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1. Great news for the Antarctic

   Posted on 9:00pm Wednesday 11th Jul 2018

   Greenpeace has announced some great news. The majority of the krill fishing industry has agreed to voluntarily stop fishing in sensitive Antarctic waters.  And it’s backing the campaign for ocean sanctuaries in the Antarctic. Penguins, whales and other Antarctic wildlife that feed on krill will be very relieved. And when the Antarctic Ocean Commission meet in October to decide on a massive Sanctuary, the influential krill industry won't be standing in the way. Greenpeace started campaigning on the krill industry back in April.   And the public piles on the pressure – Over 45,000 emails went to Holland & Barrett calling on them to ditch krill oil products fished from areas that need protection. Over 11,000 tweets and Facebook messages went to Boots, calling on them to stop sourcing krill oil products from sensitive Antarctic waters Stickered krill products with the message on Holland and Barrett and Boots shelves nationwide, Visited over 30 Boots shops with 'krill-o-meters' which asked people to choose between an Antarctic Ocean Sanctuary and industrial krill fishing. More people contacted stores stocking dodgy krill products.  Superdrug, Morrisons, Nature’s Best and others listened to customer concerns. Greenpeace says, “This is a major step forward on the road to protecting the Antarctic. With many krill fishing companies now joining the 1.7 million people across the globe already calling for an Antarctic Ocean Sanctuary, we are looking ahead with hope to the Antarctic Ocean Commission's meeting in October.” The British Retail Consortium is now calling on governments to act and protect the Antarctic this year. Do your bit and add your voice The UK Government is part of an Antarctic Ocean Commission which has pledged to protect the Antarctic, so you can urge it to stand up for ocean protection and support the creation of the world’s largest Antarctic ocean sanctuary.  Play a part and add your voice to get governments to act and protect the Antarctic. Sign the petition Greenpeace has got and add your voice.  Penguins, whales and marine life need you!

    

2. African Parks reporting from 2017

   Posted on 9:00pm Monday 25th Jun 2018

   African Parks is responsible for the rehabilitation and long term management of national parks and protected areas. They do this in partnership with governments and local communities, and the goal is to make teach park ecologically, socially and financially sustainable in the long term. And at the end of 2017, they were responsible for managing 14 protected areas in 9 countries (it’s now 15).   The areas spanned 40,540 square miles covering 7 of the 11 ecological biomes on the continent.  They have a large counter-poaching force with 1,000 rangers and over 5,000 staff across the parks. They are undertaking various active management interventions: Extreme species translocations and reintroductions Providing security to create safer spaces for humans and wildlife Ensuring that local people benefit Where security has been restored and governance established, they’ve seen the rise of civility and a better way of life has returned.  There is tremendous momentum to make this rehabilitation happen and to continue to build on successes that African Parks has so far achieved.   Founded in 2000, it’s a non-profit conservation organisation. Their Annual Report for 2017 Restoration:  Nature’s Return highlights: The Chinko team achieved success on the ground keeping 10,000km2 free of cattle and giving wildlife a chance to return 39 elephants were collared in one of the largest elephant collaring exercises in Africa, giving them better protection from armed poachers The successful reintroduction of 18 black rhinos from South Africa to the Akagera Park in Rwanda, 10 years after they had locally become extinct.   7 years were spent making the park safe and reducing poaching to an all time low.  Singing children lined the route between Kigali and Akagera to celebrate their return. The park received 37,000 tourists for the year, making it 75% self-sustaining In August, 520 elephants were translocated from the Liwonde National Park and the Majete Wildlife Reserve to the Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve.  Tourism is on the rise here, and back in Liwonde the human-wildlife conflict has dropped dramatically as a result A long term agreement was signed with the Government of Benin for the Penjari National Park, the largest remaining intact ecosystem in all of West Africa, and a stronghold for the critically endangered West African lion and African elephant In December, African Parks signed a 25 management agreement with the Government of Mozambique to manage the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park, the first marine reserve in its portfolio And HRH Prince Harry joined African Parks as their President. African Parks’ model for its protected area management  Law enforcement for the long term sustainability of the parks Biodiversity conservation, with active management of the wildlife and their habitats Community development – the process of building constituencies for conservation through economic development Tourism and enterprise – well managed parks contribute directly to the local and national economy Management and infrastructure – essential for governance and effective park management African Parks goal is to manage 20 African parks by 2020.    You can be a part of this journey and give your support.    Sign up for African Parks’ newsletter Donate to African Parks

3. 30 acres on coastline saved in Norfolk at Salthouse

   Posted on 9:00am Thursday 14th Jun 2018

   National Trust supporters and donors have enabled the National Trust to acquire 30 acres of Norfolk coastline. The site is at Salthouse, and the Trust is working in partnership with the current grazier, who will manage the land as the National Trust’s tenant. The Norfolk coast is home to a wide diversity of wildlife, and the space inland will enable the animals to move, adjust and retreat as the coastline changes. ©National Trust The area is home to over-wintering wildfowl such as Brent Geese. The land sits next to land already in the National Trust’s care, and that land is managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust. The new acquisition will enable the National Trust to widen and join up habitats – and this will help make nature more resilient along the coastline. The donors were giving to the National Trust’s Neptune Coastline Campaign which has supported the Trust’s work to care for coastline for 50 years, and will help it well into the future. You can find out more about the Salthouse area here Donate to the National Trust Neptune Coastline Campaign here.

    

4. 20,000 acres protected in Wisconsin, USA

   Posted on 10:00pm Wednesday 13th Jun 2018

   The Mississippi Valley Conservancy  has protected over 20,000 acres permanently from development! Its mission is to conserve native and working landscapes.  It seeks to protect rare plant communities, threatened wildlife species, scenic beauties and opportunities to undertake sustainable agriculture.  And it gives people the chance to get outside, connect with nature and develop healthy habits with good exercise. You can see some of the nature reserves it has protected here. The Boscobel Bluffs State Natural Area is one region that is protected  ©Mississippi Valley Conservancy And it’s been able to protect more land, thanks to landowners working with the Conservancy. A 360 acre farm received protection forever from development, especially from frac sand mining  which is very prevalent in the county.  The owners of the farm, Bill and Mary Ann Hein, have achieved this permanent protection of their much loved farm by a voluntary conservation agreement with the Mississippi Valley Conservancy.  The property is protected from future development, mining or any other habitat destruction. Meantime, Tom and Sharon Sharratt have made their second conservation agreement with the Conservancy for an additional 82 acres of land in Wisconsin.  This agreement protects the natural resources on their land by limiting activities that would disrupt the farming, native habitat and wildlife that thrive there. 40 acres of wildlife-rich land has also been added to those properties which are being permanently protected, thanks to self-described biology “nerds” Judy Kingsbury and Leslie Grossberg. If that wasn’t enough, the Mississippi Valley Conservancy received a rare gift of $1 million from an anonymous donor who wants to see the donation tripled to be a legacy for the Conservancy, which has launched an endowment campaign to fulfil the donor’s vision with a fund called “Our Children’s Natural Heritage Endowment.” The Conservancy uses public and private money to preserve land, whilst still providing public access on some lands. Make a donation to the Mississippi Valley Conservancy

    

5. Wildlife corridor in Canada needs protecting from development

   Posted on 9:00pm Wednesday 13th Jun 2018

   There’s a group working to protect vulnerable lands in British Columbia. Members of the Land Conservancy of British Colombia have given thousands of dollars in order to protect the Clearwater Wildlife Corridor.  ©Jason Hollinger $61,000 have been donated so far out of the $100,000 needed.   The protection will help protect four hectares of wildlife corridor in the Clearwater River Valley. This corridor will connect 2 southern lobes of Wells Gray Provincial Park.   This means that cougar, bobcat, wolves, coyotes, grizzly, deer and mouse won’t have to cross private lands when they migrate between the winter and summer ranges. The private lands in the area are undergoing considerable development pressure, and the conservancy is working to find the final $39,000 of the purchase price by the end of the year so the land can be protected. Be a part of the protection and donate here.