and in 2014 entered into an agreement with the City of New Orleans for the restoration of Sankofa—a 40-acre section of neglected wetlands in the heart of the Lower Ninth.

The loss of Sankofa’s potential to dampen flooding from storms meant that over the years dozens of houses and properties were flooded and damaged beyond the ability of the inhabitants to recover. Forced out by a combination of nature’s fury and government failure, the cultural heritage of the community was receding along with the floodwaters.

Ferdinand knew that restoring natural flood barriers like Sankofa was key to protecting her community.

“Hurricane protection is a major concern in the community, but there’s a lack of trust in the infrastructure systems that are supposed to protect us,” Ferdinand told the Audubon Society. 

Today, Sankofa Wetlands Park is a sight to behold. Hiking trails snake through a smattering of ponds and creeks, where bald cypresses and water tupelo trees continue to grow and cling to the ground even during storms. Picnic benches have appeared, wheelchair-accessible trails connect sections of the park to parts of the Lower Ninth, and local businesses are seeing more visitors.

It needed a lot of work though. Thousands of invasive tallow trees had to be uprooted. 27,000 cubic meters of illegally dumped trash compacted into the dirt had to be removed. A 60-year-old canal dug by the US Army Corps of Engineers had to be disconnected, and all new native flora had to be planted by hand.

Audubon says that Ferdinand routinely can’t believe her eyes when she looks at the transformation of Sankofa into its current state.

“Seeing butterflies, birds, and other pollinators in the park is a sign of a healthy ecosystem,” she says. “All we had to do was create the right conditions.”

Slated for official completion in 2025 with an outdoor amphitheater, interpretive signage, and additional trails, Ferdinand and the CDC have their eyes set on an even larger area of wetlands to the north of Sankofa.

Along the way, Ferdinand and the CDC attracted many helping hands, and entered into many partnerships, But the catalyst for change arose from the spirit and determination of one woman in the right place at the right time, for the benefit of hundreds in this historic heart of a historic city."

-via Good News Network, September 17, 2024

[thatsleepymermaid]

On Friday, the Georgia EPD granted permits to Twin Pines to strip-mine three miles from Okefenokee Swamp. This will be a "demonstration mine" of 600 acres digging out titanium dioxide, staurolite, and zircon. I cannot state how disappointed I am in my own state's environmental department to approve something so damaging to our natural wetland. The Okefenokee is the largest blackwater swamp in North America and one of the most endangered rivers in America. Hopefully, John Ossoff will block it again as he did back in 2022.

If you are looking for ways to help go ahead and check out 100miles.org and Georgia River Network.

[tinylongwing]

Long-billed Curlew is one of the most common species at a site I've begun monitoring this summer, and also a sensitive wetland species of concern to the state.

Just doing a bit of sketching here to help me understand proportions because boy they're kinda goofy, that beak is so long! I wouldn't be surprised if I wind up doing a full illustration of this species at some point for work purposes so it's time to learn them.

[wachinyeya]

Birds Sing Anew After Residents of New Orleans Ninth Ward Restore 40-Acre Wetland to Historic Glory https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/birds-sing-anew-from-within-40-acre-wetland-restored-by-residents-of-n-orleans-historic-lower-ninth/

The Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans has recently witnessed an incredible eco-renaissance following decades of damage and neglect.

Led by a local community development group, a 40-acre wetlands park has been restored to glories past with hundreds of local trees that attract over a hundred species of birds, plus joggers, picnickers, and nature lovers besides.

The story begins with Rashida Ferdinand, founder of Sankofa Community Development Corporation (CDC). Growing up in this historic part of New Orleans, where Black homeownership thrived, where Fats Domino was born, and where locals routinely went out into the wetlands to catch fish and crustaceans, she watched as it suffered from years of neglect.

Poor drainage, ruined roads, illegal trash dumping, and unmitigated damage from hurricanes slowly wasted the wetland away until it was a derelict eyesore.

In the name of restoring this wild heritage indicative of the culture in the Lower Ninth, and in order to protect her communities from flooding, Ferdinand founded the Sankofa CDC, and in 2014 entered into an agreement with the City of New Orleans for the restoration of Sankofa—a 40-acre section of neglected wetlands in the heart of the Lower Ninth.

The loss of Sankofa’s potential to dampen flooding from storms meant that over the years dozens of houses and properties were flooded and damaged beyond the ability of the inhabitants to recover. Forced out by a combination of nature’s fury and government failure, the cultural heritage of the community was receding along with the floodwaters.

Ferdinand knew that restoring natural flood barriers like Sankofa was key to protecting her community.

“Hurricane protection is a major concern in the community, but there’s a lack of trust in the infrastructure systems that are supposed to protect us,” Ferdinand told the Audubon Society.

Today, Sankofa Wetlands Park is a sight to behold. Hiking trails snake through a smattering of ponds and creeks, where bald cypresses and water tupelo trees continue to grow and cling to the ground even during storms. Picnic benches have appeared, wheelchair-accessible trails connect sections of the park to parts of the Lower Ninth, and local businesses are seeing more visitors.

Visiting birders have recorded sightings of over 100 species of songbirds, ducks, near-shore waders of all kinds, egrets, and herons, and the park also acts as a home and refuge for otters, beavers, and a variety of amphibians and reptiles.

It needed a lot of work though. Thousands of invasive tallow trees had to be uprooted. 27,000 cubic meters of illegally dumped trash compacted into the dirt had to be removed. A 60-year-old canal dug by the US Army Corps of Engineers had to be disconnected, and all new native flora had to be planted by hand.

Audubon says that Ferdinand routinely can’t believe her eyes when she looks at the transformation of Sankofa into its current state.

“Seeing butterflies, birds, and other pollinators in the park is a sign of a healthy ecosystem,” she says. “All we had to do was create the right conditions.”

Slated for official completion in 2025 with an outdoor amphitheater, interpretive signage, and additional trails, Ferdinand and the CDC have their eyes set on an even larger area of wetlands to the north of Sankofa.

Along the way, Ferdinand and the CDC attracted many helping hands, and entered into many partnerships, But the catalyst for change arose from the spirit and determination of one woman in the right place at the right time, for the benefit of hundreds in this historic heart of a historic city.

[aquariumpacific]

Our staff recently joined the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center's efforts to help rescued pelicans under a coordinated state-wide response through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

[rebeccathenaturalist]

This is a big deal, ecologically speaking. California's Central Valley, largely now turned to dry agriculture and other development, used to be full of wetlands. It has offered key locations for birds migrating along the Pacific Flyway each spring and fall, and historically had great biodiversity of year-round species. From the 1780s to the 1980s it's likely that the continental U.S. lost 60 acres of wetland every hour, non-stop.

Now, most of the wetlands in central California are drained, and invasive species like eucalyptus trees also impact ecosystems across the region. But restoration projects offer chances to bring back some of what was lost. Because the land and its natural hydrology has been so broken up, and so much water is sucked down by agriculture, some restored wetlands--like those at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge--must have water piped in seasonally.

3400 acres, while the largest restoration to date in the delta, is a drop in the bucket compared to the massive amounts of wetlands that once covered large areas of the state. But it reminds us that we can restore thousands of acres at once, and hopefully someone will see fit to try to break that record.

[hope-for-the-planet]

The world’s salty, tidal marshes are hotspots of carbon storage and productivity, building up sediments and plant material so they can stay above sea level. Scientists wondering whether it’s possible for wetlands to keep up with rising sea levels have revealed research that shows how salt marshes along the U.S. coast have responded—by building up elevation more quickly over the last century.

From Good News Network

[grainelevator]

Beavers are a keystone species that can help control areas (like California) that are affected by droughts, wildfires and floods by creating wetlands

[illisidifan]

So fucking depressing (hint: for anyone encountering a login wall, firefox will let you read the article by clicking on the page icon on your browser bar called the "Toggle Reader View" button).

Bald cypress are literally thousands of years old in certain places, but essentially climate change and pollution from humans, couple with the destruction of swamplands for much of American history, is finally killing off this incredibly resilient plant that could still teach us so much about how to adapt to our changing environment.

I just... I hate this so much. The reason the swamps and wetlands were targeted was so unnecessary, boiling down to "well, we can't easily use shit from there and it's gross and icky so go ahead and destroy it." Perfectly encapsulates the American perspective, imho.

[wetlandsday]

KENYA - Enhancing Freshwater Biodiversity in Urban Areas.

Wetlands Conservation Organisation is convening World Wetlands Day 2024 to inspire and promote the local community wise use and protection of wetlands in Marurui, Roysambu sub-County. World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on 2 February. For several years, the local communities in Marurui have been depending on the local Mararui dam in providing a range of benefits that contribute to the community's well-being, economic development, and overall resilience. The dam provides a reliable water source for irrigation, supporting local agriculture. This is essential for increasing crop yields, promoting food security, and sustaining the livelihoods of farm within the local communities. The dam also plays a critical role in flood control by regulating water flow. It can store excess water during heavy rainfall and release it gradually, reducing the risk of downstream flooding and protecting communities and farmland. Reservoir formed by the dam is a habitat for various species of flora and fauna. Wetlands Conservation Organisation aims to involve the local communities at Marurui, Roysambu Sub-County Nairobi Kenya in creation of mini wetlands in Nairobi to give nature a boost of wetlands to support more life of freshwater biodiversity.

Country : Kenya Organizer : Wetlands Conservation Organisation Partners : GreenPeace Africa, Roysambu Green Foundation

[robinwatson]

deleted my old sideblog but had to preserve my wetland wank tags. the first post on the old blog was about wetlands and the first post on the new blog is going to be about wetlands. this isn't a wetlands blog but i feel that their importance is often undersold and this is something everyone should know about me.

[reasonsforhope]

"When considering the great victories of America’s conservationists, we tend to think of the sights and landscapes emblematic of the West, but there’s also a rich history of acknowledging the value of the wetlands of America’s south.

These include such vibrant ecosystems as the Everglades, the Great Dismal Swamp, the floodplains of the Congaree River, and “America’s Amazon” also known as the “Land Between the Rivers”—recently preserved forever thanks to generous donors and work by the Nature Conservancy (TNC).

With what the TNC described as an “unprecedented gift,” 8,000 acres of pristine wetlands where the Alabama and Tombigbee Rivers join, known as the Mobile Delta, were purchased for the purpose of conservation for $15 million. The owners chose to sell to TNC rather than to the timber industry which planned to log in the location.

“This is one of the most important conservation victories that we’ve ever been a part of,” said Mitch Reid, state director for The Nature Conservancy in Alabama.

The area is filled with oxbow lakes, creeks, and swamps alongside the rivers, and they’re home to so many species that it ranks as one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth, such that Reid often jokes that while it has rightfully earned the moniker “America’s Amazon” the Amazon should seriously consider using the moniker “South America’s Mobile.”

“This tract represents the largest remaining block of land that we can protect in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. First and foremost, TNC is doing this work for our fellow Alabamians who rightly pride themselves on their relationship with the outdoors,” said Reid, who told Advance Local that it can connect with other protected lands to the north, in an area called the Red Hills.

“Conservation lands in the Delta positions it as an anchor in a corridor of protected lands stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the Appalachian Mountains and has long been a priority in TNC’s ongoing efforts to establish resilient and connected landscapes across the region.”

At the moment, no management plan has been sketched out, but TNC believes it must allow the public to use it for recreation as much as possible.

The money for the purchase was provided by a government grant and a generous, anonymous donor, along with $5.2 million from the Holdfast Collective—the conservation funding body of Patagonia outfitters."

Video via Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, August 7, 2020

Article via Good News Network, February 14, 2024

[rogueconservationcorp]

Ways the average person can raise awareness for World Wetlands Day!

There are several ways the average person can raise awareness for World Wetlands Day:

Share information about wetlands and the importance of their conservation on social media. Use the hashtag #WorldWetlandsDay to join the conversation and share facts, photos, and personal experiences related to wetlands.

Participate in local events and activities to raise awareness about wetlands. Many organizations host events such as educational walks, bird-watching tours, and conservation projects that are open to the public.

Write to your representatives and urge them to support wetland conservation efforts. You can also call on them to protect wetlands from development and pollution, and to support the restoration of degraded wetland habitats.

Educate others about wetlands by sharing information and resources with family, friends, and community members.

Take personal actions to protect wetlands in your own community by participating in clean-up efforts, promoting sustainable use of wetlands, and encouraging others to do the same.

Support organizations that work to protect wetlands and their biodiversity. You can donate money or time to help wetland conservation efforts.

Lastly, you can also make conscious choices that help wetlands, such as using natural fertilizer in your garden, reducing your water consumption and using water-saving devices, and choosing products that are environmentally friendly.

Remember, World Wetlands Day is not only a day to raise awareness but also to take action to protect wetlands and ensure that they are around for generations to come.

[purpleweredragon]

[ID: Art featuring a walking Eurasian curlew (in profile, facing right) on a transparent background. Above it, large bold text reads: "Wild About Wetlands", the words "Wild" and "Wetlands" in capital letters and the words are in brown-orange, green and dark blue respectively.

End ID]

It's World Wetlands Day! Did you know 40% of the worlds plants and animals depend on wetlands? And that peatlands, a type of wetland, store twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests combined?

If you're as wild about wetlands as I am, show your love with this lovely curlew shirt, and consider donating to the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust.