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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world;
indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." 
Margaret Mead, American anthropologist, 1901-1978
 


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  1. Bangalow Koalas creating koala wildlife corridor

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    Planting trees with Bangalow Koalas and IFAW

    The IFAW (that’s the International Fund for Animal Welfare) have planted 1,500 koala trees on Irish comedian Jimeion’s property.

    A number of private land owners in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, have taken action to keep the local koalas safe.  They are allowing parts of their properties to be re-planted with eucalyptus trees.  This means the koalas can have a safe haven and pass through the landscape.

    The idea came from Bangalow Koalas who want to restore a koala wildlife corridor from Byron Bay to Repentance Creek.  A neighbour of Jimeion kindly let everyone use his paddock so that they could get to the steep land behind Jimeion’s property.

    Over 120 people came to help, all wanting to help plant koala trees and secure the species’ future.   Amongst them were old and young volunteers – plus tourists from the UK and Germany.  Imagine going home after your holiday and telling people you were part of a volunteer group which planted trees to help secure koalas’ future!

    The land had been prepared already and the holes pre-dug.  Saplings had been provided – and all the volunteers planted 1,500 trees IN ONE HOUR!  They trees were the koalas’ favourite local food trees such as red gum, swamp mahogany, tallow wood and the important medicinal melaleuca that koalas eat from instinct when they don’t feel well.

    The trees grow quickly in the climate and in a few years they will be home for koalas, birds and native wildlife.  And Jimeoin hopes that by planting trees on his land, the koalas will stay.  

    The key message IFAW want us to take from this is that yes, there are messages of loss and possible extinction of koalas.  They are certainly in trouble.  But there is hope – and crucially THERE IS A SOLUTION.

    IFAW and Bangalow Koalas hope to plant 25,000 trees by the end of the year. 

    It’s a fantastic thing to do and I hope they make it.  A big thank you to both IFAW and Bangalow Koalas, and also to volunteers and – of course – to the land owners who are willing to help the koalas in this way 

    Visit IFAW here

    Visit Bangalow Koalas here – check out their gallery, whatever you do.  It has some beautiful photos and videos of the Bangalow Koalas!  You can become a member or donate through their website to help. 

    Here’s a video of another project Bungalow Koalas worked on with the Northern Rivers Community Foundation.  They started a wildlife corridor in Binna Burra in the Northern Riveres of NSW to help conserve the local koalas. 

  2. World Ranger Day - Support the wildlife rangers with the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

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    The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is a safe refuge for the critically endangered black rhino and the endangered Grevy’s zebra, the elephant, lion, giraffe, wild dog and other iconic wildlife species in Kenya.  It is also home to over 400 bird species.

    The Conservancy envisions a future when people in Kenya value, protect and benefit from wildlife so that they can derive their day to day livelihoods in ways that are compatible with thriving wildlife habitat. 

    Lewa has combined the techniques of world-class anti-poaching operations, including cutting edge monitoring technology, with the engagement of the surrounding communities as critical partners in conservation.


    A big thank you to Fridah and all the rangers
    for all you do to keep wildlife safe.

    The good news is that Lewa has had NO poaching of rhino since 2013, thanks to their amazing ranger team.

    And this World Ranger Day, you can support their efforts – and every gift you give will be matched!


    Support the rangers on World Ranger Day
    Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

    This will enable the team to continue protecting wildlife, look after their canine colleagues and get equipped with vital resources such as radios.

    Give this week and double the impact of your gift! 

     

  3. Rare Wildlife and Plants are Blooming in Welsh Meadows

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    Thanks to a conservation scheme, rare wildlife and plants are coming back to meadows in Wales!

    Since the 1930s, meadows have been vanishing from the landscape there.  In fact, 97% of wildflower meadows were lost due to heavy fertiliser use and early hay crops – which also meant that 63% of butterflies disappeared as well.

    However, the National Trust Wales have been working hard to reverse this disappearance.

    Last year, the charity created 40 acres of new meadows across the country.   They care for 582.2 acres of meadow.  And good news!   Amongst them was Chirk Castle, where 6 hectares of herb rich meadows were re-established.

    Wildlife flowers such as the yellow rattle – not seen since World War Two – have been sighted in Chirk, in North Wales.  There’s been a 50% increase in yellow rattle and eyebright plants!

    The idea is to form a basic habitat.   The Trust have already noticed an increase in the numbers of insects and small mammals in the grass on the ground;  and kestrels in the skies above them, hunting them.  

    Green-winged orchids are also blossoming at Bodnant Garden near Colwyn Bay.

    Farmers are also benefitting.  Allowing their hay crops to grow wild for longer before they cut them means that they get more minerals and fibre. 

    A win-win, all round then!

  4. More forest land bought up for safe keeping with the Cumberland Forest Project

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    The non-profit organisation the Nature Conservancy announced on Monday that  it has partnered up with private investors to acquire 101,000 hectares of forest land. 

    This forest land lies in the coalfields of Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia.

    The Cumberland Forest Project will do several things:

    • Protect the land
    • Make money through sustainable forestry, recreational leases and the eventual sale of the properties.
    • Help offset carbon
    • Benefit wildlife
    • Help water quality

    The forest lands cover 100,000 acres in Kentucky & Tennessee.   Some 153,000 acres are in south-west Virginia.  As such, this project’s land is one of the largest conservation efforts the group has taken up in the east of the US. Theland was bought from timber investment management companies for $130,000.

    The Cumberland Forest Project won’t own the mineral rights of the land.  This means mining could still take place – but the Nature Conservancy says just a small percentage of the land would be subject to mining and the group would have  a say in the process.


    The area includes the central Appalachians which are especially important to preserve biodiversity and help wildlife adapt to climate change. 

    The Nature Conservancy hopes that this model can be done in other areas, so that long term, a super highway of protected land could be created along the mountain range. 

    It means conservation can happen on a scale which can’t be achieved through philanthropy on its own.

    Conservation needs all the help it can get and it also needs new ways of working so it will be interesting to what this model can achieve. 

    Visit the Nature Conservancy here to see how you can help

     

  5. Land donated - Presidential Estates in Eastern USA

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    The West Virginia Governor, Jim Justice, and his family have made a donation to the future of Virginia.

    They have donated 4,500 acres in Virginia and in doing so have forfeited hundreds of development rights.   That’s about 7 square miles.

    The area will remain as timberland and for agriculture – but at least it won’t be full of sprawling housing developments and shopping malls.  

    Known as Presidential Estates, 2,657 acres of the property are ranked as having “High” or “Very High” forest conservation value, according to the Virginia Department of Forestry.   The property also has over 18 miles of watercourses.  These contribute to the aquatic habitat and public drinking water supplies of communities downstream.

    There are plenty of opportunities for us all to make land donations and every single square foot we can donate help.  

    Pledge a patch for wildlife - you don't need thousands of acres to make a difference.   

    Every square foot helps.  
    Your patch can be as big as this pot with wildlife friendly flowers in it!
    pic copyright to Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.

    Worcestershire Wildlife Trust are asking people in the area to Pledge a Patch – which means dedicating an area to wildlife.   This patch could be in your garden, school, community or work place.  It could be a window box, woodland, a bed full of wild-flowers, a tiny pond – anything that makes a difference to wildlife.

    The more of us who can do this, the better.  We have turned our garden over to wildlife and consider it theirs, as much as ours.

    Meantime, donations such as Governor Justice and his family make also help considerably, of course, so if you have a patch of land…. please consider leaving it to a local conservation charity or work out ways to make the most of for wildlife.   Keep it safe from human development.