Crescent Communities’ Post

Announcement: Funding Opportunity: 2024 Wild & Scenic Rivers Stewardship Partners Funding Summary: For the sixth consecutive year, USDA's Forest Service and the River Network announced funding availability for nonprofit and Tribal organizations working on or planning for stewardship activities on Forest Service-administered Wild & Scenic Rivers (WSR) and surrounding lands. Wild and Scenic Rivers are free-flowing rivers and help preserve recreation, fish and wildlife habitat, water quality, and cultural heritage. $200,000 is available for projects submitted by May 31, 2024. Why it matters: Preserving WSRs reflects the importance of outdoor spaces in our daily mental and physical well-being and fosters greater stewarding of these rivers for the future. This funding expands the diversity of organizations working with the Forest Service and ensures the protection of designated rivers and streams (including cultural, historic, recreational, and fish and wildlife values). For more information go to bit.ly/WSRSPF24! #indigenousag #nativeag #nativeagriculture #tribalag

Some positive conservation news for the Chicago-Calumet River watersheds 🌱💚🌱 NFWF and partners announced six projects selected to receive $2.1 million in grant funding to enhance habitat and greenspace throughout the Chicago-Calumet region. Projects supported by these grants will protect and conserve fish and wildlife habitat, reduce stormwater runoff, engage most-impacted communities in restoration activities, and improve access to greenspace. We can’t wait to see the results! https://loom.ly/GQjCXYg The Chi-Cal River Fund is a partnership among NFWF and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), USDA Forest Service, BNSF Railway, Cleveland-Cliffs, Salesforce, Crown Family Philanthropies, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Hunter Family Foundation, the The Joyce Foundation, and the Walder Foundation. 📷: Kayakers in Chicago. Photo courtesy of Shedd Aquarium. #chicago #river #conservation #environment #wildlife

“Walder Foundation is proud to support this important partnership which advances nature-based solutions that benefit biodiversity and communities in the Chicago region. This work will help mitigate the negative effects of climate change in some of Chicago’s most impacted communities while boosting access to safe green spaces, restoring critical habitats, and enhancing community health. By demonstrating multiple benefits, these projects can serve as a catalyst for advancing nature-based solutions across the region.” — Jack Westwood, Senior Program Director, Environmental Sustainability

What happens when we bring communities together to help nature flourish? 💚 Published today, The Wildlife Trusts' report reveals the striking results of the Nextdoor Nature project, which was made possible thanks to £5 million funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. 👐 For us, this funding allowed us to recruit two Wilder Communities Officers, Patrick and Helen, who worked alongside communities in the Priorswood and Holway areas of Taunton and the Westfield and Milford park area of Yeovil. Their work focused on being present in communities, listening to ideas, and helping to bring those ideas to life in a practical way. Ponds were dug and repaired, pollinator beds planted, bug hotels built, and bats monitored — the dedication of so many brilliant people working together for nature left Patrick and Helen feeling privileged to be part of their story. Although the Nextdoor Nature project has come to an end, its legacy lives on. In fact, Nextdoor Nature ran as one of the many projects that makes up Team Wilder, which feeds directly in to one of our vision for a Wilder Somerset 2030. What's Team Wilder? Well, in order for nature to recover, we need many more people on nature’s side. The science shows that if just 1 person in every 4 visibly takes action, this can be enough to change the minds and behaviour of the majority. 🌱 Find out more about Team Wilder, and how you can take action for nature: https://lnkd.in/eXb2qmRN 📊 Discover the impact of Nextdoor Nature: https://lnkd.in/ebhqUNxE #NationalLottery #NextdoorNature #Community #Wellbeing #Nature #Wildlife

Surrey Wildlife Trust has launched a campaign to raise £1m to help reverse the loss of biodiversity in Surrey. https://lnkd.in/eG9aEDtA The Surrey Wildlife Trust’s fundraising drive will focus on its target of restoring 30% of UK land and sea for nature by 2030. One in six species at risk of extinction in the UK, the Save Surrey’s Nature campaign will focus on the Trust’s plans to work on its reserves and with partners across the county to restore and expand Surrey’s most diverse and threatened habitats including nationally-significant heathland and chalk grassland as well as vital woodlands and wetlands to help the wildlife that lives there. Species in particular need of conservation action, which can also act as indicators of the wider health of the habitats they live in, include: Nightingale Yellowhammer European Eel Harvest Mouse Sand Lizard Hairstreak butterflies #nature #wildlife #biodiversity #habitats #environment #sustainability #education #climatechange https://lnkd.in/emNYhGY7

GREAT NEWS: The Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Trust released this week its five-year strategy to secure more water for the lake, which hit historic lows just a few years ago. The five-year plan highlights key objectives for the trust, which was created with $40 million in taxpayer money with the objective of getting more water flowing into the lake, a resource critical for Utah’s wildlife, industry and continued growth. 🌊 🦆 🦐 Read more...https://lnkd.in/gJU6Fu_p Great Salt Lake Artemia: https://gsla.us

What did you do to celebrate #WorldWildlifeDay yesterday? We were out in the field planting trees in the sunshine. 🌞🌳 Changes in land use over the last hundred years have led to a staggering decline in nature in the UK. For example, Bristol lost 96% of its swift and starling population between 1994 and 2014. At Avon Needs Trees, we work collaboratively and align our efforts with Local Nature Recovery Strategies to connect existing wildlife habitats – doing our part to halt and reverse the decline in biodiversity. 🌱🦋 Landscape scale projects like the Lower Chew Forest are fundamentally important in the region for connecting existing habitats which our local wildlife depend on. With just 10 days left on our fundraising campaign, there is a limited time left to be part of this momentous movement for wildlife. ⏱ Visit our website www.avonneedstrees.org.uk to help make this woodland a reality today. #AvonNeedsTrees #LowerChewForest #ClimateAction #WildlifeRecovery #LocalNatureRecoveryStrategy #Nature #Wildlife #Biodiversity #CharityPartner #NatureRecovery #Bristol #Bath #Keynsham #NatureRecoveryNetwork #SoilHealth #BristolAvon #Wetland #Grassland #EthicalBusiness #Sustainabilitygoals #Biodiversity #CollaberationForChange #ClimateActionBristol #Trees

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's (NFWF) National Coastal Resilience Fund recently announced a $999,500 grant to Shirley Heinze Land Trust and partners of the Calumet Land Conservation Partnership for a project titled: "Building Community Resilience in the Calumet Region." The three year project will build relationships among communities, community-based organizations and municipalities to create a comprehensive and adaptive plan for improving resilience in the Calumet region. This will be achieved by developing a living document that can adapt and evolve to community needs, develop nature-based solutions and prioritize projects for future implementation that will build community resilience and enhance habitat. Congratulations to Shirley Heinze Land Trust and partners of the Calumet Land Conservation Partnership on this groundbreaking award! Read more about the NCRF program here: https://ow.ly/nJoT50Ujc1S

For 20 years, Walmart has partnered with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation on the Acres for America program, helping protect over 2 million acres of critical land across the U.S. When the program started, the idea was to protect 1 acre of land for every 1 acre Walmart built on. Today it’s evolved to about 20-1! Acres for America has preserved ecosystems, bolstered biodiversity, safeguarded clean water, and created recreational spaces for the benefit of both people and wildlife. And we recently shared the exciting news that we've renewed the program for 10 more years, with a $34.5 million pledge. In this episode of the Huddle, Chris West from NFWF and Jen Barnhouse from The Nature Conservancy joined me at the Kings River Preserve, a beautiful 5,000 acre preserve in Northwest Arkansas. We talked about the widespread impact of the Acres for America program, and how conservation isn’t just about protecting beautiful places—it’s also about sustaining natural resources for future generations. You'll also hear how anyone can support this work, either through small actions like rounding up a purchase or by finding ways to connect with local conservation initiatives. Whether you’re passionate about the environment, want to leave a legacy for future generations, or simply enjoy outdoor recreation, this episode is for you! Full episode here: https://bit.ly/3YXObhn

A New Milestone in Restoring the Atlantic Rainforest in the UK! We are excited to share the fantastic news from Pembrokeshire, Wales, where a 59-hectare area of lost Celtic rainforest is set to be restored to its ancient glory. This initiative marks a significant step in our 100-year Atlantic Rainforest Recovery Program, driven by The Wildlife Trusts and backed by a £38 million donation from Aviva. Key Highlights: - Pembrokeshire Restoration: The new project will see the planting of native species like oak, small-leaf lime, and wild service trees. This effort will create a rich habitat for mosses, liverworts, lichens, ferns, and diverse wildlife, reconnecting the area with its Celtic past. - Historical Significance: The restoration will weave around standing stones and an abandoned farmhouse, mimicking clearings created by prehistoric inhabitants. Achievements So Far: - Devon, England: A 30-hectare site near Totnes is transformed into a vibrant rainforest. This project, part of a larger community initiative, will enhance biodiversity and offer educational and volunteering opportunities. - National Impact: The program aims to restore approximately 1,755 hectares of temperate rainforest across the British Isles, enhancing biodiversity and contributing to climate resilience by sequestering carbon. Next Steps: - Expansion and Connectivity: Future projects aim to connect these restored areas, creating vast, interconnected wild landscapes to further enhance biodiversity and climate resilience. - Community Goals: Continued focus on community involvement and educational outreach will ensure these restored rainforests benefit local populations. Let us keep restoring Earth, place by place, returning its vital signs! Read more: The Guardian: https://lnkd.in/dvNvwJyh The Wildlife Trusts: https://lnkd.in/d7wUCPhU Devon Wildlife Trust: https://lnkd.in/dD5sgqhu) #EarthRegeneration #NatureRestoration #Biodiversity #WildlifeTrusts #Aviva #AtlanticRainforest #CommunityEngagement 📸: Pontfaen Woods in Gwaun Valley. Photograph: Joan Gravell/Alamy from https://lnkd.in/dvNvwJyh summarize