Sierra Institute co-hosts field tour for forest restoration projects

Wildfire risk reduction treatments are cleared to begin in the forest ecosystems near Camptonville and New Bullards Bar Reservoir, following a record of decision that was signed by the Tahoe National Forest earlier this week. The nearly 30,000 acre footprint affected by this decision represents Phase 2 of the North Yuba Landscape Resilience Project (NYLRP), an effort by the North Yuba Forest Partnership (NYFP) to plan, fund, and implement restoration work in the North Yuba River watershed to reduce catastrophic fire risk, protect communities, and foster resilient forests. The area also includes treatments supported by the Yuba II FRB, which finances ecological restoration treatments including thinning and prescribed burning. The NYFP is a collaborative of nine organizations—U.S. Forest Service-Tahoe National Forest, South Yuba River Citizens League, The Nature Conservancy, Yuba Water Agency, Camptonville Community Partnership, Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe, National Forest Foundation, Sierra County, and Blue Forest—committed to increasing ecosystem and community resilience in the North Yuba River watershed. We are proud to be part of this innovative collaborative achieving landscape-scale restoration in a critically important landscape. Read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/ggtH2xgK

Navigating Permits: A Review of Coastal Wetland Restoration Approvals in Victoria Is red tape holding back Australia’s blue carbon future? Coastal wetlands are powerful carbon sinks that offer major climate and biodiversity benefits, making their restoration a key tool for meeting Australia’s environmental targets. Despite growing public and private interest in restoration, especially in blue carbon-rich regions like Victoria, implementation remains limited due to complex legal, policy, and permitting barriers. Current approval processes are time consuming and were originally designed to prevent environmental change, not enable ecosystem recovery. While some Australian states have begun streamlining restoration approvals, Victoria’s regulatory landscape remains poorly understood. Phebe Fidge (Rowland), Paul Carnell, Melissa Wartman's recent study aims to fill that gap. In, “Navigating Permits: A Review of Coastal Wetland Restoration Approvals in Victoria”, published earlier this year in Ecological Management & Restoration, the authors reviewed Victorian laws and policies on coastal wetland restoration to identify and understand regulatory barriers to restoration. Their findings include: 🚧 Key Barriers to Coastal Wetland Restoration in Victoria - Regulatory complexity: 22 permits across federal, state, and local levels - Fragmented governance and inconsistent approval pathways - Lack of transparency on costs and processing timelines - Legislation designed for development control, not ecosystem restoration - Limited scalability due to short-term funding and approval burden ✅ Proposed Solutions - Streamlined, risk-based permit pathways - General permits for restoration in priority regions - Planning exemptions for low-impact restoration activities - National Code of Practice for coastal wetland restoration - Long-term funding mechanisms and private sector incentives To read the full #openaccess paper, use this link: https://lnkd.in/gEyHm2jt. Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation Helen Macpherson Smith Trust

A free-flowing Kennebec River is on the horizon! The Nature Conservancy and Brookfield Renewable have reached an agreement for the purchase of the four lower dams on the Kennebec River. ASF has been proud to play a leading role on the advocacy and legal fronts in helping make this milestone possible, and we will continue to be a key partner in the dams’ removal and river restoration over the coming decade. We’re thrilled about the potential of a free-flowing Kennebec River, for both nature and people. This will fully reconnect more than 825 miles of river and stream to the Gulf of Maine. This is obviously great news for Atlantic salmon, but several other sea-run fish species will benefit from improved fish passage as well. Dam removal will also reduce the likelihood and severity of extreme flooding in riverside communities and provide new economic and recreational opportunities for the region. For more information, please visit www.nature.org/kennebec

Dampier Peninsula Fire Working Group Named Environmental Champions at 2025 Landcare Awards 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 In a proud moment for Indigenous-led conservation efforts, the Dampier Peninsula Fire Working Group has taken out the First Nations Landcare Collaboration Award at the 2025 National Landcare Awards. Held annually, the Landcare Awards celebrate the efforts of individuals, groups and organisations across Australia who are driving change in sustainable agriculture, conservation and community engagement. This year, the spotlight turned to the Kimberley, where the Dampier Peninsula Fire Working Group has been recognised for more than a decade of dedicated work protecting Country through traditional fire management practices. Kimberley Land Council's Regional Fire Officer Azton Howard and Nyul Nyul ranger Preston Cox travelled to Brisbane to accept the award on behalf of the group. Preston said the award was a powerful acknowledgment of the group's commitment and the strength of Indigenous land stewardship. “Extremely proud this Indigenous-led group has been recognised nationally,” he said. “It’s a really big deal for us. When we started over 10 years ago, we thought enough is enough of seeing our land burn - and here’s the proof of what can be achieved.” The Dampier Peninsula Fire Working Group, made up of rangers from Bardi Jawi, Nyul Nyul, Yawuru ,KLC and representatives from Rangelands NRM, Environs Kimberley, Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA, Shire of Broome and many other surrounding groups has been working collaboratively to reintroduce and maintain cultural burning practices that have not only reduced destructive wildfires but also rejuvenated landscapes and protected biodiversity. Bardi Jawi ranger Phillip 'Bibido' McCarthy said that it was great to get the recognition. “It feels really good, was amazing to come all this way,” he said. “Over the years we’ve worked collaboratively, and it really matters and it’s great to get this recognition.” Collaboration and Indigenous knowledge is critical to effective land and sea management. Congratulations to all members of the group.

Microsoft's Lamparek Creek Restoration: Transforming a Dirty Ditch to a Clean Creek I am excited to share an inspiring video about the Lamparek Creek Restoration project in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, which represents a significant step towards environmental stewardship and community partnership. In 2014, the Lamparek "Ditch" was identified as the most impaired tributary to the Pike River. It faced challenges such as a disconnected floodplain, invasive species, degraded habitat, and significant erosion, with phosphorus levels exceeding criteria 100% of the time. In 2023, with the assistance of Root-Pike WIN and the Village of Mount Pleasant, Microsoft voluntarily committed to restoring this stream. This commitment led to a $4 million grant in 2025, transforming the "dirty ditch" into a clean creek. The restoration involved: - Reshaping 1.5 miles of streambank to reconnect the floodplain and reduce erosion. - Extensive in-stream restoration with added stone and deep holes for improved aquatic habitat. - Integrated stormwater outfalls to reduce runoff pollutants. - Reusing onsite trees to maintain channel stability and create riffles. - Removing 25,000 cubic yards of soil to reshape the floodplain and reconnect wetlands. - Re-establishing 10 acres of wetlands to enhance water quality and fish spawning. This partnership is a true win-win for development and the environment. It exemplifies how corporate responsibility and community collaboration can lead to lasting positive environmental change. "The sun shines not on us, but in us. The rivers flow not past, but through us." - John Muir Watch the full video to see the incredible transformation: https://lnkd.in/gxbBE2br #EnvironmentalRestoration #Sustainability #Microsoft #CommunityPartnership #WaterQuality #PikeRiver #MountPleasantWI #RootPikeWIN #CreekRestoration #LinkedInPost

We are proud to announce that Sara Ward has been named director of the Atlantic Conservation Coalition, a multi-state partnership among North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland. The coalition is dedicated to reducing carbon emissions by protecting and restoring the region’s forests, peatlands, and coastal habitats. In 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded a $421 million grant to support these efforts, funding conservation and restoration projects across all four states. DNCR is managing the grant over the next five years to ensure projects are implemented effectively and deliver lasting benefits for communities and ecosystems. Ward brings deep expertise in conservation policy and climate resiliency to her new role. She previously served as the national Nature-Based Resiliency Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an associate advisor to the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Nature-Based Solutions Working Group, and as a climate advisor to the Department of the Interior during the Biden administration. With more than 20 years of experience as an ecologist and environmental contaminants specialist in North Carolina, she has led innovative partnerships to protect habitats and strengthen communities. Ward holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and a Master of Environmental Management in environmental toxicology, chemistry, and risk assessment from Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment. With her leadership, the Atlantic Conservation Coalition will continue advancing projects that conserve natural lands, restore wetlands and streams, and build resilience across the region.

Guardians of the Floodplain How Amazon communities in Juruá are baking conservation into daily life — and showing us real protection in the wild It begins with a paddle slipping through water at dawn. Mist lifts off flooded forest. A canoe enters the channel, silently slicing through papyrus and submerged trees. On either bank, lines of forest stand guard. At the prow sits a community ranger, eyes scanning for outsiders, nets, engines — anything that disturbs the flow. This is the Juruá Basin, deep within western Amazonas, Brazil. Here, 14 riverine communities are proving that effective conservation doesn’t need helicopters and shell corporations — it needs people with boats, knowledge, and resolve. What the numbers say These communities now oversee 96 lakes across a 1,200-kilometer stretch of riverine territory. Collectively, they monitor more than a million hectares of floodplain and forest. Within their stewardship, they counted about 109,000 adult arapaima in those waters — a fish often seen as a flagship species for Amazonic recovery. Communities report that their protection domain — the area they guard through presence, patrols, and traditional rights — is 86 times larger than the lake surfaces themselves. In aggregate, that adds up to some 15 million hectares of effectively protected forest and floodplain. That’s bigger than some countries. This is no isolated enclave. These community reserves now rival, in scale and effect, many state or federal protected zones — but without massive budgets or external enforcement. Why this matters — beyond the trees and fish Biodiversity regained Inside these territories, species rebound: river turtles, giant otters, manatees, migratory fish, aquatic birds. Loss rates are lower. Poaching drops. Ecological corridors hold. Carbon security These floodplain forests are carbon sinks and pulsing buffers — storing carbon in soils and biomass, and moderating flood flows. The fact that communities can keep them intact matters to climate mitigation at continental scale. Food security & sovereignty These are not walled reserves. Communities depend on fish, game, forest products. By stewarding, not excluding, they align protection with sustainable use. No external force imposes; local care controls. The machinery of community protection What enables a fisherman to double as a ranger? Local patrols using canoes, trail networks, camera traps, and seasonal surveillance. Customary enforcement founded in communal norms: guidelines for who fishes, when, how much — violations carry social reputation risks. Shared governance structures: assembly councils, rotation of roles, transparency in fines or penalties. Full Article: https://lnkd.in/edE6wPeJ #CommunityConservation #AmazonGuardians #Arapaima #IndigenousStewardship #ProtectedByPeople #ClimateBuffer #FloodplainForest #RedQuillSociety #Hauntline

Welsh Water has officially opened its pioneering £13 million reedbed and wetland storm overflow at Pont-y-felin in Torfaen – the first project of its kind in the UK.   A newly constructed wetland has been designed using a network of reedbeds and pools where native wetland plants will naturally filter pollutants and clean the excess water.   By replacing a traditional engineering solution such as installing large concrete storage tanks with this nature-based design, Welsh Water has saved £40 million and avoided over 3,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. The result is a low-carbon, scalable and environmentally friendly model that brings long terms benefits for local communities and wildlife.   The projects forms part of Welsh Water’s £2.5bn investment over the next five years on projects to improve the environment, reduce storm overflows, restore river health and strengthen ecosystem resilience.   Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Climate Change, Huw Irranca-Davies, said: “Projects like Pont-y-felin show what’s possible when we work with natural processes rather than against them – delivering bold, nature-based solutions that deliver cleaner water, lower emissions, and real community value.” “We want to see more of this across Wales; projects that protect our precious waterways, support biodiversity, and create lasting benefits for our communities – ensuring we build a more sustainable and resilient Wales for future generations.”   #Reedbeds #WaterQuality #NaturedBasedSolution #Sewage #Wetlands   This content is prepared by ripple2wave. Follow us for more interesting content on #water and #sustainability.   Sourced from: https://lnkd.in/ezHK-DrD

We want to be crystal clear with our claims (just like our waters). So let’s dive into what WaterNeutral™ means. How it works: 1. Tracking Usage FreshPure® Waters has both a water and carbon footprint from the resources used to run our filtration and vending systems—and we carefully track and add them up. Then, we take it a step further. FreshPure® Waters offsets that already extremely low footprint to achieve WaterNeutral™ status. 2. Identifying Areas We partner with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation to identify freshwater ecosystems in need of conservation and restoration. Like them, we believe that our water, climate, and energy challenges are both urgent and solvable. 3. Returning Resources We purchase certified carbon and water credits to offset our usage and direct those resources to watersheds across the American West. Through these projects, we support groundwater conservation, water quality improvement, and wildlife habitat restoration. Now that’s water done right. 💧

"High in the mountains, thousands of feet above where most Californians live, are alpine forests and mountain meadows which serve a critical role for water supply. That’s why the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), in partnership with federal, local, and private organizations, is collaborating on transformative restoration efforts in the Upper Feather River Watershed. [...] Functioning meadows act like giant sponges, storing and slowly releasing water through drier months. Upper Feather River Watershed meadows filter water upstream of Lake Oroville, the SWP’s largest water storage reservoir which holds over 3.4 million acre-feet of winter and spring runoff that can be released throughout the year to serve nearly two-thirds of Californians. Upper Feather River Watershed meadows provide many benefits [such as] Water supply and reliability[,] Water quality[,] Wildfire mitigation[, and] Natural Refuge[.] [...] By restoring ecological function and biodiversity in Upper Feather River meadows and forests, DWR and its partners are fostering landscapes more capable of withstanding wildfire, drought, and climate change, ultimately securing a more sustainable water future for California." https://lnkd.in/gHEGNazt