Category: Wildlife Habitat: Wildlife Corridors

1. SUCCESS: The Green Match Fund 2023 is from 20-27 April 2023

   Posted on 10:35am Saturday 29th Apr 2023

   #GreenMatchFund

   Update on 29 April 2023:  The Green Match Fund 2023 was a great success, and £4,349,330 was raised for 178 charities in 7 days.  There were 22,457 donations to make this happen!   Congratulations to all the charities involved! 
   
   

   Here's the background here: 

   Here’s a chance to make a donation for wildlife which gets DOUBLED! 

   From the 20^th April at midday for one week, you can donate to an environmental charity taking part and your donation will be matched! 

   This is a great chance to really make your £ stretch to make a difference!

   
   If we all pull together, we can really go places 
   for nature and the natural world
   Visit the Green Match Fund here
   
   

   Charites taking part in the Green Match Fund include:

   • Wildlife Trusts (a number have their own individual appeals)
   • Rewilding Britain
   • Bees for Development Trust
   • Surfers Against Sewage
   • Northumberland Rivers Trust
   • Fauna and Flora International (for pangolins)
   • The RSPB
   • Buglife
   • Students organising for Sustainability (that's Hedgehogs Friendly Schools)
   • Blue Marine Foundation
   • Virunga Foundation (that’s for gorillas)
   • David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation
   • ZSL (for big cats)
   • Bumblebee Conservation Trust
   • Wild Fish Conservation
   • Royal Entomological Society (that’s for insects)
   • International Animal Rescue (for mangroves)
   • The Shark Trust
   • Sumatran Orangtuan Foundation
   • Beaver Trust
   • Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (wildcats)
   • Whale and Dolphin Conservation
   • Bat Conservation Trust
   • CPRE (for hedgerows, so important to lifestyle)
   • Wildlife Vets International (for vultures)
   • Space for Giants (elephant-human conflict)
   • South Downs National Park Trust (for a network for ponds)
   • Rhino Ark (UK)
   • Orangutan Foundation
   • Bees Abroad (bees and elephants)
   • Cetacean Research and Rescue Unit
   • Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust
   • Project Seagrass
   • Organisation Cetacea
   • People’s Trust for Endangered Species (for hedgerows)
   • International Otter Survival Fund
   • World Cetacean Alliance
   • The Falconry Centre – Vulture Conservation
   • South Georgia Heritage Trust (whales)
   • UK Wild Otter Trust

   
   Even if you cannot donate, this is a great opportunity to find out more about what the charities that interest you most do, and to spread awareness of what they do – spread the word!

   The above list doesn’t cover all the charities taking part, so visit the Green Match Fund’s page to find out more!

   #GreenMatchFund

    

2. The Skagit Land Trust in Washington protects another 50 more acres!

   Posted on 8:00pm Thursday 15th Apr 2021

   The Skagit Land Trust is a local non-profit conservation organisation located in the beautiful state of Washington.   It is supported by over 1,600 people (indidivduals, families and businesses).  It protects key natural land for future generations of people and wildlife and for the benefit of the community.

   And great news!

   The Skagit Land Trust has protected over 8,560 acres of land and 46 miles of marine and freshwater shoreline in Skagit County.  It’s done this  working with communities, landowners and partners.

   And good news!  They’ve purchased 50 more acres.  These are at the entrance to Samish Island and the land will be managed as part of the Samish Island Conservation Area.

   The Trust now protects 100 acres at the entrance to Samish Island and over half a mile of marine shoreline.  It includes a beach, freshwater wetlands, a tidal marsh, a small creek and tidelands.    And it means that the entrance will be natural open space forever!

   The purchase was possible thanks to over 200 families, businesses and organisations who donated to help purchase the property, and the Washington State Department of Ecology who helped secure a grant of$875,000 from the National Coastal Weltands Conservation Grant Program.  

   The Trust is working to secure further grant funds and these will help repay loans taken out for the purchase and also to help restore the property.  
   
   

    

   
   The 100 acres includes the Samish Island Conservation Area, and the Samish Flower Farm.  It also includes an adjoining private conservation easement, kindly donated over 15 years ago by Jim Squires Jr and Cliff Squires.  Take a look at the areas protected by the Skagit Land Trust and you’ll see how important conservation easement is.

   The first step is a site clean up. 

   Find out all about the Skagit Land Trust’s Conservation Strategy here.

   This just shows what can be done when people pull together towards a common conservation goal, so well done to every one involved.  Donate here.

3. Wildlife habitat planted for wildlife in Shropshire

   Posted on 8:00pm Tuesday 13th Apr 2021

   
   There’s good news from the Shropshire Hills. 

   National Trust volunteers have planted over 2,000 native trees there as part of a big conservation project.
   
   

   

   
   Introducing the Stepping Stones project

   Stepping Stones is a landscape-scale conservation project.  It’s aiming to improve the area, restoring habitats and linking them together, thereby creating wildlife corridors.

   Volunteers have planted wildlife-friendly saplings such as elder, holly, hawthorn and rowan.  These trees will give nectar, berries and shelter for birds and other wildlife in the future and they will create a corridor that connects areas for wildlife.  
   
   

   
   
   

   Wildlife corridors are critical to wildlife

   The idea of wildlife corridors is that wildlife can move through an area, because the corridors link up areas of habitat so they can get from A to B – almost like their own motorway network, or railway system.

   This project is necessary because the area – like so many others – has lost many hedgerows and trees in fields.  This is because of agricultural practices which have changed over time.

   Patches of woodland have been cut off from each other – so species such as dormice get stuck in one area – they need hedgerows to move through an area.  Less scrub and thicket have meant less breeding habitat for songbirds.

   So planting long strips of native woodland – very wide hedgerows – have created new habitat which link up other areas.
   
   

   

   
   This plan will help strengthen the network of woodland corridors

   The ultimate idea is to strengthen the network of woodland habitat in the area.   This really will help wildlife move about safely – they will have somewhere to nest and rest, too, and it will make the landscape look even more beautiful for us all to enjoy!

   
   You can support the National Trust’s Stepping Stones appeal here.

    

4. New conservation area in the Andes, Southern Ecuador

   Posted on 8:00pm Friday 9th Apr 2021

    

   The World Land Trust is a conservation charity that works with local conservation partners all over the world.  It is an amazing charity and one of my favourites.

   One of things it has is an Action Fund.  This is something people who care about conservation can donate to, and what it enables the Trust to do is to put the donations into action fast if a piece of vital wildlife habitat is in danger of being lost.  The Trust can work with partners on the ground and ensure that the habitat is purchased and saved for wildlife and for local people living in the area.

   The Action Fund was put into action recently; and as a result, there’s a natural safe habitat for the incredible 1,000 mature black-and-chestnut eagle.  There are fewer than 1,000 of these left in the world, so very few indeed.

   But they now have a natural safe haven in Ecuador!

   The World Land Trust reported that over 34,000 acres were added to endangered eagle haven in Ecuador.   Their partner Naturaleza y Cultura Ecuador (NCE for short) has worked been working hard for four years, and as a result, the Santiago Municipal Reserve was officially declared in March 2021!

   Scientists have already recorded 344 plant species, 152 bird species, 57 amphibian, 47 mammals and 11 reptiles in the area so it is full of wildlife.
   
   

   
   
   

   It expands a key corridor- the Sangay-Podocarpus Connectivity Corridor – and it sits between two national parks in Ecuador.   Last year the corridor became Ecuador’s first corridor – is covers 1.4 million acres of diverse, fragile   ecosystems, and includes a bit of another reserve – the Podocarpus – El Condor Biosphere Reserve.  WLT works here with NCE.  Animals such as the jaguar and bear will be able to roam safely.

   The connections go further, because north of the corridor is 200 mile long spine of reserves and national parks along the eastern Andes, connected by reserves backed by the World Land Trust in the llanganates-Sangay Biological Corridor with Fundacion Ecominga. 

   The networked protected areas cover about 4 million acres!

   How was this money raised to buy this 34,000 acres?   In part, by World Land Trust supporters who donated to the Action Fund.  It really does make a difference.

   Read all about the 34,000 acres saved in Ecuador and the impact for the network here.

    

5. Calling all bird lovers! It's World Migratory Bird Day on 9 May 2020

   Posted on 9:00pm Wednesday 6th May 2020

   On the 9th May 2020 (and 10 October 2020), it’s World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD for short).  It’s a global campaign  and it’s dedicated to raising awareness of migratory birds and the need for countries around the world to co-operate in their efforts to save them. This year, the theme is “Birds Connect Our World”. It was picked to highlight how important it is to conserve and restore the ecological connectivity and integrity of ecosystems which support the natural cycles that are essential for migratory birds to survive and thrive. The day gives us all an opportunity to discover more about migratory birds and be in awe at their amazing feats. Migratory birds need networks with stops Migratory birds travel far.  They need to be able to stop to rest and feed and breed. If you like, you could liken it as a journey along a motorway system and every so often, they need to stop for a break to fill their tummies and have a break. Birds need networks of sites They need a network of sites along these routes to breed, to feed, to rest and spend the winter.  They need different sites and habitats, irrelevant of which country they are in. They can cross incredible distances and over impossible terrains such as deserts and open seas.  They cross national borders and soar above any national agenda.  What they do need is for countries to co-operate to ensure their routes are kept open and safe for them.    Examples of migratory birds’ routes The East Asian – Australasian Flyway goes from the Russian Far East and Alaska through East Asia and South-East Asia, down to Australia and New Zealand – 22 countries in all.  The Flyway is home to over 50 million migratory waterbirds from over 250 different populations.   They need a system of wetlands to rest, feed and build up the energy they need for the next part of their journey.  Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust has an example of swan’s migrating from Slimbridge up to their tundra breeding grounds in the Russian Arctic.  RSPB has information about the Arctic tern who travels a rather amazing 22,000 miles a year – the longest migration of all – as they move continually between the Arctic summer and the Antarctic summer.   Swifts breed throughout Europe as far north as Lapland and the Arctic Circle, reaching east across Asia to China. So you can see how important it is that countries work together to give these birds the flight paths they need, with all the facilities along the way. What can be done at a national/international level: Increase action globally via environment treaties such as the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and the Africa-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA).  These are vital to protect migratory birds on their international flight paths. Creating habitat corridors which are protected and which go across boundaries would really help animals who migrate and fly over national boundaries.  Networks of crucial sites which are imperative to migration needs must be safeguarded and managed properly.  Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas as described by BirdLife International give migratory birds all they need during their long flights - necessary feeding, breeding, nesting and sheltering grounds. What individuals like you & me can do: Have a bird-friendly garden with safe shelters and a bird bath.  Give them bird food. Put feeders out of reach of cats.    Spread the word about how important it is to protect migratory birds.  Download and use birding apps – it’s a great way to connect to like-minded bird lovers. Find out more about migratory birds.  There are resources on the WMBD website so fly off and nest and rest there a while and peck at all the information you can.  This day is held twice a year , on 9 May and 10 October so you could prepare an event or attend an October event. Visit BirdLife International and the WMBD’s site here