Hello all,
As you know I like to post these diaries once every few weeks. This one is a bit different then the others. I am focusing on species and environmental rehab.
I have been focusing a lot on the energy side of environmental progress because the developments and inventions are so exciting. However, all those great renewable energy solutions are only part of the hard and complex work of saving what we can and rectifying our damage. There is the often underreported, hard, dirty and often frustrating work of species reintroduction and rehabbing habitats that have been destroyed. There are legions of dedicated people out there planting trees, raising animals and doing all the grunt work that is SO important to maintaining and fixing the wilds that we have left. So today I honor them and discuss the projects that they are taking on.
Let's start off with some recent stories of success:
Sea Eagle returns
They are sea eagles, otherwise known as white-tailed eagles, and are the first of their kind to fly in eastern Scotland since the species was persecuted into extinction there in the mid-19th century. Prior to their recent reintroduction, the last Scottish sea eagle was shot in Shetland in 1918. These magnificent raptors - larger even than the golden eagle and the world's fourth largest bird of prey - are now reclaiming territory that was once theirs.
The young sea eagles - just 14 weeks old but already stretching towards their 8ft maximum wingspan - are four of 15 chicks being released this year, as part of a reintroduction programme carried out by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Scotland in partnership with Scottish Natural Heritage and the Forestry Commission. Between 15 and 20 birds will be released annually between now and 2011.
Claire Smith, RSPB Scotland's East of Scotland sea eagle project officer explains: "There are only about 7,000 pairs of them worldwide, and they've disappeared completely from some countries, including England, France and, until recently, Scotland, due to persecution and, later, things such as the effect of pesticides on eggs.
"In Britain, however, they disappeared absolutely due to persecution and egg-collecting. So you could say that we have a moral obligation to bring these birds back; also a European Union birds directive gives us a legal obligation.
"We're now filling the gap between the west and the rest of Europe."
Two thirds of the world's population of white-tailed eagles currently breed in Russia and Norway, and it is from Norway that these fledglings were brought here, courtesy of the Norwegian air force.
Isn't it wonderful to know that we can in fact correct errors made 100 years ago and bring animals such as the Sea Eagle back to where we hunted them to extinction! Those people that have bred and raised these eagles over the years deserve so much credit for keeping a species alive. It also shows you how much our opinion on predators such as the Sea Eagle has changed. Now if we could only get people to see that wolves are no threat.
Here is another story a bit closer to home: Marmots return
Environment Minister Barry Penner got hands-on with conservation yesterday, helping to reintroduce five captive-born Vancouver Island marmots to a historic colony at Strathcona Park.
"I can hear the helicopter coming ... and we don't want to make the marmots wait," joked Penner shortly before being picked up at Mount Washington and taken to the remote site.
The disappearance of the endangered rodents from Strathcona Park two decades ago is a mystery, since logging hasn't been a factor there as it was in colonies east of Nanaimo.
"We'll be closely monitoring these marmots to find out how they're faring," said Penner of the reintroduced animals.
There are 14 marmot species around the world, but those on Vancouver Island, about the size of a house cat, are the most endangered.
In the late 1990s, their numbers dwindled to fewer than 40, prompting the province to team up with forest companies and the public to fund a captive-breeding program.
Since I mentioned wolves it appears that their reintroduction into Yellowstone is having some unexpected positive effects on, believe it or not, trees. Wolves help aspens return Since wolves were reintroduced they have cut the elk population in 1/2 and what has resulted is that the elk are now afraid to graze in stands of young saplings. This is because those areas are easy hunting areas for the wolves to attack the elk. As a result aspens and other trees which had disappeared from Yellowstone are returning.
"This is really exciting, and it’s great news for Yellowstone," said William Ripple of the Oregon State University College of Forestry, who led the aspen study. "We’ve seen some recovery of willows and cottonwood, but this is the first time we can document significant aspen growth, a tree species in decline all over the West. We’ve waited a long time to see this, but now we’ re optimistic that things may be on the right track.
"The issue of aspen decline in the American West is huge, and their recovery will depend on local conditions and issues in many areas. In northern Yellowstone, we finally have some good news to report. It’s just a start, but it’s a pretty good start."
Wolves were eradicated from Yellowstone, which is largely in Wyoming and takes in small areas of Montana and Idaho, in the 1920s, and the decline of aspen and cottonwood trees has been dated to precisely this period. Large trees that were at least 70 years old still stand, but few younger trees survived as new shoots were rapidly eaten by large herds of grazing animals, principally elk, that were no longer kept under control by predation. The loss of trees and shrubs had a major ripple effect throughout the ecosystem, say scientists. There was greater water erosion, a loss of beaver dams, and a breakdown of food webs. Birds, insects, fish and plants were all affected.
Now that the wolves are back all these things are coming back into balance. Amazing what removing one strand of the web of the ecosystem can do.
One man's dream to rehab his 13 acre property and turn into a wildlife sanctuary
Link
I hope after I'm gone, this is the most beautiful path in the country," Johnson, 81, said. The property Johnson is referring to is between the Virgin River and Riverside Drive, where willow trees are being grown as part of a project to restore them and create a habitat for the southwestern willow flycatcher - a federally listed endangered species.
Steve Meismer, local coordinator with the Virgin River Program, said Johnson is the first landowner working with the program to create habitat for the endangered bird.
On Johnson's property is a willow farm, where sticks of willow have been gathered and planted for future use in projects such as the one on Johnson's property, which includes a stretch of land on both sides of the river.
While the bare dirt along the 13 acres Johnson has stripped of tamarisk in the last month doesn't look like much now, it's easy to catch on to his vision, along with the Virgin River Program's, as numerous agencies including the Washington County Water Conservancy District, Utah Farm Bureau, U.S. Fish and Wildlife and Natural Resources Conservation Service work with cities, the county and private landowners to restore the river as it was in the past by ridding the area of non-native species.
Meismer said the stripped areas will not only be replanted with willows but other native species such as quail bush and mesquite trees, which provide good habitat for wildlife.
Getting rid of the non-natives not only includes plants but fish in the river, including the red shiner, which competes with native fish like the woundfin, one of the rarest species on Earth, found only in a small section of the Virgin River. The river also supports the Virgin River chub, another federally listed endangered species, as well as other native fish.
Johnson, who has owned the property for years, is pleased to be taking part in the project, which he says will make the land along the river serviceable and more beautiful.
This is about protecting this for future generations," Johnson said. "All the goals are to make it more beautiful."
These are some of the few amazing stories that happen. They tend to be underreported and ignored by many but it shows that healing the damage we have done is possible. It just takes dedication and lots of elbow grease.
If you like these diaries please check out my blog. Just click on my sig below and it will take you there. My blog is dedicated to positive environmental stories.
Thanks,
Chaoslillith