RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIESBelow we list upcoming trainings, seminars, and conferences happening in the southern US, as well as headline stories, reports, and funding sources pertinent to Southern Conservation Partners' mission and interests. The following links will drop you down the page to view our categories of resources.
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Photo by Mike Dunn
Congress has resisted some of the worst of President Trump’s proposed budget reduction for environmental protection and natural resources conservation, but the Trump Administration’s threats to these crucial programs continue! BE AWARE AND VIGILANT: the Administration does not have to spend the congressionaly authorized budget and may continue administratively to maim these federal programs. Tell your U.S. Senators and Representatives to not to accept reductions in national programs for environmental resource protection. |
Upcoming Conferences and Events
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We post announcements about upcoming conferences of interest that are located in the Southern U.S. as information becomes available. We invite you to provide us information about conferences concerning protection and enhancement of environmental resources for announcement here.
Southeast Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies 75th annual conference Oct. 17- Oct. 20, 2021; Roanoke, Virginia Save the Date! The SEAFWA annual Conference is a forum for the exchange of ideas and critical information regarding the management and protection of fish and wildlife resources primarily in the southeast. The conference attracts over 500 representatives from state and federal agencies, citizen’s organizations, universities, and private wildlife research groups, fisheries and wildlife scientists, agency enforcement personnel, and other natural resource related organizations. Hosted by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, the 75th Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies will be held at The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center, in Roanoke, Virginia. National Wilderness Workshop scheduled to be held in person November 15-18, 2021, in Roanoke, Virginia (with option of a virtual workshop if that becomes necessary) The National Wilderness Workshop is an opportunity for land managers to come together and discuss the challenges and opportunities surrounding the future of wilderness management and stewardship. More about the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance HERE and at partner organization, the Society for Wilderness Stewardship, HERE. Forum on the Future of Natural Heritage and Biodiversity Conservation March 15-17, 2022 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina Southern Conservation Partners has initiated and other cosponsoring organizations are designing a three-day assembly of public and private conservation organizations and agencies to discuss conservation planning for resilience, inclusion, and biodiversity preservation in a changed climate, increasing public funding for land and water conservation, broadening connections between communities and conservation, and other topics. The North Carolina Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill will host the gathering. More detailed information will follow, with registration opening in September. Contact us at Southern Conservation Partners for additional information. Watch for more announcements about other conferences of regional interest. Inform us about other conferences to include here. Conservation News Headlines and Featured Resources
Environmental Protection major priority of new Biden Administration
President Biden’s administration in its first three months has demonstrated a dramatic watershed change in priorities that promise renewed emphasis on environmental protection, natural resources and land conservation, and mitigation of climate change consequences. The Washington Post reported in an extensive article published on May 7th : [ see https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2021/climate-environment/biden-climate-environment-actions/ ] President Biden's Climate Change Response Executive Orders call for conserving 30% of America's land and waters by 2030 President Biden in his first month in office released an executive order calling for conservation of 30% of the U.S. land base and public waters by 2030. "This bold '30x30' vision is firmly rooted in science, given that protected land is key to a healthy and secure future for all Americans. It will provide pure drinking water, healthy food, clean air, habitat for wildlife, and places for people to reflect, recreate, hunt and fish. Conserved land also provides protection from natural disasters, such as floods and droughts, and absorbs and keeps carbon from the Earth's atmosphere." (Andrew Bowman, President & CEO of the Land Trust Alliance. More HERE.) After President Biden set the goal of conserving 30 percent of the nation’s land and waters by 2030, an interagency team in early May laid out broad principles — but few details — for achieving that vision. The Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful 22-page document from the Commerce, Interior and Agriculture Departments highlights one of the Biden administration’s central challenges: Having committed to bold environmental goals during their early days in power, officials now face the more uncertain and contentious task of figuring out how to follow through on those ambitions. The “America the Beautiful” report outlines steps the U.S. could take to safeguard key areas on land and in the sea to restore biodiversity, tackle climate change and make natural spaces more accessible to all Americans. (Read more in this website's VIEWPOINT section.] In many ways the current moment feels like an inflection point, with clarity around the scope of the conservation challenges we as a society face being met with ambitious visions for how to respond—see for instance the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, the High Ambition Coalition for People and Nature, and, here in the United States, the Administration’s “America the Beautiful” vision. As these visions have emerged, it’s become ever-clearer that landscape conservation—working collaboratively with landscapes and across boundaries—is essential for moving from vision to action. What Could 30×30 Look Like for Wildlife Habitat? Which 30% of the U.S. Should We Protect? "When we join ecosystems together, the sum of conservation value is greater than the parts—more species can be protected, especially keystone species like wolves and mountain lions and grizzly bears," writes Wildlife Network chief scientist Dr. Ron Sutherland. READ his response to President Biden’s executive order. Guidelines for Land and Water Conservation Defenders of Wildlife's “Getting to 30x30: Guidelines for (land conservation) Decision-makers” is a new (2020) resource for where to focus greater efforts to reach the goal of 30% of America’s land and marine areas being protected by 2030. The analysis incorporates NatureServe’s 2020 map of Biodiversity Importance priority areas and uses the USFS Gap Analysis Project’s Protected Areas Database. As of now about 12% of the lands in the U.S. and 26% of its marine zones are protected at levels consistent with the 30x30 biodiversity and climate goals. We have a long way to go to reach the 30x30 goal ideal – particularly in the southern U.S. This REPORT underscores the urgent need for accelerating land and water conservation efforts in our region. Wildlands Network optimistic for new federal policies and funding initiatives In its public online forum in December 2020 the Wildlands Network outlined strategies to address the Nature's Destruction Crisis, which U.S. Senator Tom Udall (Dem., N.M.) described as parallel with the Climate Change Crisis. Udall cited the loss of half of America's wetlands ecosystems and loss of one-third of its wildlife populations. President-elect Biden's campaign platform and subsequent pledges offer hope for early executive orders intended to restore and advance federal government policies and practices intended to assure protection of 30 percent of America's landscapes by 2030 (the "30 X 30" goal). The Wildlands Network is cautiously optimistic over possible enactment of the proposed national wildlife corridors national policy and funding legislation in the next Congress (which passed the House in 2020, but was not allowed by Republican leadership to come to a vote in the Senate). You can watch the recorded discussion and webinar, Protecting Wildlife Corridors to Safeguard Biodiversity and People HERE. Stay tuned for additional webinars and virtual opportunities to learn more about Wildlands Network projects that are sustaining North America's wildlife and wild landscapes. Climate 21 Project Outlines 'Whole-of-Government' Approach to Climate Change President-elect Joe Biden has signaled that he wants to move quickly on a whole-of-government approach to step up the United States’ efforts in the fight against climate change. A project facilitated by Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions lays out a path for the incoming administration to take that kind of urgent and meaningful action across the federal government starting on Inauguration Day Jan. 20, 2021. The Climate 21 Project tapped the expertise of over 150 experts with high-level government experience—including nine former cabinet appointees—to deliver advice for a climate response that could be coordinated by the White House and accountable directly to the President. Read News Release. Economic Benefits of Intact Natural Ecosystems Validated A recent analysis validates that economic benefits of sustaining natural ecosystems outweighs human-dominated landscapes. https://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2021/03/putting-a-price-on-nature/ Explore Hidden Aquatic Worlds of Native Fish and Mussels of Southern Appalachian Streams Freshwaters Ilustrated's recently released documentary film, "Hidden Rivers of the Southern Appalachians," features efforts by Conservation Fisheries and others to save and repopulate the aquatic biodiversity of Southern Appalachian streams. We recommend watching the beautiful and fascinating "Hidden Rivers of the Southern Appalachians" documentary film, recently produced by Freshwaters Illustrated. (Watch excerpt trailers The Hidden World of Native Fish and The Hidden World of River Mussels). Forest Stewards Guild Strategic Plan for Southern Blue Ridge Mountains Forests Conservation The Forest Stewards Guild and the multi-party Sustainable Forestry Initiative in late 2020 issued a final report and strategies for forest conservation management in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains region spanning 9.4 million acres in parts of five southern states. Southern Conservation Partners was a member of the collaborative group contributing advice for this plan. Forests of the southern Blue Ridge Mountains comprise 136 defined natural forest community types (90 percent of which are unique to this ecoregion) and host some of the richest biodiversity in North America. These forests provide a wide range of benefits and services: public recreation, aesthetics, ecosystems services, as well as wood products. The primary goal of this strategic plan is to connect forest conservation efforts so as to wisely manage forest landscapes based on ecological and social needs. Central strategies for conserving and sustaining the forests embrace water quality, best management practices, landowner education and outreach assistance, economic incentives, prescribed fire, and collaborative restoration. Contact the Forest Stewards Guild to obtain a pdf copy of the report. Forests Essential as Carbon "Sinks" A new 2021 report from the World Wildlife Fund reconfirms the critical importance of forests in the function as "carbon sinks". The report documents that Forests absorb twice as much carbon as they emit each year. But with accelerated destruction of the world's great forests, their benefit for the Earth's ecological health and security is in grave jeopardy. Ghost forests' are spreading across US coastal regions - especially on North Carolina coast Encroaching saltwater is turning forests near the coast into haunting landscapes with tens of thousands of acres of dead and dying forests. Read in Popular Science: https://apple.news/AMEIueSH3SwuaisJf58hfQQ Half-Earth Ecosystems Protection Map Produced The world’s population has tripled since 1950 but roughly half of the land on the planet is still in a natural or semi-natural state. A new map, released Sept. 2020, shows exactly where that land is, and why it’s critical to protect. READ MORE. Healing Nature's Wounds In the 21st century our highest priorities are shifting to restoration and repair of our world's ecosystems and environmental health. Check out The ReWilding Institute's "Healing Nature's Wounds." Landscape Conservation - New Approaches The Network of Landscape Conservation early in 2021 released its report “Weaving the Strands Together," which charts a new course for land conservation. Given the public health and political storms of the past year, there has never been a better time to take a clear-eyed assessment of how the conservation movement will need to evolve to succeed into the future. It is critically important that the principles of inclusion and equity, which have not often been central to conservation work, are integrated into conservation at all scales. Through the Network for Landscape Conservation’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Working Group, the interagency network wants to be part of the needed changes, starting with their “Weaving the Strands Together” report. The Network partnered with the Salazar Center for North American Conservation to produce this important work. The stories shared in the report capture just a few examples of the profound work under way in all corners of the country. The Landscape Conservation Network invites you to share your own stories and to learn and explore together what it means to shape an authentic, transformative, and enduring landscape conservation movement that centers justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. New Climate Maps Show a Transformed United States According to new data from the Rhodium Group analyzed by ProPublica and The New York Times Magazine, warming temperatures and changing rainfall will drive agriculture and temperate climates northward, while sea level rise will consume coastlines and dangerous levels of humidity will swamp the Mississippi River valley. This ARTICLE (September 2020) on ProPublica.org provides a graphic look at projected changes for 2040-2060--under two emissions scenarios--in heat, humidity, sea level, farm crop yields, catastrophic fires, economic damage from climate. New Tool to Assess your Risk of Flooding To determine the flooding risk just enter the place location HERE. Simply plug-in the address and see the risk of flooding over the next 30 years with high resolution maps. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy study calls for holistic landscape conservation This winter, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy issued a white paper, Toward Holistic Landscape Conservation in the 21st Century, written by Michael Whitfield (conservation biologist and retired executive director of the Northern Rocky Mountain Initiative and coalition). The study makes a compelling case that in the face of the environmental and social crises that we are facing across the world, a deeply collaborative, holistic approach to landscape conservation is essential for appropriately confronting the daunting challenges of the 21st Century. We need to move beyond protecting individual sites to a broader, holistic landscape and ecosystems conservation approach. The white paper expands upon themes that Whitfield explored in a Perspectives piece in the March 2018 Landscape Conservation Bulletin. He underscores the importance of grounding efforts in the needs of wild nature and natural systems and in the individual dignity of people within our human communities. Whitfield previously joined an International Land Conservation Network webinar to further explore his white paper topic more broadly. As Whitfield notes, through an embrace of such a holistic perspective, we as landscape conservation practitioners have a vital role to play in preserving the natural world around us—and in revitalizing our humanity. Read the White Paper Gulf Partnership Releases Reports, Highlights Progress on Strategic Land Conservation in Gulf of Mexico Region The Gulf Partnership for Land Conservation released two reports: "Recommended Best Practices in Land Conservation for the Gulf of Mexico Region" (READ) and "Celebrating Five Years of Success with the Gulf Coast Project Assistance Fund" (READ). The Recommended Best Practices report, produced with support from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, is designed to be a practical aid to funders and other leaders of the Deepwater Horizon Gulf ecosystem restoration, as well as land trusts and land conservation practitioners as they work together to invest in efficient and cost effective land protection. The report summarizes eight recommendations for implementing landscape scale conservation. The Gulf Partnership's report provides an overview of an innovative matching grants program that has enabled land trusts to protect more than 27,000 acres of critical habitat. It describes how small grants for due diligence activities allowed land trusts to implement successful conservation projects across a range of habitat types. The Gulf Coast Project Assistance Program is administered by the Galveston Bay Foundation. In its first five years, land trust partners utilized $386,152 in due diligence funds to leverage more than $53 million in conservation funding and completed 18 land conservation projects. Bird Numbers Fall Dramatically The number of birds in the United States and Canada has fallen by 29 percent since 1970. The journal Science REPORTS there are 2.9 billion fewer birds taking wing now than there were 50 years ago. The analysis is the most exhaustive and ambitious attempt yet to learn what is happening to avian populations. The results have shocked researchers and conservation organizations. David Yarnold, president and chief executive of the National Audubon Society, called the findings “a full-blown crisis.” Experts have long known that some bird species have become vulnerable to extinction. But the new study, based on a broad survey of more than 500 species, reveals steep losses even among such traditionally abundant birds as robins and sparrows. READ MORE. Chesapeake Conservation Partnership reflects on decade of collaborative progress in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Since 2010, the Chesapeake Conservation Partnership has been bringing partners together in collaboration around a shared long-term, landscape-scale vision for the Chesapeake Bay watershed—and this fall, a major new report, Marking Milestones: Progress in Conserving Land in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, captures the impressive progress and success of the Partnership. Based on 2018 data, 1,358,456 acres of land in the Chesapeake Bay watershed have been permanently protected from development since 2010. This is an achievement of attaining nearly 68 percent of the land conservation goal adopted in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement and brings the total amount of protected land in the watershed to 9.16 million acres. The Partnership is striving to accelerate its efforts to conserve 30% of the watershed area by 2030. National Audubon Society Responds to Catastrophic Losses of Birds Two-thirds of North American bird species are threatened with extinction from climate change. That’s the alarming conclusion of the National Audubon Society's new report "Survival by Degrees: 389 Bird Species on the Brink." "SURVIVAL BY DEGREES" looks forward and predicts a frightening future for birds. No one has assembled a larger data set of bird observations for North America, from as many diverse sources, to assess the impacts of climate change on birds. Audubon scientists spent five years analyzing 604 bird species using 140 million bird records and the same climate models that the world’s leading climate experts rely on. National Audubon says "This somber report is a resounding call to action—and we’ll be asking our members to join us in mobilizing in communities across the country. From town halls and statehouses to Washington, D.C., we will speak with a clear voice: The time for inaction on climate change is over." Many were shocked to read the recent headlines showing that North America has lost three billion birds in the past 50 years. "Along with our report, we’re rolling out a suite of tools and resources to empower both individual and collective action. This includes the Audubon Birds and Climate Visualizer—a first-of-its-kind tool—that allows you to enter your own location to see which impacts from climate change are predicted for your area and how birds near you will be affected." Read more in NEW YORK TIMES, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, and CNN. National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaption Strategy The multi-party Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies early in 2021 issued an extensive update of its 2012 report, intending for the strategy to be integrated and implemented in conservation practices at all national to local levels, and to be used as a roadmap to prepare and respond to the impacts of a changing climate on America’s natural resources. READ MORE. Priorities for Species Conservation in Southeastern States Identified The National Wildlife Federation recently released its list of Southeastern US “Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need." Intended to provide greater clarity and focus for regional conservation and multi-state collaborations, the new “RSGCN” list was prepared by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), as part of the Vital Futures project funded by the U.S. Geological Survey. The process identifies a set of regional-priority species from the very large number of species collectively identified as priorities in the 15 Southeastern State Wildlife Action Plans. To see the list of RGSCNs and learn about how the Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy is already using them, READ THIS guest blog post by John Kanter and Bruce Stein with NWF. NRCS Florida Produces "Story Map" describing the amazing creatures that live in longleaf forests Gophers, dragonflies, and snakes are among the many amazing creatures that call longleaf pine flatwoods and sandhills their homes. The USDA Natural Resources & Conservation Service in Florida has developed this STORY MAP as a resource for private landowners who want to restore and protect habitat on their property. This is a beautiful and informative educational story tool. Safe Passages for Wildlife There is no more deadly stretch of highway for wildlife mortality than the Interstate 40 passage through the Pigeon River Gorge in western North Carolina and east Tennessee. There every year hundreds of animals -- including bear, elk, deer, and many other species-- are struck and killed, with consequent casualties for the drivers and passengers of the colliding vehicles. I-40 bisects pristine natural forest habitat and wildlife corridors between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the National Forest and wildlife refuges on both sides of the highway, which has no functional wildlife passages over or under the road. A consortium of about twenty wildlife conservation groups and agencies are advocating for construction of wildlife over- and under-passes along the I-40 corridor in locations of prime wildlife movement and greatest numbers of vehicular collisions. See www.smokiessafepassage.org . Some of World's Oldest Trees Discovered in North Carolina! The Nature Conservancy in May 2019 unveiled findings of research confirming that ancient bald cypress trees on North Carolina's coastal Black River surpass 2,600 years in age, making the stand of 2000- to 2624-year-old cypress some of the world's oldest surviving trees. Read more HERE and and watch THIS VIDEO featuring Dr. David Stahle (Univ. Arkansas), whose used dendrochronology to date the ancient bald cypress on the Black River. The Nature Conservancy has protected more than 100,000 acres in southeastern North Carolina, including over 17,000 acres in the Black River basin. We believe the Black River would make a great NPS National Monument! (Also, watch this VIDEO in which Southern Conservation Partners Board member Julie Moore appears.) 
South Atlantic Conservation Blueprint 2020 is now available! To learn more about the fine-tuned regional conservation blueprint improvements and access the data, >>visit blog...
Learn more about Southeast Conservation Blueprint HERE. The Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy consortium in 2018 set a goal of a 10% or greater improvement in the health, function, and connectivity of Southeastern ecosystems by 2060. One of the near-term metrics for that goal was a 1% improvement every 4 years. How are we doing so far? The 2019 report on SECAS goal progress, "Recent Trends in Southeastern Ecosystems," is now online. It integrates results from 10 different assessments covering the Southeast and estimates trends based on the most recent 3-6 years of data available. The goal is to create an updated progress report every year. Read more HERE. Urgent Need to Protect More of Earth & Save Ourselves from Climate Catastrophe Scientist are warning that only when 50 percent of the Earth’s terrestrial areas are protected, along with substantial cuts in fossil-fuel use and major increases in renewable energy, will we have a good chance of meeting the Paris climate target of less than 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) of warming. The National Geographic Society as part of the Campaign for Nature, in partnership with the Wyss Campaign for Nature, calls for the protection of 30 percent of the planet's natural areas, forests and grasslands by 2030. Authors of the new Global Deal for Nature study lay out how the 30 percent protection could be reached in 67 percent of Earth’s 846 terrestrial ecoregions by 2030. Other ecosystems would need some restoration. Although the Global Deal for Nature is focused on land, the study authors support the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and its member organization’s call for 30 percent protection of the oceans by 2030. We are warned, “We have just ten years to save ourselves.” Read more HERE. Temperatures of the Earth's surfaces and oceans in 2019 exceeded previous historical highs... our Earth and all its natural systems are "cooking" hot. READ MORE. World's Watersheds Now Mapped in Gorgeous Detail SEE for yourself. River Network Releases New Drinking Water Guide This new GUIDE is a fine resource to learn about drinking water, its sources and systems, how to ensure safe-clean-affordable-available drinking water, how water costs are calculated and what water bills pay for, and how climate change affects our water. River Network intends to springboard from this guide to build a larger network of water advocates around the country. River Network provides Clean Water training resources In the Southern US, the River Network provides training resources and convenes staff from watershed organizations and public agencies to discuss Clean Water Act implementation and enforcement. Communication and coordination on CWA strategies across the southeastern states has been strong for many years and continues today on streamflow and water quality policies and strategies. READ MORE about River Network's current Southeast US work National Audubon Society Announces Comprehensive Gulf Restoration Plan National Audubon in February 2019 released an extensive report, "Audubon's Vision: Restoring the Gulf of Mexico for Birds and People," which recommends an investment of more than $1.7 billion in restoration and conservation efforts. The report highlights projects and programs critical to help the region and its wildlife recover from devastating hurricanes, oil spills and other environmental and man-made disasters. Shortly after Audubon released its blueprint for Gulf restoration, it secured funding for five of the projects in the plan. New Studies Show Benefits of Green Infrastructure Recent studies in North Carolina, New Jersey, and the Gulf Coast region demonstrate that nature-based solutions can better protect communities from the impacts of coastal storms at a lower cost than traditional hardscape solutions. Michael W. Beck and colleagues conducted research across the Gulf region that found that the restoration of wetlands, oyster reefs and beaches are more cost-effective and have more co-benefits than traditional strategies. According to the April issue of Scientific American, protection of natural resources for protection against storm damage may finally be getting the attention it deserves. The Army Corps, which for decades has favored hardscape solutions, has launched an Engineering With Nature initiative—something many planners thought they would never see. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has made living shorelines a centerpiece of its coastal-resilience blueprint. Hundreds of projects have been completed or are underway around the country, ranging from shoreline stabilizations in Maryland to bulkhead removal in Puget Sound. Most are small, community-based efforts, but larger ventures are becoming more common. READ MORE ... Our Earth: Underwater The Union of Concerned Scientists has released “Underwater: Rising Seas, Chronic Floods, and the Implications for U.S. Coastal Real Estate," a detailed analysis of future flood risk that seeks to put the true peril of coastal real estate into perspective. “Underwater” predicts that 300,000 residential and commercial properties will likely face chronic and disruptive flooding by 2045, threatening $135 billion in property damage and forcing 280,000 Americans to adapt or relocate. If you think U.S. cities struggle with high housing costs now, and the sprawl that often results from high housing costs, imagine decades in the future, when wave after wave of climate-displaced Americans arrive searching for work and an affordable place to live. In related news, the U.S. Global Change Research Program has produced the Fourth National Climate Assessment, which shows we are already feeling the effects of climate change. ‘Like a Terror Movie’: How Climate Change Will Cause More Simultaneous Disasters: Read here. Natural Climate Solutions—Landscape conservation is an essential component of climate mitigation [from Landscape Conservation Network, Nov. 2018] Intact, healthy landscapes play a significant role in mitigating climate change and can help reach the goals of the Paris Climate Accord (see the landmark PNAS Natural Climate Solutions paper (2017) and a Science Advances account of the recently-released Natural Climate Solutions for the United States (2018). This recognition continues to reverberate across the funding and policy arenas. For example, in September, 2018, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation announced a new Natural Climate Solutions Initiative, a $20 million-dollar special fund designed to support work to bolster ecosystem ability to mitigate climate change. The fund will be focused primarily on the U.S., and seek to support new best practices, business models and markets, finance and policy approaches, and demonstration of projects that lead to accelerated carbon sequestration through landscapes across the country. Climate Change Reshaping Our Environment Right Now Climate change is reshaping many aspects of the environment that many thought were static — from where deserts begin and end, to what we can grow in backyard or community gardens. Read full story. Global warming is posing such wide-ranging risks to humanity, involving so many types of phenomena, that by the end of this century some parts of the world could face as many as six climate-related crises at the same time, researchers say. This chilling prospect is described in a paper recently published in Nature Climate Change, a respected academic journal, that shows the effects of climate change across a broad spectrum of problems, including heat waves, wildfires, sea level rise, hurricanes, flooding, drought and shortages of clean water. Climate Experts: global warming contributes to extreme weather disasters There is consensus that scientists can be more precise and forceful in connecting some extreme weather events to a warming planet. The southern U.S. continues to experience and demonstrate this disastrous trend. READ full story Rethinking Land Conservation in Climate Change Climate change will alter the composition of our land (and water)-scapes and the natural communities and species that inhabit them.Climate change has significant consequences for land conservation. A recent paper published in the Denver Law Review (Vol. 95:3, 2018) examined nearly 300 conservation easements in six states and conducted over 70 interviews to try to understand how private land conservation is responding to climate change and what we can improve. Government agencies and nonprofit land trusts rely heavily on perpetual conservation easements. However, climate change and other dynamic landscape changes raise questions about the effectiveness and adaptability of permanent conservation instruments like conservation easements. The paper, “Climate Change Challenges for Land Conservation,” builds on a study of 269 conservation easements and interviews with 70 conservation-easement professionals in six different states (South Carolina is the only southern state examined). The academic researchers studied the adaptability of conservation easements to climate change and outlines four potential approaches to enhance conservation outcomes under climate change: (1) Shift land-acquisition priorities to account for potential climate-change impacts. (2) Consider conservation tools other than perpetual conservation easements. (3) Ensure that the terms of conservation easements permit the holder to adapt to climate change successfully. (4) Provide for more active stewardship of conservation lands. America's Land Uses: How does America use its land? Newly produced maps show a new way to look at the U.S. The 48 contiguous states alone are a 1.9 billion-acre jigsaw puzzle of cities, farms, forests and pastures. READ full story. American Farmlands Threatened The American Farmland Trust's recent report, "Farms Under Threat: The State of America's Farmland", showed that the loss of farmland is serious and accelerating. Almost 31 million acres was lost to development between 1992 and 2012, nearly twice the area of farmland was lost than was previously shown. "That's 3 acres a minute, 175 acres an hour, of America's farmlands gone forever. We need farmland to feed us and sustain our economy-but also to help restore our planet," says John Piotti, AFT CEO. LEARN more. America's Forests: report on status of forests in America The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (Endowment) has announced completion of its interactive website that tells the story of America’s forests. The online multimedia guide puts relevant information related to our nation's forests in the hands of the public and professionals in intuitive ways never before accessible. Exploratory maps, graphs, charts, and videos will help users to better understand the value and importance of forests as a source of clean water, clean air, human well being, biodiversity, recreation, products, economic development, and many other benefits and services. The WEBSITE provides a number of tools and covers a variety of topics, including fire in our forests, the role forests play in providing clean water, forests insects and diseases, and invasive plants and animals . . . and . . .
States' Forests and Wildlife Action Plans are connected Across the nation, state forestry agencies are preparing to publish their comprehensive Forest Action Plans. The purpose of Forest Action Plans is to determine the status of forest resources through assessment (e.g., what’s there, who owns it, how is it threatened) and to develop strategies and actions to address challenges facing forest resources. Several states are using the SECAS Southeast Conservation Blueprint to better integrate their Forest Action Plans with State Wildlife Action Plans and improve cross-agency coordination. To read more, >>see this blog The US Forest Service's Forest Resources of the United States, 2017, provides forest resource statistics through 2017 and contributes to the 2020 Resources Planning Act (RPA) Assessment that provides current information on the nation’s forests. Forests and woodland areas in the United States cover 823 million acres and comprise over one-third of the U.S. landscape. National Forests, administered by the U.S. Forest Service, account for 35 percent of reserved forest land area, nationwide. Forest industry in the United States comprises 17 percent of global roundwood production.
Economic Benefits of Conservation Reconfirmed Yet another study confirms the economic benefits of conserving environmentally and historically important lands. A study produced for the American Battlefield Trust and Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation in 2018 documented that Virginia's heritage tourism industry provides over $1.3 billion in tax revenue and over 105,000 jobs annually in the Commonwealth. Landscape Conservation Initiatives (see more about this subject and the Landscape Conservation Network in our Partnerships section) A dialogue around the rapidly growing practice of collaborative landscape conservation has been building, as communities and practitioners across the continent (and world) grapple with working across geopolitical, sectional, and cultural boundaries. The Network for Landscape Conservation has released its 2018 publication--Pathways Forward: Progress and Priorities in Landscape Conservation . That report captures the insights of 200 conservation leaders from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico who convened in November 2017 at the National Forum on Landscape Conservation to strategize on the rapidly growing practice of collaborative conservation at the landscape scale. The report assesses the state of the field, showcases many innovative examples, and recommends ways to further advance transformative conservation approaches. The report has a two-fold purpose: to capture the current state of landscape conservation practice; and to suggest what we can do together to successfully conserve our irreplaceable cultural and natural landscapes. The report explores recent innovations, on-the-ground examples, and action-oriented strategies that are advancing landscape conservation. Each of the five chapters closes with five-year benchmarks that serve as aspirational targets for the landscape conservation community. Pathways Forward is intended to be an inflection point in an ongoing conversation, hoping to inspire strategic dialogue and concerted action going forward: what can we do together and in our own landscapes to increase the pace and scale of enduring conservation while we still have the chance? READ THE REPORT. VIEW DISCUSSION WEBINAR. JOIN THE NETWORK . Landscapes Face Outsize Threats It should come as no surprise that conserving large landscapes in the current political climate is a difficult task. There are near constant threats to public lands, including the de-funding of programs aimed at the preservation of cultural and natural resources. In addition, a systemic targeting of landscape-scale work is taking place at multiple departments across the federal government. What is going on and how has this affected efforts to collaborate across jurisdictional, agency, and even national boundaries? Read about it. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Approves Longleaf Forests and Rivers Plan NFWF’s recently approved Longleaf Forests and Rivers Business Plan will help inform grant investments through the Longleaf Stewardship Fund and Southeast Aquatics Fund over the next 10 years. A PDF of the plan is on NFWF’s website. Report from the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Details America’s Looming Wildlife Crisis, Highlights Ways to Help Species in Trouble. The report released in April 2018, Reversing America’s Wildlife Crisis: Securing the Future of Our Fish and Wildlife, describes the threats to America's wildlife, including:
SECAS: model of collaborative conservation. The Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (SECAS) is a shared, long-term vision for the conservation future of the Southeast and Caribbean region of the United States. Through SECAS, diverse partners are working together to design and achieve a connected network of landscapes and seascapes that supports thriving fish and wildlife populations and improved quality of life for people. By stitching together smaller subregional plans into a Conservation Blueprint for the Southeast, SECAS helps coordinate the efforts of federal, state, non-profit, and private organizations to prioritize conservation action and investment. The goal of SECAS is to achieve a 10% or greater improvement in the health, function, and connectivity of Southeastern ecosystems by 2060. The Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy was featured at the 2018 North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Norfolk, VA. This national meeting of major conservation audiences was the ideal venue for highlighting the conservation vision for the future of natural resources in the Southeast. Subjects included implementation of the SECAS Blueprint, the intersection between collaborative conservation and sustaining military readiness, integrating urban areas into large-scale conservation planning, and extending large-scale collaborative conservation beyond the Southeast. For reflections by SECAS coordinator Mallory Martin: Visit his blog. Sentinel Landscapes Partnership accomplishments. The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership is a broad coalition of federal agencies, state and local governments, and nongovernmental organizations that works with private landowners to advance sustainable land management practices around military installations and ranges. The United States (U.S.) Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of the Interior (DOI) established the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership in 2013 to strengthen military readiness, bolster agricultural productivity, preserve natural resources, and increase access to recreation. Its most recent report outlines the accomplishments of the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership through fiscal year (FY) 2018. In total, federal, state, local, and private contributions have permanently protected over 224,000 acres of land and helped implement sustainable management practices on an additional 1,600,000 acres of land within sentinel landscapes. Read the full report here. Forest Conservation and Restoration Key to Reducing Impacts of Carbon Emissions Findings of a major study commissioned by the World Resources Institute, The Nature Conservancy, and others document how conserving and restoring forests worldwide can dramatically curtail the negative effects of carbon emissions into the earth's atmosphere. READ MORE. "Natural" Solutions Through Land Conservation Emerging as Critical Strategy for Climate Change Mitigation The Nature Conservancy and collaborators from around the world in late 2017 published an ARTICLE in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that highlighted the critical value of "natural climate solutions"—conservation, restoration, and improved land management actions that increase carbon storage and/or avoid greenhouse gas emissions across global forests, wetlands, grasslands, and agricultural lands. In particular, the study found that cost-effective natural climate solutions can mitigate for more than one-third of the emissions reductions needed to achieve the goals established in the Paris Climate Agreement—a full 30% more than previously estimated (read overview of findings). Such nature-based and relatively low-cost solutions for climate mitigation are increasingly drawing attention. For instance, a recent article in PLOS ONE highlighted the cost-effectiveness of nature-based adaptation measures—including wetland and oyster reef restoration—in the Gulf of Mexico. Elsewhere, a Conservation Finance Network article highlighted on-the-ground collaborative efforts in New Jersey to strategically locate and fund nature-based restoration projects to reduce the risk of future coastal flooding. The Global Landscapes Forum’s third annual investment case symposium provided a platform for investors, business leaders, and policymakers to discuss ways in which private capital can drive increased investment in resilient and climate-friendly landscapes. Finally, an Anthropocene article highlights recent research (published in Nature) seeking to put a price tag on the cost of not effectively responding to climate change: the benefits of reaching climate mitigation goals are 40 times greater than the costs associated with doing so. In fact, the researchers estimate that reaching the Paris Climate Agreement goals could save the world more than $20 trillion—or $6 trillion in the United States alone. What is becoming clear is the critical importance of renewed attention to our landscapes—at and across scales—for cost-effectively mitigating the impacts of climate change. from the Network for Landscape Conservation's July 2018 Bulletin. JOIN THE NETWORK Human causes of Climate Change confirmed in US Government Report: report finds human-caused warming ‘extremely likely’ The National Climate Assessment, a regular science report mandated by Congress to inform the nation and our government about climate change, released in November 2017. finds that the likely range of the human contribution to the global mean temperature increase over the period 1951-2010 is 1.1 to 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.6° to 0.8°C), and the central estimate of the observed warming of 1.2 degrees Fahrenheit (0.65°C) lies within this range. This translates to a likely human contribution of 92 to 123 percent of the observed 1951-2010 change. Greenhouse gas emissions must decrease to prevent catastrophic impacts of climate change. Other highlights from the exhaustive report, produced by 13 federal agencies and hundreds of scientists analyzing over a thousand scientific studies, include clearer language describing the impact of climate change on the intensity of hurricanes, findings on how ocean impacts disproportionately affect the United States, how deforestation and agriculture have contributed heavily to warming and how climate change is amplifying weather disasters and wildfires. Source: Climate Nexus, AP, Reuters, Politico Vision for Landscape Conservation and Wildlife Corridors in Eastern North America As conservationists, we know countless threats face our natural world today. And while these challenges can sometimes feel insurmountable, we also recognize that there are things we can do – partnerships we can forge, actions we can take, and policies we can implement – to help protect and restore wild places. Most recently, E.O. Wilson called for the conservation of half the world’s land and sea in order to save 85% of biodiversity. He described this vision in his 2016 book Half-Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life. While Wilson’s theory wasn’t a new concept for those working in conservation, it was the call to action we needed to implement theory on the ground. The Wildlands Network, through its Eastern Wildway Network, seeks to map out and implement this call to action in eastern North America. For the past year and a half, Wildlands Network has evaluated data, met with conservation leaders, and crafting a visionary map of what Half-Earth would look like in the East. The result is the draft Eastern Wildway map, called “Half-East” map. See the draft map and read more: Feedback needed for continental conservation vision in the East New Videos Highlight Forest-Water Connection Seven high quality videos demonstrating the forest and drinking water connection have just been released. The videos were produced by Texas A&M Forest Service with support from US Forest Service and Southeastern Partnership for Forests and Water. The purpose of the videos is to educate a wide audience (including utilities, forestry professionals, land conservation professionals, and the public) about the important connection between forests and drinking water, as well as the critical work utilities and forest landowners do to ensure safe, reliable drinking water and healthy forest landscapes. A major focus of the videos is to put a human face on forests and drinking water, and to show the people who are dedicated to keeping forests as forests and protecting our water supply. Wildlife Corridor Protection Guidelines IUCN has released new "Guidelines for Conserving Connectivity through Ecological Networks and Corridors". Here's a great overview by one of the authors of the IUCN document: https://news.mongabay.com/2020/08/in-the-fight-against-biodiversity-loss-connectivity-is-key-commentary/ . The article links to the IUCN page where you can download the Guidelines document: https://portals.iucn.org/library/node/49061 . Wildlife Habitat Conservation Starts at Home Recommended by a reader: "Creating a Wildlife Habitat in Your Backyard." Principal sources of home wildlife habitat enhancements are the National Audubon Society and National Wildlife Federation. Healthy Watersheds Consortium Grant Program’s Third Year of Awards Announced in 2018, these awards recognize the expanding pace of proactive watershed protection in the U.S. through conservation and improved stewardship of thousands of acres of lands that provide drinking water, flood risk reduction, and an array of economic and environmental benefits. The 22 awards (4 in the southern U.S.) total $4.168 million and benefit organizations and partnerships in 20 states. The Heathy Watersheds Consortium Grant Program was conceived by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water (EPA) and launched in late 2015. EPA co-funds the program with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (Endowment), which manages the partnership. For more information: Healthy Watersheds Consortium Grant Program. Mapping the South’s Protected Forests of the Future If you are trying to build a nest egg, you need to know two things: how to eliminate losses in your portfolio and the predicted rate of return on your investments. This is not unlike planning for the future of Southern forests. We need to know both how to slow down the rate at which forests are being lost from the landscape as well as where and how much protected forest acreage is likely to be added in coming decades. The latter issue has been the focus of the Gulf Coastal Plain and Ozarks Landscape Cooperative's project, Mapping the South's Protected Forests of the Future. In this project the GCPO LCC worked in close partnership with Mississippi State University (MSU) under a grant co-sponsored by the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The project focal area was expanded to include the entire Southeast region encompassed within the Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (SECAS). Much information is now available on how economic and climatic trends will affect southern forests, most notably through the USFS Southern Forest Futures Project. This project ties together the efforts of the U.S. Forest Service to predict the extent of the South’s future forests and the Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy in identifying areas across the entire Southeast U.S. landscape that maximize ecosystem integrity. It is guided by a steering committee of representatives from state and federal agencies, forest products companies or trusts, and non-profit conservation organizations. Why track forest conservation? The Southern Forest Futures Report predicts up to 23 million acres of forest could be lost in the Southern U.S. by 2060. Loss will be driven primarily by four interacting factors: population growth, climate change, timber markets, and invasive species. “Our primary purpose in developing this future protected forest data layer is to help visualize what the Southeast landscape will look like if conservation groups are successful,” explained Peter Stangel, COO of the South Carolina-based US Endowment for Forests and Communities. “We can not only identify gaps in protection, but also must look at potential centers of sustainable forestry, priority habitat for at-risk species, important recreation areas, and many other key values.” As the goal of the Keeping Forests as Forests is to conserve 70% of historic forestland cover across the region, all data - including those underlying the LCC Conservation Blueprints - will be important. The SECAS Blueprint combined with other data resources will help inform decisions on where to focus conservation efforts and where points of leverage exist for identifying areas throughout the Southeast for forest conservation efforts. National Land Trusts Census: 56 million acres protected by America's private land conservation organizations The Land Trust Alliance in December 2016 released its latest five-year national census from more than 740 responding private land conservation organizations, reporting that through the end of 2015, more than 56 million acres had been protected nationwide by private land trusts (by either land acquisitions or permanent conservation management easement agreements with landowners). The census documents an increase of 9 million acres protected nationwide (1.5 million in the southern states) in the 2010-15 period. The full report is now available on the LTA website and features interactive maps highlighting each state’s land conservation information. Partnerships Combat Climate Change Promising partnerships are forming to combat consequences of climate change and to reduce its acceleration by curtailing emissions and sequestering carbon dioxide and methane. One of these initiatives is the nonprofit organization, Drawdown: see https:/drawdown.org The Open Space Institute (OSI) and the Land Trust Alliance (LTA) in partnership have launched a major new Land Trust Climate Change Initiative (overview can be found on OSI’s website HERE). With global temperatures in 2016 crushing records for the third year in a row, the initiative represents a critical and timely program that puts land trusts and land conservation front and center in efforts to respond to climate change. The Land Trust Climate Change Initiative, launched with seed funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, seeks to equip land trusts with the information, tools and training they need to adapt to and mitigate climate change through their land conservation work. As part of the initiative, OSI will expand our efforts to translate and help land trusts incorporate relevant climate science into their conservation plans and acquisition priorities. The partnership with LTA builds upon and extends OSI’s growing work with land trusts on climate change. With funding from the Jane’s Trust and Doris Duke Charitable Foundations in New England and the Merck Family Fund and Z Smith Reynolds Foundation in the Southeast, OSI has to date supported efforts by 22 land trusts and coalitions of land trusts to incorporate climate science into conservation plans covering all or part of nine states. With support from Doris Duke and the Lyndhurst and Benwood Foundations, OSI has also supported the acquisition of almost 20,000 acres of climate resilient lands in the eastern US, including most recently on the Southern Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee (see the press release HERE). OSI in partnership with the Land Trust Alliance and the North Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative, has released Conserving Nature in a Changing Climate, which synthesizes the latest climate-resilience science and shows how land trusts can apply it to their work. This guide highlights the critical role land trusts and land conservation can play in mitigating and adapting to climate change. The Guide walks users through the characteristics of a network of resilient sites, introduces data sets and tools that can be used to plan, and provides a detailed case study of how these data sets can be used to identify land protection priorities by land conservation organizations. The Guide is posted on LTA’s Climate Change website. Southeastern U.S. Regional Conservation Adaptation Strategy Blueprint and Map. http://secassoutheast.org/blueprint . Learn more about the Southern Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative and its Conservation Blueprint plan which identifies lands with high conservation value. To examine South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative resources see: Conservation Planning Atlas Conservation Blueprint Report on threatened ecosystem services of forests in the Southern Appalachian region. The U.S. Forest Service and the Appalachian Landscape Conservation Cooperative released the first phase of the ongoing study assessing benefits of and risks to the region’s “ecosystem services” — natural assets valued by people, such as clean drinking water, outdoor recreation, forest products, and biological conservation. A wealth of data, maps, and other knowledge on ecosystem services and risks to their sustainability are now available.The website provides regional resources and tools for planners, managers, and the interested publics across the Appalachians. The Forest Service Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center (www.forestthreats.org ) links the values that society places on these benefits from nature with threats to their current and future sustainability so as to inform future resource management decisions and enhance conservation. Southern Wetlands/ Bottomland Forests protection and restoration initiative. Recognizing and responding to the concentration of timber cutting and conversion in river bottomlands and other wetlands of the southern U.S., initiatives are being formulated to champion protection and restoration of these critical ecosystems, to increase public awareness, and to provide more assistance and education to private landowners and foresters. One element of the initiative is the publication of "Ecological Forestry Practices for Bottomland Hardwood Forests of the Southeastern U.S.," guidelines by the Forest Stewards Guild of professional foresters. Virginia Eastern Shore Study Documents $230 Million in Annual Economic Benefits of Land Conservation. A 2017 study by the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University and Urban Analytics Inc. shows conserved lands on the Virginia's Eastern Shore were associated with more than $230 million in economic activity in the region last year. The study looked at three sources of economic activity — organizations involved in land conservation; the aquaculture industry; and tourism focused on outdoor recreation. The study's objective was to research how land conservation programs and practices on the Eastern Shore of Virginia affect the local economy. About one third of land on Virginia's Eastern Shore is conserved, with another 10 percent in conservation easements, according to the study. Organizations involved in land conservation on Virginia's Eastern Shore generated nearly $22 million in economic activity, $355,000 in local taxes, $329,000 in state taxes and 226 jobs in the region in 2016. Tourism spending associated with conserved land resulted in more than $51 million in economic activity, and about $2.2 million in tax revenue to the two Shore counties, along with another $1.4 million in state taxes. It was also associated with 655 jobs. While Accomack and Northampton counties forgo thousands of dollars in taxes each year due to conservation easements because the lands have a lower land use value tax assessment. The amount forgone in Accomack County last year was around $79,000; it was almost $284,000 in Northampton County, according to the study. However, the study found for every $1 spent in Accomack County to provide public services for land in conservation easement, an estimated $2.38 in revenues came to the county. In Northampton County, revenues to the county were estimated to be $1.15 for every $1 spent to provide public services to support land in conservation easement. The findings of the fiscal impact model indicate that lands with conservation easements do not place a fiscal burden on either county. The study was funded by the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program at the Department of Environmental Quality. Read entire study. Walk in the Woods Engages Public on Issues of Forest Stewardship Just as any walk in the woods offers surprises around the bend in the path or over the next hill, learning how to become more flexible and interactive in how we talk about forests is a journey full of wonder. More than two years of discussions and research has yielded a first-of-its-kind pathway for the people who steward or enjoy North America’s forests to actively engage with their families, neighbors, friends, and others in talking about the importance of the continent’s forests and their many values. “Walk in the Woods" uses the power of social media for those who work in, make a living from, care about, or benefit from forests – that’s all of us – to share their own experiences and views about the bounty of forests and their myriad uses,” said Carlton Owen, President & CEO of the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities. The Endowment has partnered with over 110 organizations, including state and federal natural resources agencies, forest products producers, conservation organizations, and universities, to create the North American Forest Partnership (NAFP). The Partnership seeks to have all within the greater forest sector engaged by highlighting their experiences and knowledge about forests. In addition to the Walk in the Woods website, NAFP seeks seek to have participants share via various social media platforms. Wildlife Corridor Protection Legislative Bill Seeks to Enhance Healthy Migration Paths for Species A congressional legislative bill introduced in May 2019 with bipartisan sponsorship would direct more resources toward reversing habitat loss for wildlife in an effort to protect biodiversity and prevent further species extinction. The proposed legislation in February 2020 the federal House Natural Resources Committee voted in favor of the proposed "Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act" which would establish a National Wildlife Corridor System on federal lands and waters, giving agencies authority to designate such migration paths. It would also create a grant program to fund conservation and improvement projects on state, tribal and private land to encourage the natural movement of wildlife. A national coordination committee would develop a national plan for wildlife movement and help improve collaboration on conservation among the federal government, states, tribes and private landowners. The legislation would not require states, tribes or private landowners to take any action, but rather would provide incentives to do so through the grant program. Additionally Virginia has joined a handful of states who are leading the way in wildlife corridor protection when in February 2020 the Wildlife Corridor Action Plan bill passed both Virginia's House and Senate with strong bipartisan support. Wildlife crossings with fencing in Virginia have already been shown to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions by more than 90% in the past 3 years. "This legislation builds on the state’s conservation work to protect wildlife habitat and Virginia Department of Transportation’s highly successful wildlife crossing projects," said Wildlands Network Policy Director Susan Holmes. Read more More Resources
American Forest Foundation (www.forestfoundation.org ) supplies helpful guidance to America's 22 million family forestland owners and their management advisers. AFF operates a FREE web-based resource for forestland owners who want to apply good forest, land, water and wildlife conservation practices on their properties; it is used by as many as 10,000 landowners monthly ; see www.MyLandPlan.org. AFF promotes Project Learning Tree and other youth environmental education programs. We encourage you to sign-up for AFF's FREE "Week in Trees" e/newsletter. AFF encourages and advises private forestland owners to establish forest management plans on their properties: https://www.forestfoundation.org/landscape-management-plan- AFFinnovation
Birth of Forestry in America (in western North Carolina) We recommend the PBS documentary, "Americas First Forest: Carl Schenck and the Asheville [NC] Experiment." The 1-hour documentary film, produced for the Forest History Society (based in Durham, NC) tells how the German forester Carl Schenck was recruited to America in 1895 to manage forests at the Vanderbilt family's Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. Schenck not only helped restore the forests and land there, he established the country's first professional forestry school and contributed to the launch of America's conservation movement. The documentary examines the effects of harmful logging during the Industrial Revolution and establishment of Schenck's school of forestry in response. Another excellent source from the Forest History Society is the book, "American Forests: A History of Resiliency and Recovery," by Douglas W. MacCleery, which traces the history of American forests from before European settlement to today. This newly revised and updated edition (part of the Forest History Society's Issue Series) examines how Americans' uses of forests continue to affect woodland conditions. It can be purchased on the website, where it is available for free download (PDF) for non-commercial use only. Chesapeake Bay Conservation Priority System A partnership of over 90 agencies and non-profits fosters collaborative action to conserve natural and cultural landscapes and safeguard a healthy environment and economy in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. That coalition has developed a shared conservation priority system for the watershed. Go to www.LandScope.org/Chesapeake to find and map shared priorities for strategic conservation, to see and share conservation success stories, and track and report progress toward land protection goals. Climate Change Explainer Here's a well-prepared, easy to understand explainer that you can offer to folks who still don't understand the significance (or reality) of global, human-caused climate change. Climate Change Response and Building Community Resilience Climate change is real and happening. The Southern U.S. is experiencing the negative effects of global climate change and is hugely vulnerable to its consequences. Equally important to recognize is that climate change is intensifying other ecological and environmental problems: natural habitat loss and fragmentation, disease and invasive species, water quality and quantity, and more. Multiple collaborative responses for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and minimizing impacts are taking place. We recommend examining the many new resources and guidelines helpful in climate change adaptation, conservation planning, and devising community resiliency responses. For example resources are available through EcoAdapt. The Climate Adaptation Knowledge Exchange is an innovative community website for those working to manage natural and human environments in the face of climate change. The Land Trust Alliance furnishes another source of assistance at www.climatechange.lta.org. We highly recommend that you examine an impressive set of short video interviews with "regular" people who are witnessing profound effects of climate change on their personal ways of life, businesses, and on the natural resources, wildlife, and agricultural systems around them: www.ClimateStoriesNC.org produced by the University of North Carolina's Institute for the Environment. Such stories can be expanded and told regionally across the South. For a fascinating study on American public opinions about Climate Change see the Climate Opinion Map 2018. Drill down on public opinions presented by state and counties. The US Forest Service's Climate Change Center is another prime source of information. The Climate Change Resource Center has released a new interactive online education module on climate change adaptation responses. The module, “Responses to Climate Change: What You Need to Know,” provides a brief overview of adaptation options for resistance, resilience, and transition, and how to incorporate these ideas into natural resource planning and activities. Interactive features allow users to control their learning experience, with opportunities to explore outside links and see examples of how managers are adapting to climate change on the ground. Learn more and see a 1-minute trailer. NatureServe (www.natureserve.org) and the Ecosystem-Based Management Tools Network (www.ebmtools.org ) offer Tools for Coastal Climate Adaptation Planning: a new online guide to tools assisting with ecosystem-based climate planning which included detailed information and visualization modeling, instructive case studies, and a process for selecting tools appropriate for climate adaptation. A resource described in the national River Network's River Voices, is the Community Resilience Building Workshop process developed by Nature Conservancy scientists is an inclusive community-driven process, rich with information, experience, and dialogue, where participants identify top hazards, current challenges, strengths, and priority actions to equitably improve resilience to natural and climate-related hazards. After a decade in development, the CRB Workshop has been tried and tested and is trusted by over thirty-five communities. The CRB Workshop Guide provides clear instructions on how to lead communities towards resilience as well as the “before” and “after” steps to help ensure immediate goals, outcomes, and strategic direction are realized. It provides instructions on how to lead communities towards resilience as well as the “before” and “after” steps to help ensure immediate goals, outcomes, and strategic direction are realized. The Carolinas Integrated Sciences and Assessments (CISA) is one of ten National Oceanic and Atmospheric agency (NOAA)-funded Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) teams working nationally to integrate climate science into decision-making processes. We also recommend examining the resources offered by the South Central Climate Science Center, which is now in a significant planning effort to improve and increase what the U.S. Geological Survey calls “co-production of knowledge” about climate change and response to its effects. See our note above in New Resources about The Nature Conservancy's expanded conservation planning resources, found at www.ConservationGateway.org. Check out The Nature Conservancy's dynamic migration map, which allows scientists and the public to see the continent-wide impact of climate change on animals and visualize corridors they will need to move. Coastal Protection Tools offered by NOAA Digital Coast is a set of online tools developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric agency's Office of Coastal Management to help use data on sea level rise, coastal flooding and the benefits of wetlands into information useful for coastal communities. The multi-faceted website is organized in sections: introductory summary, data, webinars, other training, tools, stories and other resources intended to help coastal communities plan and cope with sea level rise, flooding, and other impending threats to coastal environmental resources and community security. LEARN MORE: NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management Digital Coast 
Coastal Blue Carbon: new incentives for coastal conservation, restoration and management
Coastal Blue Carbon refers to new market-based tools and initiative to help mitigate climate change and offset GHG emissions. Coastal wetlands science is developing methods and models to help land managers quantify greenhouse gas mitigation values and benefits through conservation and restoration of biogeochemical processes performed by coastal wetlands including salt marsh, mangroves, seagrasses, and other tidal wetlands. Coastal blue carbon is a newly recognized ecosystem service value of climate mitigation. Download an Introduction to Blue Carbon and a Blue Carbon Fact Sheet. Cultural Resources Climate Change Strategy. The National Park Service CRCCS Strategy, released in January, 2017, addresses climate change across the National Park System and is aimed at helping park managers and scientists plan and implement responses. The NPS is the lead cultural resource agency for the federal government. In addition to the National Park System, it holds responsibility for programs including the National Register of Historic Places, National Scenic and Historic Trails, National Heritage Areas, and the American Battlefield Protection Program. It also administers the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program. For a link to the strategy, Visit Blog. Future of the South's Coastal Plain Forests: the Next 50 Years Outlook for Coastal Plain Forests, by the US Forest Service Southern Research Station, considers what the Coastal Plain forests of the South will be like in 50 years -- considering rising temperatures, rising oceans, rising human population, urbanization, and resulting reduced forested land, greater demands on fresh water, decreasing biodiversity, and spread of invasive species. Situation grim. The Southern Forest Futures Project and this report are part of a multi-agency effort led by the USFS Southern Research Station. MORE. Coastal Plain Region Recognized as World Biodiversity “HOTSPOT”
The Coastal Plain region of North America’s Atlantic and Gulf Coasts is internationally recognized as one of the world’s biodiversity “hotspots.” The designation Global Biodiversity Hotspot is granted only to regions on Earth possessing at least 1500 endemic species and with greater than 70% loss of habitat. A total of 36 designated hotspots comprise only 2.3 of the Earth's land surface, but support more than half of the world's native plant species and nearly half of its native animal species. READ MORE . As one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth, the southeastern U.S. is also one of the most vulnerable areas for sea level rise and other consequences of current climate change. One might say the South is a world “hotspot” by measures of both biodiversity and rising temperature. How should natural resource conservationists respond? How do we enhance our conservation plans and strategies for the resilience and survival of the South’s ecological resources? READ MORE. Conservation Connectivity initiatives and Resources A new global organization of practitioners and advocated for connectivity of conserved areas is being formed. The IUCN WCPA Connectivity Conservation Specialist Groups' purpose is to facilitate biodiversity conservation and the enhanced conservation, management and protection of protected areas and their values through the identification, retention and effective management of Areas of Connectivity Conservation (ACC). To accomplish these goals, the CCSG hopes to foster extensive membership and active participation of the international network of connectivity conservation participants to communicate the importance of, and spread essential information on effective management of connectivity connector areas. Building the CCSG into a global network requires the membership and support of diverse organizations and individuals. The Center for Large Landscape Conservation's Conservation Corridor collates recent research that looks at the effectiveness of urban habitat connectivity and provides new methods for planning and implementing connectivity corridors. See also this recent article explaining the importance of maintaining connectivity between habitats as a key strategy for conserving wildlife populations in face of changing climate. Conservation Guide to America's Natural Places LandScope America is the best available comprehensive online source of information about locations of highest priority natural areas and biological/ecological "hotspots" across our region and the continent. The program is a collaborative effort by the National Geographic Society and NatureServe. Additionally this site provides a listing by state of private and public organizations actively involved with land conservation projects. Remember that most states have their own publicly-accessible data and maps showing both protected places and locations of places with high conservation importance. Check out the LandScope America website. Conservation Planning Resources The Nature Conservancy (TNC), in association with the Open Space Institute (OSI), offer a tremendously hopeful resource for conservation planning and strategies. See the website: www.ConservationGateway.org. Private land trusts protect land for a variety of reasons: recreation, biodiversity, viewsheds, water quality or community values. TNC and OSI recently expanded conservation planning tools and resources aimed in response to climate change consequences, and to protect more resilient and connected landscapes and waterways. New science on climate resilience has highlighted the critical role land trusts play in ensuring ecological resources and wildlife can adapt to a rapidly changing climate. Using this science, land trusts over the next few years will be protecting over 37,000 acres and have climate-inclusive plans across the eastern U.S. New data and regional maps developed by TNC with input from state natural heritage programs and other public agencies will serve to advance conservation planning and strategies focused on assuring changing climate resilience and connectivity of conserved wildlife habitat and natural landscapes. The data can be previewed here: A recording of the October 2016 OSI/TNC “Climate Resilience Data Update" webinar led by TNC chief scientist Mark Anderson” is available HERE. Cumberland Mountains Protection Strategies The Southern Cumberland Mountains Plateau of the Southern Appalachians is among the most biologically diverse landscapes of the southeastern United States are some of the most biodiverse in the country. It's pressurized layers of limestone, shale, coal and sandstone support habitat for species found nowhere else in the world — yet only 10 percent of the Plateau is protected. The Open Space Institute has partnered with other land conservation efforts In the Southern Cumberlands to protect nearly 40,000 acres since 2008. To honor the landscape, the Open Space Institute has created a multimedia ArcGIS Story Map (viewable here) that uses maps, narratives and video to illustrate conservation in the region, while showing the threats it faces. The Story Map focuses on the Fiery Gizzard area of Tennessee's South Cumberland State Park to demonstrate inspiring efforts save this natural area. Documenting and Protecting Biodiversity on Conserved Lands We recommend this Land Trust Alliance guide for applying conservation biology to land conservation projects. The handbook, authored by Christopher Wilson, explains biodiversity and how to use and apply biological information in land protection project selection, fundraising, design of conservation easement agreements, compilation of site baseline documentation, management plans, and assuring that a land conservation project meets IRS Treasury regulations and Land Trust Standards and Practices. E.O Wilson Foundation's Biodiversity Preservation Resources The E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation is a nonprofit organization (based in Durham, NC) using education, technology, and business strategies to further the preservation of biodiversity. The organization has anchored its planning and efforts on the guiding vision of decades of Edward O. Wilson’s research, and eloquent speaking and writing. The foundation’s digital textbook, E.O. Wilson’s Life on Earth, is available for free download from iTunes. "E.O. Wilson - Of Ants and Men" premiered on PBS Primetime chronicling the life and ideas of E.O. Wilson (Harvard professor and Alabama native son), the guiding inspiration of the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation. This film includes stories from his childhood and scientific career, and culminates with his work in Gorongosa National Park. The film documents his lifelong love for the natural world and the journey he took to bridge the connections between nature and humans. Ecosystem Services Valuation on Conserved Lands Scientists, governments, and businesses are gaining a greater understanding of the economic benefits derived from protecting and enhancing natural ecosystems. Landowners have a significant opportunity to derive additional revenue by selling credits from the natural benefits that conservation easements create into the ecosystem service markets. A recent webinar provided an introduction to this emerging area from leaders already active in the markets and address the questions land trusts should be asking, including: What tools are available to land trusts for assessing the economic benefits of conservation, and how credible is the valuation methodology? How can conservationists use ecosystem services to influence decision-making and negotiations? What are the benefits of quantifying the value of natural assets beyond ecosystem service markets? Listen to the recorded webinar. Field Guide to Fish and Wildlife Conservation The Farm Bill Field Guide to Fish and Wildlife Conservation is a tool intended to assist staff of federal and state fish and wildlife agencies, nongovernmental conservation organizations, joint ventures, and other conservation partners in implementing Farm Bill conservation programs established by the 2014 federal law. It is primarily designed for those who work collaboratively with private landowners and agricultural producers to improve soil health, water quality, as well as fish and wildlife habitat. Download the Guide. Forest Conservation book -- Forest Conservation in the Anthropocene - highlights effects of climate change on America's forest ecosystems and explores adaptation strategies from ecological, managerial, and policy perspectives. More information. Forest Conservation Easements: Business Rationale The Wildlands Network, financially supported by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), produced this report to educate commercial forest landowners in the southern U.S. to understand potential economic benefits of conservation easements as potentially "win-win" partnerships. The report includes selected case examples located in AR, FL, TN, VA. Download the report. Forests Resources: State Inventory & Analysis Story Maps available The U.S. Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program collects and analyzes data on America’s forests. FIA produces yearly reports at the state level on:
The Forest Inventory Analysis Annual Reporting website currently includes the latest FIA annual reports for 10 states from across the conterminous U.S.; more will come online as they become available. Developed by a team of research foresters with the Forest Service Southern Research Station (SRS) FIA unit, the new annual report website is the latest in a series of story map products developed to tell stories grounded in forest inventory data and the science of Forest Service Research and Development. View the annual report story map site. Forest Loss in the Southern U.S. Global Forest Watch is an interactive, online resource that depicts the vast scale of transformation of the forests of the southern U.S. by logging, clearance, and development. Forest disturbance in the southern U.S. was FOUR TIMES greater than that of South America's forests in the years 2000-2012. Data gleaned from the Global Forest Watch document that the South has lost 18 percent of its overall forest cover in the 15 years since the beginning of the 21st century! Multiple efforts are underway to provide guidance and assistance to private owners of woodlands: some are national initiatives, like those directed by the American Forest Foundation; and others are locally focused, for example in the Chesapeake Bay Basin where the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay uses the Woods in Your Backyard program as a tool for reaching out to owners of small acreage forested parcels and helping them to manage their woodlot and enhance natural areas. Visit the Alliance’s Forests for the Bay website. Land Uses across America Mapped. Eighty percent of the U.S. population lives in "urban" areas, over 250 million people. Yet urbanites live in just 3 percent of the country's 2.3 billion acres of land. Most of America's land cover are forests (30 percent), pasture and ranges (27 percent), and crops (18 percent), with water bodies, wetlands other undeveloped areas making up the rest. England-based designer Michael Pecirno produces images of America that illuminate all land use patterns, type by type. "Minimal Maps" uses 2014 USDA data to explore in rich detail how forests, grasslands, crops, and water spread across the contiguous states—each with its own map. See Minimal Maps . Longleaf Forest of the Southern U.S.: America's Most Threatened Forest Ecosystem. The loss of most of the 90 million acres of longleaf pine forests that once dominated the coastal plain and large parts of the Piedmont region of the southern U.S. is heartbreaking, but the story of collaboration to recover and restore that forest legacy is most encouraging. We recommend that you become acquainted with efforts of Longleaf Alliance and view a documentary film about longleaf pine. The future of the Southeast's longleaf pine forests, and the endangered species dependent on that ecosystem, may rest in the hands of the U.S. military. LEARN MORE. There are a number of ongoing efforts to thoroughly inventory remaining stands of longleaf pine forests and areas that offer superior opportunities for ecosystem restoration. Among them are the North Carolina Longleaf Pine Preservation Coalition decision support tool http://www.nclongleaf.org/maps.html (contains information about longleaf ecosystems locations and management in NC, SC, and VA) and the Florida Longleaf Pine Geodatabase, created by the Florida Forest Service and Florida Natural Areas Inventory, which house data for almost 2 million acres of existing longleaf pine in Florida. Click to view Florida’s Longleaf Web Map: www.fnai.org/longleafGDB.cfm . The Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI) is building the longleaf ecosystems occurrence database in close conjunction with the America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative including the Longleaf Partnership Council mapping committee, The Longleaf Alliance, and other partners. These approaches are being expanded to develop an inventory database for longleaf pine ecosystems regionwide. National Academy of Science report on Large Landscape Conservation The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in late 2015 released a report "An Evaluation of the Landscape Conservation Cooperatives", which concluded that a landscape approach is needed to meet the nation's conservation challenges and that the Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) provide a framework for addressing that need. The NAS undertook the study pursuant to a Congressional directive to evaluate the LCC program. Read More. National Conservation Easement Database This collaborative, inter-agency attempt to maintain a single nationwide system for identifying, accessing and managing data on the locations of conservation easements across America has so far identified and mapped an estimated 2/3s of all the conservation easements. Nationally, the NCED identifies 114,216 conservation easements protecting 23,349,840 acres. The NCED was recently updated with more information from individual states.This resource is intended to provide reliable data for conservation inventory and planning. See this seriously large-scale application of conservation easements on private and public lands on the NCED Website. NatureServe Public Database of Rare and Special Concern Species: Discover Plants and Animals in the Places You Care About With just one click, Nature Serve enables you to discover which plants and animals are at-risk in your county or watershed. Knowing where at-risk species reside is an important starting point for understanding both national and regional conservation needs and priorities. It’s also fun to understand what lives in your own backyard. START DISCOVERING. The North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) report The State of North America’s Birds 2016 is the first comprehensive assessment of the conservation status of all bird species that occur in Canada, the continental U.S., and Mexico. More than one-third of North American birds are in trouble! NABCI was created by Canada, the U.S. and Mexico as a tri-national commitment to protect birds and their habitats. The report evaluates the conservation status of all native North American bird species across all major habitats —nine key ecosystems. It is based on the first-ever conservation vulnerability assessment for all 1,154 native bird species that occur in the continental U.S., Canada and Mexico, and reflects a collaboration between experts from all three countries. The overall conservation status of each species takes into account its population trend, population size, extent of breeding and nonbreeding ranges, and severity of threats to populations. The State of North America’s Birds Report was released during the Centennial year of the Migratory Bird Treaty, an agreement between the U.S. and Canada that promised collaborative conservation to protect the migratory birds of North America. This report reflects a groundbreaking collaboration to evaluate bird populations across the continent. It calls for a renewed commitment to continental bird conservation agreements to keep our shared birds safe and healthy for the next 100 years. For more information and to read the full report, visit www.stateofthebirds.org. Learn more about the Migratory Bird Treaty Centennial celebration at www.fws.gov/birds/MBTreaty100. More ideas about how to support bird conservation: www.stateofthebirds.org/change North Carolina Green Growth & Conservation Planning Tools: models for use in other states The NC Wildlife Resources Commission and NC Natural Heritage Program have established impressive guidance and informational tools helpful to local communities, land use planners, developers, and conservation/environmental advocates wanting to implement conservation-design principles and nature-friendly, responsible land use planning and growth management. Check out these interconnected websites: Green Growth Toolbox, NC Conservation Planning Tool, NC Natural Heritage Program, and the NC Natural Heritage Data Explorer. We believe that all southern states replicate this approach for providing better frameworks and guidance for decisions about future growth and conservation of important natural resources. Old-Growth Forest Network (www.oldgrowthforest.net ) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to identifying and recognizing premiere examples of surviving old-growth forests and advocating for their protection and for recovering intact mature forests across the U.S. Go to its website to nominate old-growth forest sites for inclusion and certification. OSI Promotes Conservation Planning & Protection in Three Southeast Resilient Landscapes The Open Space Institute (OSI), with new scientific research undertaken by The Nature Conservancy, has identified climate-change resilient landscapes and sites within three selected areas in the southeastern states: the Southern Cumberland mountains in Tennessee; the Southern Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee; and the Greater Pee Dee River basin in parts of North Carolina/South Carolina. At a time when climate change has created uncertainty about the role of land conservation, OSI is dedicated to working with partners to use the best science available to protect the places that will endure over the long term. To learn more about climate resilience science and OSI/TNC Resilient Landscape Initiative’s goals see the Program Overview. In addition to supporting land transactions that protect climate resilient lands, OSI assists land trusts in playing a pivotal role in protecting biodiversity as the climate changes. Over the past three years, OSI’s Resilient Landscapes Initiative Catalyst Program has made $150,000 in grants to assist land conservation organizations to protect lands that will remain resilient as the climate changes. In 2016, OSI broadened assistance to land trusts through two new partnerships with organizations that have experience in educating and supporting land trusts: the Land Trust Alliance (LTA) and Conservation Trust for North Carolina (CTNC). These partnerships will provide more intensive coaching and mentoring to a select group of land trusts, assisting them in mastering the knowledge and tools for developing climate-responsive conservation plans, implementing land protection on the ground, and building the network needed to sustain this work. Outdoor Recreation Economy. The Outdoor Industry Association's newly released third edition of its Outdoor Recreation Economy Report documents $887 billion in annual consumer spending on outdoor recreation, which supports 7.6 million direct outdoor recreation jobs. Explore the report Property Ownership national database. The website propertysearch.net connects you with government offices in every state and local government to obtain information for property titles and deeds, tax records, unclaimed property, and appraisals, and these records are available for free! It makes searching for titles and deeds super easy by simply typing in a specific county or state. It’s all very convenient and directs you to the right local government contacts to get these records for free. River Network at its 2016 annual national River Rally conference, released its 2016 Trends Report: "Our Water, Our Future." Included in this report is important information about the diversity of the river and watershed community in the United States. The report stresses the need for river and watershed protection efforts to reflect the interests and the diversity of the communities being served. If we are also interested in equity, we need to do more to bring people together to solve water problems and break down the barriers that divide and define us. Additional findings in the report focus on current conditions of our rivers, threats, and opportunities. The 2016 Trends Report is the first national report of its kind. Data for the report came from nearly 700 survey respondents from across the United States. Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (www.SECASsoutheast.org ) [described above in more detail] was established in response to the dramatic changes affecting the environmental conditions of the southeastern U.S. and Caribbean -- including urbanization, extreme weather events, sea-level rise, climate change, competition for water resources -- which combine to pose unprecedented challenges for sustaining the natural and cultural resources of the region. Six Landscape Conservation Cooperatives across the Southeast joined forces with state agencies, the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to create a website for the Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (SECAS). The SECAS purpose is to bring together the conservation community (people and organizations) to design and achieve a connected network of landscapes and seascapes that supports thriving fish and wildlife populations and improved quality of life for people across the southeastern U.S. and Caribbean. The SECAS Blueprint stitches together the work of multiple Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) into a map of shared conservation and restoration priorities across the Southeast and Caribbean. This Blueprint serves as a plan for making the SECAS vision a reality. Southeastern Partnership for Forests and Water is a collaborative effort to enhance forested watershed protection that benefits public water and local economies in the southeastern U.S. This project is jointly funded by the US Endowment for Forestry and Communities and by the US Forest Service. Goals include developing cooperative relationships among state and local agencies, forestry and conservation organizations, and other river and watershed protection associations to design pilot projects and funding to implement creative protection strategies in high priority watersheds. MORE. Contact the coordinator of this partnership by email (Kitty.Weisman 'at' icloud.com) Southern Exposure Films - inspiring model for the rest of the South Check out beautiful and inspiring short films focused on Alabama's premiere natural environment and conservation efforts, offered by the Southern Exposure film fellowship (www.SouthernExposureFilms.org ) and financially sponsored by the Southern Environmental Law Center. We recommend the films "Sharing the Secrets of Caves" and an exclusive interview with Alabama native and Pulitzer-prize winning biologist, E.O. Wilson. States' Natural Area Protection Programs The Natural Areas Association released a report on natural areas programs currently active in 35 states, which for over 50 years have been identifying, inventorying, and conserving key elements of the nation's natural heritage, and have been in the forefront of conserving America's critical habitats for native plants and animals, and the best and last remaining examples of rare ecosystems. Download the report. States' Wildlife Action Plans All states since 2001 have been required by Congressional legislation (as prerequisite for federal state and tribal wildlife program grants) to prepare comprehensive plans to guide conservation of nongame (non-hunted) species. These State Wildlife Action Plans (or SWAPs) must be updated every 10 years at minimum, and so most states have recently or are currently updating their comprehensive wildlife conservation plans and strategies. To meet federal funding requirements state wildlife management agencies must include in their SWAPs: a description of their planning process and database, how their existing SWAP has guided conservation in their state over the previous decade, distribution and identified priority habitats of species of greatest concern, problems adversely affecting species and their habitats, conservation strategies and actions focused on species of concern, and the procedures for coordination with allied partners in developing and implementing conservation projects. The new Tennessee SWAP has been identified as a model for incorporating climate change response and resilience strategies in its wildlife conservation plans. Science of Open Spaces: helpful book Island Press has released Charles Curtin's book, "The Science of Open Spaces: Theory and Practice for Conserving Large, Complex Systems." In it, he lays the foundation for a new kind of science that can deal with "wicked" problems and vast ecosystems, although his book does not focus on southern U.S. ecosystems. In conjunction with the release of this new resource for large landscape conservation, Island Press offers 20% off a series of related books when purchased on the Island Press website with the discount code: 4PNLL. Practice "Greener Living" at your home: Take action in your own home to practice "greener living" and minimize your harmful impacts on the environment. Among helpful "Our Precsion Resources" guides are: Top 15 Green Home Improvements and their Costs - DIY Green Living Ideas Greenhouse Essentials You Need To Know . For more information contact ginger@ourpreciousresources.org A comprehensive set of tips for conserving water in your household and landscaping activities, see: https://boilerheating.co.uk/household-water-conservation-tips/ Another source of tips in practicing "greener living" in your household is https://homeguides.co.uk/household-conservation-tips/ A helpful guide to creating home pollinator gardens (which emphasizes how important pollinators are for the planet as a whole!) is https://www.bottlestore.com/beesandhoneycreatingpollinatorgardens Practice sustainable investment of your assets to avoid environmental harm: A unique way to protect the environment is to practice sustainable investing of your own assets, i.e. investing your money into stocks and bonds owned by companies that use sustainable business practices. Even if it is your first time investing, The Simple Dollar has created a guide in an effort to combat climate change by helping readers figure out how to invest in sustainable companies, identify "greenwashing", and divest money away from companies that are harming the environment: see https://www.thesimpledollar.com/financial-wellness/a-guide-to-sustainable-investing/ For more information visit: Thesimpledollar.com Tips for living in better harmony with our natural environment: engaging youth The average American will throw away 600 times their adult weight in garbage in their lifetime - just one of the shocking facts from the guide - Going Green at School. This highly informative guide covers tips on sustainability as well as how to be more green. There is a section allowing the reader to gauge their own carbon footprint and the ramifications of the size of that footprint. This is a resource designed especially for students, but also for anyone looking to switch to a more sustainable lifestyle. The link to the page is here: https://www.accreditedschoolsonline.org/resources/going-green-at-school/ The Community for Accredited Online Schools has also worked with Julien Goy (Corporate Responsibility Consultant) and Jon Clift (Associate Director of Outreach, Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, Wake Forest University) to produce a second guide, Go Green with Your Degree. This is a resource for students looking to get into the environmental sustainability sector with a "green degree." The guide lays out a step-by-step roadmap to a diverse array of green careers. There is also a Q&A addressing common questions about green degrees that will allow readers to familiarize themselves with the field. The link can be found here: https://www.accreditedschoolsonline.org/resources/green-degrees/ Tips for homeowners concerned with impacts of changed climate weather events: A new guide is offered for those who live in locations at-risk for extreme weather events. View it at: https://www.reviews.com/insurance/homeowners/how-to-protect-your-home-from-extreme-weather/ . The guide is designed to inform homeowners on the different types of regional environmental risks, how those risks impact homeowners, and what can be done to protect themselves. Information is provided on how to make small changes that make a big impact on homes, as well as the environment. TREES - Benefit Public Health, Air and Water Quality, Better Communities · Trees absorb carbon dioxide and potentially harmful gasses, such as sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, from the air and release oxygen.
· An acre of trees absorb enough carbon dioxide in a year to equal the amount produced when you drive a car 26,000 miles. SEE: https://projects.ncsu.edu/project/treesofstrength/benefits.htm Watershed Wisdom: a new interactive, free unit on PBS Learning Media The "Watershed Wisdom" online educational program (with hands-on classroom activity options) was developed in partnership with UNC-Public Television and is aligned with North Carolina's Essential Standards for fourth and fifth-grade science students. Its activities incorporate science topics with language arts, social studies and math. Use one component, a few portions or the entire lesson unit – whatever works best for your classroom’s needs. This new, free lesson is available online for both formal and informal educators to use. To start, visit and subscribe to PBS Learning Media at pbslearningmedia.org and search for "Watershed Wisdom." Or, click on this link to start exploring a robust toolbox of engaging activities and projects to teach your students about watersheds, including the watersheds where they live and go to school! Find the Watershed Wisdom Lesson here Watershed Approach for Wetlands and Stream Restoration The Environmental Law Institute has published a guidebook demonstrating how a watershed approach in wetlands and stream restoration will better contribute to goals of improved water quality, reduction of flooding, improved quality and quantity of natural habitat, and increased ecological services and benefits. A watershed approach offers a science-information mechanism for improving site selection for wetland and stream restoration and protection projects. Contact ELI to obtain a copy of the "Watershed Approach Handbook: Improving Outcomes and Increasing Benefits Associated with Wetland and Stream Restoration Projects." Water Resource Protection The Nature Conservancy's Beyond the Source report analyzes 4,000 cities to demonstrate the health, climate and biodiversity benefits of source water protection. Learn more Wildlife Habitat Council (www.wildlifehc.org ) promotes and certifies habitat conservation and management on corporate lands through partnerships and education. The Council is supported by some of America's major landholding corporations. Its 2016 annual conference will be in Baltimore, MD, on Nov. 2-3. Later in the year, the Council will debut a new certification program for wildlife habitat conservation practices on corporately owned and managed lands. It is now offering FREE webinars on the application process. Check out the WHC's Conservation Academy, with its many FREE educational webinars. Wildlands Network - Eastern US Once as wild as anywhere on Earth, eastern North America is now a patchwork of protected lands within a human-dominated landscape. Conservationists have long aspired to restore a vast network of connecting wildlands in this region, from the Acadian forests of Maritime Canada to the subtropical Everglades of Florida and further along the Gulf of Mexico coast. Wildlands Network ( https://wildlandsnetwork.org/wildways/eastern/ ) is the national organization leading the quest to achieve this dream. The Eastern Wildway as envisioned would contain some of North America’s most beloved national parks, preserves, scenic rivers, and other wild places, from the wilderness of Quebec, the Adirondacks, and the Shenandoah Valley, to the Great Smoky Mountains and Everglades National Park. Protecting and expanding these and other key core areas is crucial to rewilding the East. The Eastern Wildway traverses a wide array of ecoregions and climates, with the latter ranging from arctic to tropical. An equally broad diversity of wildlife inhabits these ecoregions. Many resident plants, birds, fish, salamanders, and butterflies are found nowhere else on Earth—particularly those in the southeastern U.S., which was recently identified as one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. Wildlands Network beginning in 2015 formed the Eastern Wildway Network (EWN) to advance efforts in eastern North America—with more than 100 conservation leaders working to restore, reconnect, and protect regional habitats, and to help native species move safely through the landscape and adapt to climatic change. We’re also promoting the recovery of keystone species like wolves and cougars. Establishing an Eastern Wildway and "rewilding" the eastern U.S. will require ambitious, bold and collaborative action at many levels. From creating new conservation lands, reforming policies, and providing incentives for private land stewardship to working with transportation agencies to construct wildlife underpasses and overpasses, incorporating smart growth into local planning, and passing new legislation to confront growing challenges. |
Photo by Johnny Randall
Tips for Nonprofit Conservation OrganizationsEVALUATING YOUR PERFORMANCE:
How to tell if you're doing things right and doing the right things Do you ever wonder how well your organization is performing, if you’re making a real difference, or if you could do better? It’s critically important for all nonprofit conservation and environmental organizations to periodically assess their programs and operating procedures, and honestly ask: Are we doing things right, and are we doing the right things? MORE HERE. INSURANCE OPTIONS for Nonprofits Private, nonprofit organizations involved in conserving and protecting land, water, wildlife, and other environmental resources and natural heritage assets need insurance coverage. A common misconception among nonprofit groups is that dues-paying membership in one of the national associations of conservation organizations is a prerequisite for eligibility in any of the alternative liability insurance plans. That is not true. A local land conservation or river protection organization does NOT have to be a dues-paying member of a national association of land trusts or river protection groups to qualify for liability insurance (or even to receive discounted premium rates). We recommend that you investigate optional sources of insurance coverage available for nonprofit organizations. Select the insurance company and policies that are best for you: Download this Fact Sheet. CONSERVATION TRAINING Available Online, Free-of-Charge Conservation Training (“learn globally, conserve locally”) offers open and free learning from The Nature Conservancy and partners, sharing training on a wide variety of environmental resource conservation and action planning subjects and professional development skills, with over 25,000 users from around the world. ONLINE CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE RESOURCES for LANDOWNERS
There is a great and unmet need to provide private landowners guidance and assistance to design natural resource conservation plans and implement good, productive, restorative practices on their conserved properties. We recommend the USDA Natural Resources and Conservation Service local office as the first place for a landowner to go for help in preparing and implementing a conservation plan to manage and restore natural resources on the landscape. To learn more and identify your local USDA Service Center visit www.nrcs.usda.gov . Establishing a Conservation Plan qualifies a landowner to receive financial and technical assistance to implement land, water, and wildlife conservation actions. Another dependable source of assistance is from professional staff at your local Soil and Water Conservation District. American Forest Foundation (“we grow stewardship every day”) supplies helpful guidance to America's 22 million family forestland owners and their management advisers. AFF operates the FREE web-based resource for forestland owners who want to apply good forest, land, water and wildlife conservation practices on their properties. The AFF website is used by as many as 10,000 landowners monthly ; see www.MyLandPlan.org. Resources First Foundation (“Connecting People to Conservation”), a nonprofit organization, operates the Private Landowner Network, a nationwide directory of more than 27,000 conservation resources, articles, and professionals, helping landowners to navigate the complex choices of good land stewardship and conservation. The online library provides access to a suite of online resources that encourage and help private landowners (who own more than 60 percent of America’s landscape) to participate in good land stewardship and implement conservation practices on their land. Instructions on how to add information and profiles of other sources of land management assistance to landowners HERE. Several southern states provide online guidance menus of conservation resources and information to landowners, outdoor recreationists and sportsmen, and other conservation-minded individuals: www.StateConservation.org/Arkansas www.StateConservation.org/Louisiana www.StateConservation.org/Mississippi www.StateConservation.org/Texas www.StateConservation.org/Virginia www.StateConservation.org We recommend an excellent conservation planning guide for landowners, which while produced for North Carolina owners of "working" farm and forestlands, is applicable for landowners in all other Southern states. 
Photo by Mac Stone
Conservation Begins in Your Community & Home"The care of the earth is our most ancient and most worthy and . . . most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it, and to foster its renewal, is our only legitimate hope." 
Atlantic ocean beach by C. Roe
Photo by Chuck Roe
Photo by Chuck Roe
Photo by Chuck Roe
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Project Funding Sources
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USDA to invest up to $300 million in partner-driven conservation. Application period open for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program. USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on Sept. 3, 2019, launched the updated Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Potential partners are encouraged to submit proposals that will improve the nation's water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural viability. RCPP eligible partners include private industry, non-government organizations, Indian tribes, state and local governments, water districts and universities. Partners may request between $250,000 and $10 million in RCPP funding through this funding announcement. Leveraging of this NRCS funding is a key principle of RCPP; partners are expected to make value-added contributions to amplify the impact of RCPP funding. “The new RCPP offers opportunities for partners and NRCS to develop and implement unique conservation solutions that engage farmers, ranchers and forest landowners,” NRCS Chief Matthew Lohr said. “A single RCPP project can include just about any Farm Bill conservation activity that NRCS is authorized to carry out. We’re really looking forward to what our partners across the Nation propose to do with these new flexibilities.” USDA is now accepting proposals for RCPP. Proposals are due December 3, 2019. For more information on applying, visit the RCPP webpage or view the Application for Program funding on grants.gov. Read the full announcement here. U.S. Forest Service Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program requests applications. The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (Community Forest Program or CFP) is a competitive grant program whereby local governments, qualified nonprofit organizations, and Indian tribes are eligible to apply for grants to establish community forests through fee simple acquisition of private forest land from a willing seller. The purpose of the program is to establish community forests by protecting forest land from conversion to non-forest uses and provide community benefits such as sustainable forest management, environmental benefits including clean air, water, and wildlife habitat; benefits from forest-based educational programs; benefits from serving as models of effective forest stewardship; and recreational benefits secured with public access. Interested local government and nonprofit applicants must submit applications to the State Forester. All applications, either hardcopy or electronic, must be received by State Foresters or Tribal governments by January 6th, 2020. State Foresters or Tribal government officials must forward applications to the appropriate Forest Service Regional office or International Institute of Tropical Forestry by February 6th, 2020. Read the full announcement here. Agricultural Land Conservation Easements Funding Greater funding for purchase of conservation easements on agricultural lands was provided to the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in the 2018 national Farm Bill. For the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), USDA NRCS is developing the new Farm Bill regulation and policies for fall publication and preparing for the coming Fiscal Year 2020 enrollments. The Farm Bill authorized $450 million for ACEP implementation each year for the coming four years. Highlights of new Agricultural Land Easement (ALE) policies include increased flexibility for ways to match funds. And also the requirement for an ALE Plan has been simplified to a Conservation Plan. NRCS accepts applications year-round. Additionally, the funding for the new Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) is open for 90 days with applications from partners accepted through December 3rd. The new RCPP enables “RCPP easements” which expand the eligible land uses to more than those traditionally allowed under the ACEP covered program authority. NRCS encourages those that are interested to read the full funding announcement. Conservation Alliance Offers Grants for Conservation and Recreation Projects. The Conservation Alliance is a group of outdoor businesses that supports efforts to protect specific wild places for their habitat and recreation values. Before applying for funding, an organization must first be nominated by one of our member companies. Click here for a list of members. Members nominate organizations by completing and submitting a nomination form. They accept grant requests up to $50,000. Please review the funding criteria before seeking a nomination. The Conservation Fund's Conservation Loan Program. Read reflections on TCF's history of creating "community wealth." Read blog post . EPA Environmental Education Grants Under the Environmental Education Grants Program, EPA awards grants to support environmental education projects that promote environmental awareness and stewardship and help provide people with the skills to take responsible actions to protect the environment. This grant program provides financial support for projects that design, demonstrate, and/or disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques. Non-profit organizations are eligible to apply. MORE INFORMATION. Forest Conservation Program grants The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) in partnership with International Paper have renewed and expanded its commitment to the Forestland Stewards grant program, increasing its overall contribution to $10 million. Forestland Stewards is one of the most effective public-private partnerships for forest conservation in the United States, and to date has funded 44 projects that have restored, enhanced or protected more than 190,000 acres of forest habitat. The new projects targeted for grant funded assistance will be in the low-country coastal region of South and North Carolina; the Cumberland Plateau of Kentucky, Tennessee, and northern Georgia and Alabama; and in the "piney woods" region of east Texas and Louisiana. Because of the effective conservation successes within these landscapes, International Paper and NFWF will expand the partnership into a fourth landscape, the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, in a concentrated effort to restore and protect bottomland hardwood forests and associated wildlife, including migratory and wading birds, wintering waterfowl, and other terrestrial and aquatic species. As this program initiative enters its 6th year of grant-making, the partnership anticipates exceeding its goal to protect and restore more than 540,000 acres of critical forestlands. For more information consult the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: www.nfwf.org. Gulf of Mexico Natural Resources Damage Restoration grants: Trustees of the Gulf of Mexico Natural Rsources Damage Restoration program are allocating $8.8 billion dollars to restore natural resources injured during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Trustees have adopted a programmatic restoration plan to guide their decision-making. The five goals of the NRDA restoration plan are to: 1) restore and conserve habitat; 2) restore water quality; 3) replenish and protect living coastal and marine resources; 4) provide and enhance recreational opportunities; and 5) provide for monitoring, adaptive management, and administrative oversight. Restoration plans are being implemented through seven Trustee Implementation Groups (TIGs). For more information, visit the NRDA Trustees website. Gulf of Mexico Coastal Environmental Grants: NFWF Announces New Round of Grants from the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) has awarded more than $101.5 million from its Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund (GEBF) to environmental protection and restoration projects in the five Gulf coastal states. The projects, developed in consultation with state and federal resource agencies, are designed to remedy harm and reduce the risk of future harm to natural resources that were affected by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. To date, the fund has received $1.65 billion. NFWF has awarded nearly $1 billion, or more than 50 percent of available funds. For more information about the selected projects, visit the GEBF webpage. Gulf-Region Agricultural Lands Conservation Initiative: US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Unveils $328 Million Restoration Strategy for Gulf-region Agricultural Lands. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation program has a strategy to improve water quality and help coastal ecosystems heal following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The strategy will guide how USDA will steer conservation efforts on private lands in priority areas of the Gulf of Mexico region. By allocating funds through existing Natural Resource Conservation Service programs, USDA moves efficiently to encourage and accomplish on-the-ground conservation action on forests, farms and other private landholdings. Read more about the program on the USDA website. Healthy Watersheds Grant Program The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, Inc. (Endowment) manages the Healthy Watersheds Consortium Grant Program. Grant funds available come through partnership with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).Funding for Healthy Watershed Consortium grant program is expected to continue in the future. The program’s goal is to accelerate the strategic protection of healthy freshwater ecosystems and their watersheds across the country. The primary focus for the grant applicants is expected to be protection and stewardship of the landscape that comprises a watershed, rather than restoration of degraded habitats or projects with a strictly water quality improvement outcome. Grant program goals will be achieved by: • Funding key projects identified in existing watershed protection or conservation plans; • Building the sustainable organizational infrastructure, social support, and long-term funding commitments necessary to implement large-scale protection of healthy watersheds; and • Supporting innovative or catalytic projects that may accelerate or broadly advance the field of practice for watershed protection efforts. More information. Healthy watersheds are those in which the hydrological, biological, and land-based functions of the ecosystem are largely intact. Protection refers to actions that conserve healthy aquatic ecosystems and the supporting natural and managed landscape and watershed processes, such as hydrology, that support them. Rather than waiting until a watershed is negatively impacted and attempting to restore it to health, the Healthy Watersheds Consortium Grant Program seeks to protect and sustain healthy watersheds so that they will continue to provide ecological services such as clean water, habitat for fish and wildlife, recreation, and protection from natural hazards. See the Endowment’s Healthy Watersheds Consortium Grant program website for more information about the grant program: http://www.usendowment.org/healthywatersheds.html. Landscape Conservation Catalyst Fund grants program announced The Network for Landscape Conservation (NLC) announced in January 2019 the launch of a major five-year national grant program to accelerate the pace and practice of collaborative conservation at the landscape scale.Through generous support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Landscape Conservation Catalyst Fund will distribute at least $1 million in funding to landscape conservation partnerships across the United States over the first three-year period, and offer supplemental training and mentoring to grantees. The Fund will be administered by the Network’s fiscal sponsor, the Center for Large Landscape Conservation. The Landscape Conservation Catalyst Fund will focus specifically on addressing the critical need for building capacity for landscape conservation partnerships by investing in the “backbone” coordination of the collaborative process and in supporting key stepping stone activities necessary to achieve broad-based partnership support and conservation on the ground. The program RFP will be announced and opened for grant applications on March 1, 2019. LEARN MORE HERE . The Network for Landscape Conservation is the community of practice for practitioners advancing collaborative, cross-boundary conservation as an essential approach to protect nature, culture, and community. www.landscapeconservation.org . Longleaf Pine Ecosystem Restoration grant program. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals to expand and enhance longleaf pine ecosystem restoration and management across longleaf pine’s historical range, as well as the restoration and enhancement of bottomland hardwood forests within priority focal areas in the southern U.S. The Longleaf Stewardship Fund is a landmark public-private partnership supported with Federal funding from the USDA’s Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service, Department of Defense, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and private funding from International Paper’s Forestland Stewards Partnership, Southern Company, Altria Group, the American Forest Foundation’s Southern Woods for At-Risk Wildlife Partnership, and Louis Bacon’s Orton Foundation affiliated with The Moore Charitable Foundation. Closely review the RFP available at Longleaf Stewardship Fund RFP for funding priorities, competitive criteria, and eligibility guidelines. Interested applicants may contact Jon Scott at jonathan.scott@nfwf.org, National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program Offers Funding Opportunity. The NCWCG program of the US Fish and Wildlife Service provides grants to acquire, restore, and enhance wetlands in coastal states through competitive matching grants to state agencies. The primary goal of the Program is the long-term conservation of coastal wetland ecosystems. Projects can include: 1) Acquisition of a real property interest (e.g., conservation easement or fee title) in coastal lands or waters (coastal wetlands ecosystems) from willing sellers or partners for long-term conservation; 2) Restoration, enhancement, or management of coastal wetlands ecosystems; or 3) A combination of acquisition, restoration, and management. All projects must ensure long-term (at least 20 years) conservation. Nonprofits must work with their state agencies to have projects considered. MORE INFORMATION. For more information, visit grants.gov and search for F17AS00108. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant programs NFWF is the nation's largest source of grant funds to public agencies and private organizations for protection and restoration of imperiled native species and natural habitats in North America. Since its creation by Congress in 1984, the Foundation has supported more than 14,000 conservation projects nationwide with combined funding of nearly $3 billion. NFWF supports more than 70 grant programs and works with over 15 federal agencies and 45 corporate and foundation partners in financing those grant programs. NFWF's WEBSITE provides instructions for online grant application. NFWF Issues Request for Proposals for 2020 Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Wildlife Habitat Council, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, FedEx, Southern Company, and BNSF Railway are pleased to solicit applications for the 2020 Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration program. The program seeks to help communities develop the capacity to sustain local natural resources for future generations, with a focus on improving water quality, watersheds, and the species and habitats they support. Projects eligible for grants include a variety of ecological improvements along with targeted community outreach, education, and stewardship. Ecological improvements may include one or more of the following: wetland, riparian, forest and coastal habitat restoration; wildlife conservation, community tree canopy enhancement, water quality monitoring and green infrastructure best management practices for managing runoff. Projects should increase access to the benefits of nature, reduce the impact of environmental hazards, and engage local communities, particularly underserved communities, in project planning, outreach and implementation. Proposals are due January 30, 2020. For additional information on program priorities, project metrics, and eligibility criteria, visit the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation website. NFWF and NOAA announce grants to support coastal resilience efforts across the nation. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and NOAA in late 2019 announced $30 million in new grants to support coastal resilience projects in 23 states and U.S. territories. The grants will restore or expand natural features such as coastal marshes and wetlands, dune and beach systems, oyster and coral reefs, mangroves, forests, coastal rivers, and barrier islands that help minimize the impacts of storms, rising sea levels and other extreme events on nearby communities and habitats. The 44 grants will generate $60 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of $90 million. Projects in Florida, Louisiana and Texas will receive funding. Click here to see the full slate of funded projects. The North American Wetlands Act Standard Grants Program will accept applications through February 22, 2019. The Standard Grants Program is a competitive, matching grants program that supports public-private partnerships carrying out projects in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. These projects must involve long-term protection, restoration, and/or enhancement of wetlands and associated uplands habitats. NAWCA strongly recommends that you contact the coordinator of the joint venture region in which your project is located early in the process for guidance on developing your project and proposal. Joint venture coordinators' prioritization of NAWCA proposals from their geographic region is a key element in the selection process. Find out how to connect with your joint venture here. See the grant requirements here: United States Standard Grants. National Coastal Resilience Fund issues 2019 Request for Proposals. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is pleased to announce the National Coastal Resilience Fund for 2019. NFWF will make investments to restore and strengthen natural systems so they can protect coastal communities from the impacts of storms, floods, and other natural hazards and enable them to recover more quickly, while also enhancing habitats for important fish and wildlife populations. NFWF will award approximately $29 million in grants to create, expand, and restore natural systems in areas that will both increase protection for communities from coastal storms, sea- and lake-level changes, inundation, and coastal erosion while also improving valuable habitats for fish and wildlife species. NFWF will invest in projects in three focus areas:
National Forest Foundation solicits proposals for its Matching Awards Program (MAP). MAP is a nationally competitive grant program that provides federal funds for direct on-the-ground projects benefiting America’s National Forests and Grasslands. The program supports action-oriented projects that enhance outdoor experiences, forest and ecosystem health, and engage local communities in caring for their public lands. Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, universities and Native American tribes are eligible to apply. All projects must show a strong commitment to civic engagement and community involvement through direct public involvement. Grants are awarded for one year and require a 1:1 non-federal cash match. Learn More About MAP Natural Resources and Conservation Service, USDA Conservation Innovation Grant and Regional Conservation Partnership Programs NRCS is investing up to $25 million for national Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) projects that develop and demonstrate innovative approaches to natural resource conservation on private agricultural and forest lands. Through its Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), NRCS co-invests with partners in innovative, workable and cost-effective approaches to benefit farming, ranching and forest operations; local economies; and the communities and resources in a watershed or other geographic area. This funding sources provides grants to public-private partnerships that improve the nation's water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural viability. For more information, visit the program webpage. NRCS Agricultural Conservation Easement Program The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides financial and technical assistance to eligible entities and private landowners who seek to conserve agricultural lands and grasslands and protect, restore and enhance critical wetlands. NRCS also funds purchases of conservation easements to protect habitat for diverse wildlife and plant species, including those that are endangered and threatened. Landowners and entities interested in using conservation easements to address natural resource concerns can submit applications at any time to a USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service office. NRCS is currently accepting applications for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). NRCS strives to help producers and landowners enact environmentally friendly activities such as improving water and air quality, building healthier soils, improving grazing and forest lands, enhancing organic operations and conserving energy. ACEP consists of two separate components, the Agricultural Land Easement (ALE) option and the Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) option. The ALE component is geared to protect agricultural lands devoted to food production from conversion into non-agricultural uses. The WRE component aims to restore, enhance and protect wetlands through purchase of a wetland reserve easement. Applications for all NRCS financial-assistance programs are accepted on a continuous sign-up process, however specific sign-up deadlines are established to rank, contract and fund qualified tracts of land. For more information, visit the USDA WEBSITE. Natural Resources Conservation Service Invites Proposals for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program Through its Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), the USDA NRCS co-invests with partners in innovative, workable and cost-effective approaches to benefit farming, ranching and forest operations; local economies; and the communities and resources in a watershed or other geographic area. The Regional Conservation Partnership Program was created by the 2014 Farm Bill. USDA NRCS announced that its Regional Conservation Partnership Program has pooled together $220 million investment from USDA and $500 million from local partners to improve water quality, soil health, and natural habitats in 84 conservation projects. This funding sources provides grants to public-private partnerships that improve the nation's water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural viability. For more information, visit the program webpage. The US Department of Agriculture committed to invest $1.2 billion in RCPP partnerships over the life of the 2014-18 Farm Bill. Since 2009, USDA has invested more than $29 billion to help producers make conservation improvements, working with as many as 500,000 farmers, ranchers and landowners to protect over 400 million acres nationwide, boosting soil and air quality, cleaning and conserving water and enhancing wildlife habitat. For an interactive look at USDA's work in conservation and forestry visit http://medium.com/usda-results. North America Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) Small Grants Program. The NAWCA Small Grants Program is a competitive, matching grants program that supports public-private partnerships carrying out projects in the United States that further the goals of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. These projects must involve long-term protection, restoration, and/or enhancement of wetlands and associated uplands habitats for the benefit of all wetlands-associated migratory birds. Proposers are encouraged to contact the Joint Venture Coordinator in your project area for assistance with developing a project proposal, for information about how proposals are ranked, and/or for guidance on Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and National Historic Preservation Act compliance requirements. Find out how to connect with your joint venture here. Find out more about the NAWCA Standard Grants Program here. And visit the NAWCA webpage. Learn how to apply for a U.S. Standard NAWCA Grant. View the most recent approved projects. NOAA Coastal Ecosystem Resiliency Grants The Coastal Ecosystem Resiliency Grants Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration funds projects that develop healthy and sustainable coastal ecosystems through habitat restoration and conservation. The primary focus of this grants program is to develop healthy and sustainable coastal ecosystems through on-the-ground habitat restoration actions. Applicants can now submit proposals. Strengthening Coastal Communities includes activities that improve capacity of multiple coastal jurisdictions (states, counties, municipalities, territories, and tribes) to prepare and plan for, absorb impacts of, recover from, and/or adapt to extreme weather events and climate-related hazards. Habitat Restoration includes activities that restore habitat to strengthen the resilience of coastal ecosystems and decrease the vulnerability of coastal communities to extreme weather events and climate-related hazards. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, regional organizations, private entities, and local, state, and tribal governments. Typical award amounts will range from $250,000 to $1 million for projects lasting up to three years. Cost-sharing through cash or in-kind contributions is expected. Projects must be located in one or more of the 35 U.S. coastal states or territories. Visit the NOAA website for more information. NOAA opens Environmental Literacy grant funding opportunity related to community resilience. The goal of this funding opportunity is to build environmental literacy of K-12 students and the public so they are knowledgeable of the ways in which their community can become more resilient to extreme weather and/or other environmental hazards, and become involved in achieving that resilience. Projects should build the collective environmental literacy necessary for communities to become more resilient to the extreme weather and other environmental hazards they face in the short- and long-term. Building sufficient environmental literacy in a community means that these communities are composed of individuals who are supported by formal and informal education that develop their knowledge, skills, and confidence to: (1) reason about the ways that human and natural systems interact globally and where they live, including the acknowledgement of disproportionately distributed vulnerabilities; (2) participate in scientific and/or civic processes; and (3) consider scientific uncertainty, cultural knowledge, and diverse community values in decision making. The deadline is March 26, 2020. Read the full announcement here. Open Space Institute (OSI) provides grants in the southeastern U.S. through its two complementary land conservation grant funds: Southern Cumberland Land Protection Fund and Southeast Resilient Landscapes Fund. OSI currently is inviting applications to those two companion funds, and will accept proposals to each fund through November 6, 2017.OSI’s Southeast Resilient Landscapes Fund and Southern Cumberland Land Protection Fund provide capital grants to safeguard places that will help wildlife mitigate the effects of a changing climate.. OSI’s grants are particularly focused on safeguarding lands that are most likely to harbor a diversity of plants and animals despite an increasingly unpredictable and changing climate. Eligible projects will permanently protect large unfragmented habitat in one of OSI’s three southeast focus areas, which are in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, and North Carolina. For details on the application process for each fund, please visit OSI’s website For questions about the funds, please contact Joel Houser, OSI’s Southeast Field Coordinator (jhouser@osiny.org, 423-364-5980). 2020 Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program Challenge has opened. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has announced that it is accepting pre-proposals for the 2020 Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program Challenge. The Request for Pre-Proposals and the downloadable PDF pre-proposal form are available on the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities’ webpage or by contacting Peter@usendowment.org. The deadline for pre-proposal submission is 8 p.m. EST, Friday, January 24, 2020. Up to $15 million is available for one or multiple awards. Final awards are planned to be announced in June or July of 2020. The REPI Challenge, established in 2012, is a competitive process to seek projects that accelerate land conservation and military mission protection through innovative partnerships and shared financing. The 2020 REPI Challenge may provide up to $15 million in FY20 funding for land conservation or management activities that limit incompatible development in the vicinity of DoD installations and ranges, maintain or improve military installation resilience, or relieve current or anticipated environmental restrictions in support of key capabilities identified in the National Defense Strategy. Additional consideration will be given to those projects that leverage multiple authorities to accomplish project goals. Selected projects will support the rebuilding of military readiness by protecting investments toward strategic power projection platforms deemed vital to the Department’s establishment of an unmatched innovation base. Partners are encouraged to coordinate closely with military base installation or range staff to verify the presence of key National Defense Strategy capabilities prior to proposal development. Visit the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities website for more information. U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (based in Greenville, SC) Collectively, partnerships between the US Endowment for Forestry & Communities and a number of federal government agencies will provide up to $260 million to improve the Nation’s water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat, protect agricultural viability, and in many cases ensure national security. The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, Inc. (Endowment) has a partnership agreement with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The partnership has provided more than $7.5 million to landowners in Mississippi, Georgia, and North Carolina for conservation easements and habitat restoration projects. Projects focus on working forest lands, including longleaf pine, and will enhance restoration of threatened and endangered Species. Funding is also provided for projects that help preclude the potential listing of other species. The Endowment in partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense also manages the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Challenge Grant Program. For more information see the Endowment's website webpage. The Request for PreProposals and the downloadable pre-proposal form are available on the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Community’s webpage or by contacting Peter@usendowment.org. The REPI Challenge seeks to leverage public and private funds for land conservation projects that limit incompatible development or that relieve current or anticipated environmental restrictions on military testing, training, or operations. The Department of Defense Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program matches funds for selected projects that will protect the military mission by helping remove or avoid land-use conflicts near military installations and addressing restrictions that inhibit military activities. This RCPP partnership supports the goals of the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership (www.sentinellandscapes.org). As described on the website, the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership enables the U.S. Departments of Defense, Agriculture and the Interior, to achieve their established priorities with at greater cost-sharing, on a wider-scale, and with broader stakeholder buy-in. By aligning programs with state and local governments and non-governmental organizations, private landowners receive better coordinated delivery of Federal programs that provide assistance. Sentinel Landscapes are working or natural lands important to the Nation’s defense mission – places where protecting the working and rural character of key landscapes strengthens the economies of farms, ranches, and forests; conserves habitat and natural resources; and protects vital test and training missions conducted on those military installations that anchor such landscapes. See also the description (above) of the Healthy Watersheds grant program, also managed by the Endowment. USDA’s Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership . The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has offered $15 million of grants annually to help eligible conservation partners leverage local investments to provide technical assistance and financial resources for wetlands protection and improvements on private and Tribal agricultural land nationwide. The Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP) is one way state and local governments, non-governmental organizations and Tribal governments collaborate with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to increase the number of voluntary conservation projects for targeted, high priority wetland protection, restoration and enhancement. Wetland reserve easements allow landowners to enhance and protect habitat for wildlife on their lands, reduce impacts from flooding, recharge groundwater and provide outdoor recreational and educational opportunities. More information is available on the NRCS Agricultural Conservation Easement Program webpage. Grants toStrengthen Wildlife Adaptation to Climate Change Wildlife Conservation Society: Climate Adaptation Fund The Wildlife Conservation Society's Climate Adaptation Fund supports projects that implement effective interventions for wildlife adaptation to climate change. Grants of $50,000 to $250,000 are provided to nonprofit conservation organizations for applied, on-the-ground projects focused on implementing priority conservation actions for climate adaptation at a landscape scale. In 2018, the Fund is inviting applications for projects that implement joint mitigation and adaptation approaches, in addition to the continuing priority to support wildlife adaptation projects in both urban and rural landscapes. The Fund prioritizes projects that manage dynamic ecological processes, landscape functionality, and species assemblages, rather than those aimed at maintaining historic conditions or individual species. Grants are provided to U.S.-based nonprofit conservation organizations for projects within the 50 states and six U.S. territories. Visit the Wildlife Conservation Society’s website to download the Request for Proposals. Working Lands for Wildlife Working Lands for Wildlife is a new partnership between NRCS and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to use agency technical expertise combined with $33 million in financial assistance from the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program to combat the decline of seven specific wildlife species whose decline can be reversed and will benefit other species with similar habitat needs. The Working Lands for Wildlife project will target species whose decline can be reversed and will benefit other species with similar habitat needs. For more information, visit the WEBSITE. |
Photo by Laura Cotterman
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