#protectnature — Public Fediverse posts

#OntarioGreenbelt is a Refuge for Species at Risk

#Toronto, May 22, 2026 – "On World #Biodiversity Day, a new report published by #OntarioNature demonstrates the critical role that the Greenbelt plays as a safe haven for some of Ontario’s most vulnerable species.

"The report – Species at Risk in the Greenbelt: Successes, Challenges and Opportunities – shows that since 2004, the number of species at risk living in the Greenbelt has increased by 68%, rising from 72 to 121 species. That growth far outpaces provincial trends, confirming the Greenbelt’s critical importance for biodiversity in southern Ontario.

"The 121 at-risk species that inhabit the Greenbelt represent 42% of the total species at risk in Ontario – including rare birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and plants. Some, like the hooded warbler, are showing signs of recovery thanks to protected habitats and coordinated conservation efforts. Others, like redside dace and Jefferson salamander, are struggling as habitat fragmentation and pollution harm breeding and feeding grounds. The habitats the Greenbelt provides for the hooded warbler, redside dace, Jefferson salamander and many other species not only sustain this diversity of life but play an essential role in human health by ensuring the flow of clean water, filtering the air and providing a natural buffer against flooding.

" 'The Greenbelt shows us what’s possible when nature is given space to breathe,' said Ontario Nature’s Acting Conservation Science and #Stewardship Director, Jenna Quinn. 'But we can’t expect it to do all the work on its own. Species at risk need action to ensure their recovery.'

"According to Ontario Nature’s Conservation Policy and Campaigns Director, Tony Morris: 'The #Greenbelt isn’t just a buffer against #UrbanSprawl, it’s a refuge for a diversity of life. Greenbelt #forests, #wetlands and #rivers are vital strongholds for many species that have lost habitats elsewhere in southern Ontario.'

"The Greenbelt is a cherished public policy that celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025. On this #WorldBiodiversityDay, we reflect on the importance of the variety of life on Earth and encourage actions to protect it. The Greenbelt’s role in protecting habitats and vulnerable species is more important than ever. Collectively, we must do everything we can to protect, strengthen and expand the Greenbelt to keep Ontario self-reliant, secure and ready to meet future challenges."

Learn more:
https://ontarionature.org/news-release/greenbelt-is-a-refuge-for-species-at-risk/

#SolarPunkSunday #WildlifeCorridors
#PreserveTheForest #ReconnectNature #Canada #Biodiversity #ProtectNature #Interconnectedness #NatureCorridors #EndangeredSpecies #HabitRestoration

#OntarioGreenbelt is a Refuge for Species at Risk

#Toronto, May 22, 2026 – "On World #Biodiversity Day, a new report published by #OntarioNature demonstrates the critical role that the Greenbelt plays as a safe haven for some of Ontario’s most vulnerable species.

"The report – Species at Risk in the Greenbelt: Successes, Challenges and Opportunities – shows that since 2004, the number of species at risk living in the Greenbelt has increased by 68%, rising from 72 to 121 species. That growth far outpaces provincial trends, confirming the Greenbelt’s critical importance for biodiversity in southern Ontario.

"The 121 at-risk species that inhabit the Greenbelt represent 42% of the total species at risk in Ontario – including rare birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and plants. Some, like the hooded warbler, are showing signs of recovery thanks to protected habitats and coordinated conservation efforts. Others, like redside dace and Jefferson salamander, are struggling as habitat fragmentation and pollution harm breeding and feeding grounds. The habitats the Greenbelt provides for the hooded warbler, redside dace, Jefferson salamander and many other species not only sustain this diversity of life but play an essential role in human health by ensuring the flow of clean water, filtering the air and providing a natural buffer against flooding.

" 'The Greenbelt shows us what’s possible when nature is given space to breathe,' said Ontario Nature’s Acting Conservation Science and #Stewardship Director, Jenna Quinn. 'But we can’t expect it to do all the work on its own. Species at risk need action to ensure their recovery.'

"According to Ontario Nature’s Conservation Policy and Campaigns Director, Tony Morris: 'The #Greenbelt isn’t just a buffer against #UrbanSprawl, it’s a refuge for a diversity of life. Greenbelt #forests, #wetlands and #rivers are vital strongholds for many species that have lost habitats elsewhere in southern Ontario.'

"The Greenbelt is a cherished public policy that celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025. On this #WorldBiodiversityDay, we reflect on the importance of the variety of life on Earth and encourage actions to protect it. The Greenbelt’s role in protecting habitats and vulnerable species is more important than ever. Collectively, we must do everything we can to protect, strengthen and expand the Greenbelt to keep Ontario self-reliant, secure and ready to meet future challenges."

Learn more:
https://ontarionature.org/news-release/greenbelt-is-a-refuge-for-species-at-risk/

#SolarPunkSunday #WildlifeCorridors
#PreserveTheForest #ReconnectNature #Canada #Biodiversity #ProtectNature #Interconnectedness #NatureCorridors #EndangeredSpecies #HabitRestoration

#OntarioGreenbelt is a Refuge for Species at Risk

#Toronto, May 22, 2026 – "On World #Biodiversity Day, a new report published by #OntarioNature demonstrates the critical role that the Greenbelt plays as a safe haven for some of Ontario’s most vulnerable species.

"The report – Species at Risk in the Greenbelt: Successes, Challenges and Opportunities – shows that since 2004, the number of species at risk living in the Greenbelt has increased by 68%, rising from 72 to 121 species. That growth far outpaces provincial trends, confirming the Greenbelt’s critical importance for biodiversity in southern Ontario.

"The 121 at-risk species that inhabit the Greenbelt represent 42% of the total species at risk in Ontario – including rare birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and plants. Some, like the hooded warbler, are showing signs of recovery thanks to protected habitats and coordinated conservation efforts. Others, like redside dace and Jefferson salamander, are struggling as habitat fragmentation and pollution harm breeding and feeding grounds. The habitats the Greenbelt provides for the hooded warbler, redside dace, Jefferson salamander and many other species not only sustain this diversity of life but play an essential role in human health by ensuring the flow of clean water, filtering the air and providing a natural buffer against flooding.

" 'The Greenbelt shows us what’s possible when nature is given space to breathe,' said Ontario Nature’s Acting Conservation Science and #Stewardship Director, Jenna Quinn. 'But we can’t expect it to do all the work on its own. Species at risk need action to ensure their recovery.'

"According to Ontario Nature’s Conservation Policy and Campaigns Director, Tony Morris: 'The #Greenbelt isn’t just a buffer against #UrbanSprawl, it’s a refuge for a diversity of life. Greenbelt #forests, #wetlands and #rivers are vital strongholds for many species that have lost habitats elsewhere in southern Ontario.'

"The Greenbelt is a cherished public policy that celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025. On this #WorldBiodiversityDay, we reflect on the importance of the variety of life on Earth and encourage actions to protect it. The Greenbelt’s role in protecting habitats and vulnerable species is more important than ever. Collectively, we must do everything we can to protect, strengthen and expand the Greenbelt to keep Ontario self-reliant, secure and ready to meet future challenges."

Learn more:
https://ontarionature.org/news-release/greenbelt-is-a-refuge-for-species-at-risk/

#SolarPunkSunday #WildlifeCorridors
#PreserveTheForest #ReconnectNature #Canada #Biodiversity #ProtectNature #Interconnectedness #NatureCorridors #EndangeredSpecies #HabitRestoration

#OntarioGreenbelt is a Refuge for Species at Risk

#Toronto, May 22, 2026 – "On World #Biodiversity Day, a new report published by #OntarioNature demonstrates the critical role that the Greenbelt plays as a safe haven for some of Ontario’s most vulnerable species.

"The report – Species at Risk in the Greenbelt: Successes, Challenges and Opportunities – shows that since 2004, the number of species at risk living in the Greenbelt has increased by 68%, rising from 72 to 121 species. That growth far outpaces provincial trends, confirming the Greenbelt’s critical importance for biodiversity in southern Ontario.

"The 121 at-risk species that inhabit the Greenbelt represent 42% of the total species at risk in Ontario – including rare birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and plants. Some, like the hooded warbler, are showing signs of recovery thanks to protected habitats and coordinated conservation efforts. Others, like redside dace and Jefferson salamander, are struggling as habitat fragmentation and pollution harm breeding and feeding grounds. The habitats the Greenbelt provides for the hooded warbler, redside dace, Jefferson salamander and many other species not only sustain this diversity of life but play an essential role in human health by ensuring the flow of clean water, filtering the air and providing a natural buffer against flooding.

" 'The Greenbelt shows us what’s possible when nature is given space to breathe,' said Ontario Nature’s Acting Conservation Science and #Stewardship Director, Jenna Quinn. 'But we can’t expect it to do all the work on its own. Species at risk need action to ensure their recovery.'

"According to Ontario Nature’s Conservation Policy and Campaigns Director, Tony Morris: 'The #Greenbelt isn’t just a buffer against #UrbanSprawl, it’s a refuge for a diversity of life. Greenbelt #forests, #wetlands and #rivers are vital strongholds for many species that have lost habitats elsewhere in southern Ontario.'

"The Greenbelt is a cherished public policy that celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025. On this #WorldBiodiversityDay, we reflect on the importance of the variety of life on Earth and encourage actions to protect it. The Greenbelt’s role in protecting habitats and vulnerable species is more important than ever. Collectively, we must do everything we can to protect, strengthen and expand the Greenbelt to keep Ontario self-reliant, secure and ready to meet future challenges."

Learn more:
https://ontarionature.org/news-release/greenbelt-is-a-refuge-for-species-at-risk/

#SolarPunkSunday #WildlifeCorridors
#PreserveTheForest #ReconnectNature #Canada #Biodiversity #ProtectNature #Interconnectedness #NatureCorridors #EndangeredSpecies #HabitRestoration

#OntarioGreenbelt is a Refuge for Species at Risk

#Toronto, May 22, 2026 – "On World #Biodiversity Day, a new report published by #OntarioNature demonstrates the critical role that the Greenbelt plays as a safe haven for some of Ontario’s most vulnerable species.

"The report – Species at Risk in the Greenbelt: Successes, Challenges and Opportunities – shows that since 2004, the number of species at risk living in the Greenbelt has increased by 68%, rising from 72 to 121 species. That growth far outpaces provincial trends, confirming the Greenbelt’s critical importance for biodiversity in southern Ontario.

"The 121 at-risk species that inhabit the Greenbelt represent 42% of the total species at risk in Ontario – including rare birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and plants. Some, like the hooded warbler, are showing signs of recovery thanks to protected habitats and coordinated conservation efforts. Others, like redside dace and Jefferson salamander, are struggling as habitat fragmentation and pollution harm breeding and feeding grounds. The habitats the Greenbelt provides for the hooded warbler, redside dace, Jefferson salamander and many other species not only sustain this diversity of life but play an essential role in human health by ensuring the flow of clean water, filtering the air and providing a natural buffer against flooding.

" 'The Greenbelt shows us what’s possible when nature is given space to breathe,' said Ontario Nature’s Acting Conservation Science and #Stewardship Director, Jenna Quinn. 'But we can’t expect it to do all the work on its own. Species at risk need action to ensure their recovery.'

"According to Ontario Nature’s Conservation Policy and Campaigns Director, Tony Morris: 'The #Greenbelt isn’t just a buffer against #UrbanSprawl, it’s a refuge for a diversity of life. Greenbelt #forests, #wetlands and #rivers are vital strongholds for many species that have lost habitats elsewhere in southern Ontario.'

"The Greenbelt is a cherished public policy that celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025. On this #WorldBiodiversityDay, we reflect on the importance of the variety of life on Earth and encourage actions to protect it. The Greenbelt’s role in protecting habitats and vulnerable species is more important than ever. Collectively, we must do everything we can to protect, strengthen and expand the Greenbelt to keep Ontario self-reliant, secure and ready to meet future challenges."

Learn more:
https://ontarionature.org/news-release/greenbelt-is-a-refuge-for-species-at-risk/

#SolarPunkSunday #WildlifeCorridors
#PreserveTheForest #ReconnectNature #Canada #Biodiversity #ProtectNature #Interconnectedness #NatureCorridors #EndangeredSpecies #HabitRestoration

Collapsing Mountains In Alaska Are Causing Massive Tsunamis 

https://onlinemarketingscoops.com/2026/07/13/collapsing-mountains-in-alaska-are-causing-massive-tsunamis/

No surprise. #ChelliePingree voted against HR556, #JaredGolden voted for it.

Protect #Wildlife from Toxic #LeadAmmunition [and #FishingTackle]

"#HR556, a bill to prevent federal agencies from prohibiting or regulating the use of toxic lead ammunition and fishing tackle on certain public lands and waters, passed the House of Representatives on March 18. However, we are not done fighting this bill! Lead ammunition is a well-documented threat, leading to illness and death for millions of birds and other wild animals each year. Since there is no safe level for lead exposure, hunters, anglers, and their families can also be harmed. Please contact your US representative about their vote on H.R. 556 and urge your senators to oppose this bill."

https://awionline.org/action-center#/535

Bill Status and details:

H.R.556 — 119th Congress (2025-2026)

Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025

"This bill bars the Fish and Wildlife Service (#FWS), the Bureau of Land Management (#BLM), and the Forest Service from prohibiting or regulating the use of lead ammunition or tackle on federal land or water. The bill makes exceptions for specified existing regulations and where the FWS, the BLM, or the Forest Service determines that a decline in wildlife population at the specific unit of federal land or water is primarily caused by the use of lead in ammunition or tackle, based on the field data from such unit, and the state approves the regulations."

House Roll Call Vote 93 119th Congress - 2nd Session (2026)

Passed - Yea: 215 | Nay: 202
(R 208-1 Pres=0 NV=9, D 7-201 Pres=0 NV=6, I 0-0 Pres=0 NV=0)

Full voting roster:
https://www.congress.gov/votes/house/119-2/93

#USPol #MainePol #ProtectWildlife #ProtectNature #LeadPoisoning #WaterIsLife #SoilIsLife #NatureIsLife

A moment of camouflage and curiosity 🦅 This young Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) blends perfectly into the tree, showing how #wildlife adapts in natural environments. As one of the great #BirdsOfPrey in the #Accipitridae family, it symbolizes freedom, strength, and balance. Let’s #ProtectNature and keep these majestic creatures safe every tree, every act of #Conservation matters 🌍 #WildlifePhotography #NatureLovers #SaveWildlife #BaldEagle #EnvironmentalJustice #BirdWatching #ForestLife

How has nature shaped your creativity? Share your story below! #NatureInspires #CreativeJourney #ArtAndNature #Inspiration #HumanExpression #NaturalBeauty #CreativeSynergy #NatureIsKey #ArtisticInspiration #ProtectNature #Sustainability #Harmony
https://medium.com/@mohindroo.sanjay66/art-will-never-be-able-to-exist-without-nature-pierre-bonnard-4db6cf27c5e3

[Short film] #Enchukunoto (The Return)

Laissa Malih with John Ole Tingoi (#Maasai)

"As the first female Maasai filmmaker, Laissa Malih initially set out to document the land-based practices of her forefathers and ways in which climate change is reshaping Maasai communities. In returning to the IL-Laikipiak Maasai village that her parents left when she was a child, Malih experiences an epiphany: her own life is a reflection of the myriad challenges between Maasai youth and elders, women and men, ancestral ways of passing down essential knowledge and modern methods of education.

"In ENCHUKUNOTO (The Return), Malih’s singular perspective also challenges ways in which the Maasai peoples have long been seen and documented by tourists and other outsiders. 'Many tourists come to our Maa lands to film the lions, the gazelles,' she observes. 'The camera takes and takes. I wonder what my camera can give my people in return?'

"Interweaving verite with Malih’s insights, Malih offers a heretofore unseen perspective as an insider and an outsider, a woman among men, a filmmaker carrying on sacred Maasai traditions of storytelling in an era defined by uncertainty."

https://www.reciprocity.org/films/enchukunoto

#SolarPunkSunday #Nature #ProtectNature #CulturalPreservation #IndigenousAfricans #MassaiPeople #WomenDirectedFilms #DCEFF #IndigenousStorytellers
#IndigenousFilms #LandDefenders #ReciprocityProject #Reciprocity #IndigenousFilmMakers #IndigenousWisdom #IndigenousKnowledge #Reciprocity #FilmVerite

#FlashbackFriday
2020.

Cruising back to Campbell River from #FishFarmsOut flotilla protest & no restocking patrol.

Always put #WildFirst ✊️

#ProtectTheWild #WildSalmonAlliance #NoLicenseRenewal #Frankenfish #Environmentalist #Ecological #Activism #DirectAction #OneEarth #OceanGuardians #SalmonGuardians #StandUpForSalmon #BoycottFarmedSalmon #SayNoToFarmedSalmon #CDNpoli #BCpoli #BritishColumbia #Cascadia #PacificNorthwest #BCcoast #CoastalBC #Westcoast #Oceans #DemandMPAs #PNW #Activist #ProtectNature #DiscoveryIslands #archipelago #boating #marine

#FlashbackFriday
2020.

I was invited to go on a #flotilla #protest led by #IndigenousChiefs & leaders from the North Island in late 2019 - we went in March of 2020. To stop 2 open net fish farms, in the #DiscoveryIslands archipelago, from restocking their pens. These fish farms are remote & they don't want public to access them. No restocking was able to happen on day we went on flotilla protest & patrol.

I've been a part of the battle here to get #FishFarmsOut for over a decade. There's finally some progress but we need to still keep up the pressure on federal & provincial governments.
#SaveWildSalmon because they're a #KeystoneSpecies & if we lose them, it sets off chain reactions in both #ocean & #OldGrowthForest #ecosystems. Wild salmon are extremely important to the Indigenous peoples of BC & the fight to protect them goes back decades.

Always put #WildFirst ✊️

#ProtectTheWild #WildSalmonAlliance #NoLicenseRenewal #FloatingViruses #Frankenfish #Environmentalist #Ecological #Activism #DirectAction #OneEarth #OceanGuardians #SalmonGuardians #SalmonPeople #StandUpForSalmon #BoycottFarmedSalmon #SayNoToFarmedSalmon #CDNpoli #BCpoli #BritishColumbia #Cascadia #PacificNorthwest #BCcoast #CoastalBC #Westcoast #Oceans #DemandMPAs #PNW #Activist #ProtectNature

#PacificOcean peekaboo.

#ocean #hiking #VancouverIsland #JuanDeFucaTrail #PacificNorthwest #forest #nature #VanIsle #Cascadia #PNW #ProtectNature #foggy #OceanMist #photography #BeachAccess #JuanDeFucaDistrict #PacheedahtTerritory #CoastalBC #Westcoast #Lightchasing

Half of all #eelgrass in #CascoBay has died within last four years, experts say

Eelgrass, according to Friends of Casco Bay, is home to juvenile lobster and fish. Without eelgrass, much of Maine's seafood economy loses its base, they said.

By Jack Molmud
March 29, 2023

SOUTH PORTLAND, #Maine — According to a report from Friends of Casco Bay, 54 percent of all eelgrass meadows in Casco Bay have died off since 2018.

"This comes as the 2022 to 2023 winter saw water temps reach four degrees above average.

"'My first response was it's heartbreaking,' Will Everitt, the executive director of Friends of Casco Bay said. 'My second response was now is the time we have to do more than ever to protect the bay.'

"Everitt said eelgrass is dying due to a combination of consequences from the warm water.

"Warm water attracts more invasive #GreenCrabs, which cut the eelgrass and eat softshell crabs, he said. This disturbs the naturally-occurring species, he said.

"'When we have a really cold winter it can kill back the green crabs,' Everitt said.

"He added a warm winter won't kill as many green crabs, allowing them to reproduce and spawn more green crabs for summer and fall.

"'The loss of this is tragic and could have a huge impact on our coastal waters,' Everitt said.

"Everitt added the #WarmingOceans in Maine also result in more frequent #AlgaeBlooms, which prevent the eelgrass from accessing proper sunlight to grow.

"Fewer eelgrass meadows mean fewer lobsters in inshore waters, he added.

"'A number of critters in the bay depend on this... the warming waters are going to do a number on this if it continues,' Everitt said.

"If the situation continues to worsen, Everitt suggested experts would recommend planting eelgrass from more southern states so that subspecies can handle the warmer temperatures Maine is set to experience."

https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/tech/science/environment/half-of-all-eelgrass-in-casco-bay-has-died-in-the-last-four-years-experts-say-environment-climate-maine-science/97-addbbefc-8513-4860-9289-52e4250299fc

#FriendsOfCascoBay #SaltMarshes #SaveTheWetlands #EelGrass #SaveTheWetlands
#SaveTheMarshes #ProtectNature #NewEngland #GulfOfMaine

My nature & ancient trees loving heart breaks, every time I see more clearcut deforestation. With the rapid acceleration of climate change, our foolish, greedy, short-sighted government continues to accept dirty deals with ecocidal corporations - going against public interests. They greenwash & whitewash while still allowing mass clearcuts to happen in disappearing ancient forests on the island.

Please - don't stop fighting to #ProtectOldGrowth #forests 🌲❤️🌲 #AncientTrees need #ForestDefenders in times of increased, rampant #CorporateGreed & sellout #ecocide enabling governments ✊️

#BCNewDeathParty #BCpoli #SaveOldGrowth #DefendNature #TreesOverGreed #TreesAreEarthsLungs #Nature #ProtectNature #WildFirst #BCForestryReform #deforestation #StopEcocide #StopClearcuts #photography #BanCorporateLobbyists #DavidEby #BCNDP #EbyTheEnabler #ProtectForests #BCTourism #VancouverIsland #Cowichan #VanIsle #PacificNorthwest #Cascadia #PNW #BCgovernment #BCNDPLegacyoOfDeath #StopDeforestation #OneEarth #BritishColumbia #Canada #WorldInMyEyes #YYJphotographers #DisabledPhotographers #Activism #ActivistPhotography #Environmentalist #EcoJustice #FightForNature #NatureGuardians #StopTheSaws #CrimesAgainstHumanity #morose #SuperUnnaturalBC #TourismBC #TourismVanvouverIsland #EcoCrimes #monochrome #BWphotography #BWphoto #ThickTrunkTuesday

From 2022, via @mongabay

‘#Nature has priority’: #Rewilding map showcases #nature-led restoration

"The term [rewilding] dates back to the late 1990s, when a pair of scientists, #MichaelSoulé and #ReedNoss, introduced rewilding as a concept that centered on the restoration of #wilderness and the return of large animals, especially carnivores, to the landscape."

by John Cannon on 11 April 2022

"In the past decade, the European #bison (Bison bonasus) has made a comeback in Central and Eastern Europe. Hunters had killed the last known bison in the region nearly a century ago. But thanks to reintroduction programs in Belarus, Poland, Russia and Romania, nearly four times as many bison are alive today as there were in 2003. The increase, to some 7,000 animals, was enough to prompt the IUCN to downgrade the European bison’s conservation status from vulnerable to near threatened in 2020.

"The largest of #Romania’s free-roaming herds lives in the #ȚarcuMountains, a low-slung range in the Southern Carpathians heavy with old-growth forest. The reintroduction of the bison, including the recent addition of two males and six females in 2020, is a collaboration of WWF Romania and the Netherlands-based nonprofit #RewildingEurope. It’s also one of dozens of rewilding projects featured on a new map from the Global Rewilding Alliance that was officially launched April 11.

"'I wasn’t aware that you have [#WildBison] going through Romania,' said Alexander Watson, CEO of #OpenForests, the social enterprise company based in Germany hosting the rewilding project map."

Read more:
https://news.mongabay.com/2022/04/nature-has-priority-rewilding-map-showcases-nature-led-restoration/

#RestoreNature #ProtectNature #Europe #SolarPunkSunday

#MonochromeMonday

They keep killing the ancients.
Men who kill elder trees, are men who kill their children's futures.
Souls must be disconnected from nature & their spirits desperate for money, for them to be OK destroying #OldGrowth forests, for a temporary paycheque.
There are more ethical ways to earn a living.
Stop believing industrial & government #greenwashing lies.
#ClearcutLogging kills #ecosystems & throws #ecological balance out of whack.

Government tells us to not fret, that they're managing #forestry better - they're #greedy, #sellout #LIARS. You can go see for yourself, how many clearcuts are still happening on big scales, at several places across Vancouver Island & some parts of BC interior where greedy corporations are decimating the last inland #TemperateRainforest in the world. Our #neoliberal BC NDP government is OK with ongoing mass ecocide - they get money from industry lobbyists 🤑🤮😡

Don't stop, fighting to #ProtectOldGrowth #forests 🌲❤️🌲 #AncientTrees need #ForestDefenders in times of increased, rampant #CorporateGreed & sellout #ecocide enabling governments ✊️

#BCNewDeathParty #BCpoli #SaveOldGrowth #DefendNature #TreesOverGreed #TreesAreEarthsLungs #Nature #ProtectNature #WildFirst #BCForestryReform #deforestation #StopEcocide #StopClearcuts #photography #BanCorporateLobbyists #DavidEby #BCNDP #EbyTheEnabler #ProtectForests #BCTourism #VancouverIsland #Cowichan #VanIsle #PacificNorthwest #Cascadia #PNW #BCgovernment #BCNDPLegacyoOfDeath #StopDeforestation #OneEarth #BritishColumbia #Canada #WorldInMyEyes #YYJphotographers #DisabledPhotographers #Activism #ActivistPhotography #Environmentalist #EcoJustice #FightForNature #NatureGuardians #StopTheSaws #CrimesAgainstHumanity #morose #SuperUnnaturalBC #TourismBC #TourismVanvouverIsland #EcoCrimes #monochrome #BWphotography #BWphoto

The #CowichanRiver #estuary is one of the largest & most important in #BritishColumbia. The #watershed drains 90,000 hectares & provides #CriticalHabitat to dozens of #fish species, including #steelhead, #Chinook, #chum, #coho & #PinkSalmon, as well as brown, #cutthroat & #RainbowTrout. But the #Cowichan’s troubles are by no means unique; they are a #CaseStudy for a much larger problem.

#TimberCompanies store #LogBooms all along the #BCcoast, says Jamieson Atkinson, a fish #biologist & program manager for the #Aquatic #Research & #Restoration Centre at #BritishColumbiaConservationFoundation. “It’s shocking.” While #estuaries make up less than 3% of British Columbia’s coast, they provide rich #habitat for 80% of the province’s coastal #wildlife. The #FraserRiver estuary, near #Vancouver on the mainland, supports more than 300 species of #birds & 80 species of fish & #shellfish for at least part of their life cycles.

https://thetyee.ca/News/2024/07/05/Estuary-Marine-Life-Smothered-Timber-Industrial-Log-Booms

@thetyee

#BCpoli #environmental #WildFirst #ProtectNature #ProtectWildlife #Ecological #ecosystems #Conservation #VancouverIsland #WildSalmonAlliance #ProtectWatersheds #StopEcocide #NatureFirst #VanIsle #Nature #BCNDP #BCNewDeathParty #CorporateGreed #GreedKills #PacificNorthwest #WildlifeConservation #HabitatRestoration #ProtectNature #DefendNature #PNW #IndustrialPollution #BanCorporateLobbyists

#BritishColumbia #OldGrowth #activists have taken before and after photos of a large area of an #AncientGrove that was #clearcut on #VancouverIsland near #PortAlberni in the #NahmintValley.

The #AncientForestAlliance says that many of the massive #trees that were cut down were over 500 years old, some being up to nine feet across.

Now that the grove has been cut, they are urging the #BCgovernment to immediately correct misidentified #AtRisk #OldGrowth #forests that could be eligible for #LoggingDeferrals.

https://www.victoriabuzz.com/2024/07/old-growth-carnage-activists-concerned-over-clear-cut-forest-near-port-alberni-photos/

#StopDeforestation #BCpoli #PortAlberni #StopEcocide #SaveTheForests #StopEcocide #SaveOldGrowth #AncientForests #BanClearcuts #PauseTheSaws #BCNewDeathParty #AbolishIndustryLobbyists #ClimateCrisis #CarbonSinks #Environmental #WildFirst #ProtectNature #Ecological #ecosystem #CorporateGreed #GreedKills #VanIsle #PacificNorthwest #PNW #TreesOverGreed #TreesAreEarthsLungs #BCNDP #EbyTheEnabler

Letter: Save #SearsIsland

by Opinion Contributor
June 17, 2024

"The article '#SpragueEnergy pushes #WindPort' in the June 15 Bangor Daily News Business section highlights the perfectly reasonable argument that #MackPoint should be reconsidered as the site for the proposed wind port. According to Jim Therriault, vice president of materials handling for Sprague, new information is available from research and studies. Things have changed since the state first targeted Sears Island. The arguments of dredging, construction costs and environmental concerns all have new facts and figures since the state (prematurely?) made the executive decision to use Sears Island for the wind port.

"Those who want to save Sears Island from the wind port construction that I believe would be the destruction of that beautiful local treasure sincerely hope that the state will do the responsible and reasonable thing. That they will take a good, strong look at what Sprague is offering.

"Hopefully, the decision to use Sears Island is not cast in stone and is reversible if facts warrant it.

"Too much is at stake to allow the state to stubbornly refuse to reconsider a decision this important. Someone in an impartial position needs to come to the table and study the facts. The new facts. If possible, let’s save Sears Island!"

- Sue Shaw
Penobscot, Maine

https://www.bangordailynews.com/2024/06/17/opinion/letters/save-sears-island-wind-port-mack-point/

#ProtectNature #Nature #GulfOfMaine #Environment #EndangeredSpecies #ProtectSearsIsland #WindTerminal #SandDunes
#ProtectWahsumkik #Wahsumkik
#EndangeredSpecies #ProtectTheDunes #WabanakiAlliance #Wassumkeag #CorporateColonialism #PenobscotBay #Greenwashing #JanetMills

#SearsIsland Study Area
#Wetland Delineation

#Photographs: August & September, 2023

Sears Island
Searsport, Maine 04974

https://www.maine.gov/mdot/grants/infra/docs/2024/env/Freshwater%20Wetland,%20Waterbodies,%20Vernal%20Pools%20Sears%20Island%20Wetland%20Delineation%20Rprt_VHB.pdf

#Nature #MDOT #MaineDOT #JanetMills #SaveTheWetlands #EndangeredSpecies #Wahsumkik #Searsport
#WindTurbines #ProtectTheForest #ProtectTheDunes #SaveSearsIsland #OffshoreWindFarm #ProtectWahsumkik #ProtectNature #MackPoint

"The #PeregrineFalcon, a federally endangered species that has been verified on #SearsIsland, likely preys on smaller birds along the island's coast. The #SouthernBogLemming (state watch list) and #EasternRibbonSnake (state special concern list) have been verified on Sears Island..."

Source:
https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyNET.exe/94007OXR.TXT?ZyActionD=ZyDocument&Client=EPA&Index=1995+Thru+1999&Docs=&Query=&Time=&EndTime=&SearchMethod=1&TocRestrict=n&Toc=&TocEntry=&QField=&QFieldYear=&QFieldMonth=&QFieldDay=&IntQFieldOp=0&ExtQFieldOp=0&XmlQuery=&File=D%3A%5Czyfiles%5CIndex%20Data%5C95thru99%5CTxt%5C00000042%5C94007OXR.txt&User=ANONYMOUS&Password=anonymous&SortMethod=h%7C-&MaximumDocuments=1&FuzzyDegree=0&ImageQuality=r75g8/r75g8/x150y150g16/i425&Display=hpfr&DefSeekPage=x&SearchBack=ZyActionL&Back=ZyActionS&BackDesc=Results%20page&MaximumPages=1&ZyEntry=1&SeekPage=x&ZyPURL

#EndangeredSpecies #Wahsumkik #Searsport
#WindTurbines #ProtectTheForest #ProtectTheDunes #SaveSearsIsland #OffshoreWindFarm #ProtectWahsumkik #ProtectNature #MackPoint

Energy company wants #Maine to use its port instead of #SearsIsland for offshore wind hub

Competition for Maine's offshore #WindPort is sharpening with #SpragueEnergy Operating Resources proposing #MackPoint as an alternative to the state's preferred site on nearby Sears Island.

by Stephen Singer, June 6, 2024

[Behind a paywall -- full text below]

An energy and port services company is pitching its Mack Point industrial property as a location for an offshore wind port, offering it as an alternative to the site on nearby Sears Island that is preferred by the state but opposed by local residents.

Sprague Operating Resources LLC on Thursday released details of its plan for Maine’s offshore wind project in Searsport. It says its site will be less costly than the Sears Island location and spare that area the disruption caused by port construction, a key issue that locals have criticized. The plan proposes a launching dock, assembly area for wind turbines before they’re dispatched to the Gulf of Maine and a recently updated rail yard.

“We can’t get the state to look at this plan seriously,” said James Therriault, vice president of materials handling at Sprague.

The Mills administration says Sears Island is the best choice for an offshore wind port because the site is owned by the state, saving money that would otherwise be required to lease another location, and is designated for port development.

State officials also have said that the Sears Island site would not require dredging, unlike at Mack Point. But Therriault said Mack Point has been dredged to a depth that can accept ships. “We’ll take advantage of depth that’s already there,” he said.

Sprague says its Mack Point Terminal offers 100 acres separate from current activities, a base launching dock allowing the use of a semi-submersible barge or Tug Dock device – next-generation equipment used to install offshore wind platforms – and a second large vessel dock for Sprague’s bulk and liquid operations that can also serve as a backup dock.

“Sprague believes it’s in the best interests of Mainers to urge the state to fully analyze the costs, timings and impacts of Sprague’s alternative design,” Therriault said. “We believe this alternative achieves the goal of minimizing impacts on natural and working lands, while reducing overall cost and providing all the same operational and vessel functionality.”

In response to Sprague’s proposal, the state Department of Transportation said Mack Point has “physical and logistical constraints.” The agency says the area would require a “significant” need for dredging and greater costs to Maine taxpayers for leasing and construction, resulting in a “more expensive and inferior port facility for Maine compared to Sears Island.”

“What are those constraints?” asked Rolf Olsen, vice president of Friends of Sears Island, a volunteer, nonprofit organization that manages a conservation area on the island. He opposes the state’s proposal and favors Mack Point.

State officials use the “same generalities” as they have before, he said. “I don’t see anything new here.”
DOT officials said Sears Island is “one of the best sites for a deep-water port on the Eastern Seaboard, which is why a portion of the island has been reserved for port development for many years.”

“By all available information, analysis and stakeholder input, Sears Island is the most feasible and cost-effective location for an offshore wind port,” the state said.

The state’s selection of Sears Island as its preferred site “followed two years of evaluation, local discussions and assessment of all other port options – including Mack Point,” the DOT said.

Gov. #JanetMills announced in February the state’s preferred site at Sears Island. The selection is subject to state and federal permitting and will be analyzed in comparison to Mack Point.

Olsen said redeveloping Mack Point, “which has thrived as an industrial site for more than a century” would be less disruptive than building a port on Sears Island.
The state, he said is “single-mindedly going for Sears Island.”

https://www.centralmaine.com/2024/06/06/energy-company-wants-maine-to-use-its-port-for-offshore-wind-hub-instead-of-sears-island/

#Wahsumkik #Searsport
#WindTurbines #ProtectTheForest #ProtectTheDunes #SaveSearsIsland #EndangeredSpecies #OffshoreWindFarm #ProtectWahsumkik #ProtectNature

#SpragueEnergy Unveils Alternative, Lower-Impact Plan for Floating #OffshoreWind at Its #MackPoint Terminal in #Maine

Harnessing Existing Infrastructure, Sequestering Tons of #Carbon Per Year and Protecting 100 Acres of Undisturbed Natural Habitat on and off #SearsIsland

June 6, 2024 /PRNewswire

"'Building a wind port on Sears Island means more than 75 acres of upland forest will be cleared, graded, and compacted. It also means filling 25 acres of pristine #PenobscotBay to extend the shoreline where a previously protected ocean sand dune is located,' said Rolf E. Olsen, vice president of #FriendsOfSearsIsland, a volunteer nonprofit organization that manages the conservation area on behalf of the people of Maine and supports the idea of a #WindPort in #Searsport.

"Olsen continued, 'That estimate by the State does not include the additional impact from a new and greatly expanded approach road and rail bed to get to the facility. This seriously damages the island's #ecological, recreational, and economic value. Re-developing Mack Point - which has thrived as an industrial site for more than a century - is a far better and less disruptive decision, and the State has previously stated that it meets the requirements for the port.'

"On April 24, the #MaineDOT issued a request for information seeking public input on Maine's commercial offshore wind solicitation approach and implementation. Public opinions should be emailed to [email protected] before the June 21st deadline. More information is available on the Maine.gov website."

https://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2024/06/06/10024531.htm

#ProtectNature #Nature #GulfOfMaine #Environment #EndangeredSpecies #ProtectSearsIsland #WindTerminal #SandDunes
#ProtectWahsumkik #Wahsumkik
#EndangeredSpecies #ProtectTheDunes #WabanakiAlliance #Wassumkeag #CorporateColonialism #PenobscotBay #Greenwashing #JanetMills

#Video showing the #creek , #NurseLog & message to #StopDeforestation 🌲🌲🌲
From my nature adventure today.

https://youtu.be/5RexG_o8MIk

#Nature #Treehugger #treelover #TreesOverGreed #MillHill #Langford #VictoriaBC #yyj #vanisle #VancouverIsland #PNW #PacificNorthwest #NatureLovers #RespectNature #ProtectNature #conservation #waterway #StopEcocide