- Monthly Conservation Note - "All Eyes on Montreal"
- Upcoming Events
- Atlantic Dunes Park Volunteer Day
- Everglades Coalition Annual Conference
- Thank You to Our Donors
- Updates to Our Pine Rockland Initiative Website
- We're Hiring - Field Technician
- Miami Dade County Solid Waste Project
- IRC Contributes to High-Level Science Brief
- IRC Receives Top-Rated Award
- Recent Events
- Pine Rockland Working Group 2022 Conference
- Florida City Field Trip
- Calderon Pineland Volunteer Day
- Give Miami Day 2022
| | Monthly Conservation Note | |
The global climate and wetlands meetings have come and gone, and now we move to the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) Conference of the Parties, or COP 15, in Montreal Canada beginning next week. I will be attending as head of delegation for the Society for Ecological Restoration, which is an official observer, but will also represent IRC at an event with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration concerning the development of global Standards of Practice for ecosystem restoration, which are due out next year. I will also be participating in sessions on global restoration monitoring and the official launch of principles and standards for the restoration of mine sites, as well as numerous side meetings with delegates from around the world.
This COP is critical as it intends to create a Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) to help prevent the extinction catastrophe and lead toward a 2050 vision of “Living in harmony with nature.” But as with the climate COP, there is great uncertainty about what the outcome will be for the GBF, which is already a year behind schedule. Target 2 of the GBF is expected to focus on ecosystem restoration broadly, including activities such as the recovery of degraded agriculture soils, but it is unknown how much emphasis there will be on the restoration of native ecosystems (see also “IRC Contributes to High-Level Science Brief article below”). Sadly, other than two microstates in Europe, the US is
| |
the only country in the world that has never ratified participation in the CBD. What that means for us, is that we have less leverage to influence global action to protect and restore ecosystems and prevent the extinction of native plants and animals.
The European Union and a consortium of countries known as the “high ambition” group are leaders in the GBF effort, and I have heard that they may push for 3 billion hectares (or 7.4 B acres) of land to be under restoration by 2030, or an area about the size of India. World Wildlife Fund and partners are also calling for the restoration of 350 million hectares (865 M acres) of freshwater and coastal wetlands, and 300,000 km (185,000 miles) of rivers. In a recent address on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated, “Biodiversity means human health, food security and resilience to climate change. The world needs to aim high in Montreal to adopt an ambitious global deal for nature… Europe is ready to aim high, but we must do this together. Let’s have the courage to do what’s right and let’s do it now.” The main events of the meeting will be recorded and live streamed, and I will report in via social media with alerts about sessions that might be of special interest to us in Florida and the Caribbean.
George Gann
Founder and Executive Director
| | Atlantic Dunes Park Volunteer Day |
IRC will be back at Atlantic Dunes Park in Delray Beach for an ecological restoration volunteer day! Volunteers will help us haul previously treated Brazilian-pepper out of the park to help clear the way for future restoration activities and park ecosystem improvement. Equipment will be provided and no experience is necessary to make an impact, so sign up and bring a friend!
At the beginning of the event, we will take participants on a short tour of the park to show the progress we've made over the last 7 years and discuss future restoration goals for this beautiful coastal park.
| | | | | Everglades Coalition Annual Conference |
IRC is excited to be participating in the 38th Annual Everglades Coalition Conference in Coral Springs on January 26-28, 2023. This is the largest forum for discussing Everglades restoration progress, challenges, and opportunities. The conference brings together diverse stakeholders including conservation groups, elected officials, business leaders, local, state, tribal and federal partners, scientists, and students to engage in meaningful dialogue about restoring America’s Everglades.
Early bird registration pricing is happening now through December 9. Register here.
| |
Thank you to all who have supported IRC's programs with a $20 or larger donation in the last month: Patty Phares, Bill Petry, Kolter Group, Amy Kimball, Douglas Thompson, Andrew Stoquert, and Henry Luciano
Thank you to Steven Schuemann, Stephen Jones and our Monthly Sustainers who donate $25 or more each month: Barbara McAdam, Lindsay Boehner and Valerie Seasholtz.
IRC has an E-Trade account. Please contact us about giving gifts of stock.
While we get funding for some great projects, those funds rarely cover all of our costs, so we really do need your support to continue our important work.
| |  | Donations allow us to provide important conservation services such as improving our free online resources, increasing protection of rare plants and animals, restoring native ecosystems, and advocating for better public policy. |
Little Metalmark, in habitat at Big Cypress Preserve. Copyright by: Scott Sutherland , 2022.
| | | Updates to our Pine Rockland Initiative Webpage | | | |
We have recently made extensive updates to our Pine Rockland Initiative website - check it out here. Using funds from Give Miami Day this year, we will work with our partners to create a resource directory for private and public landowners of pine rocklands (and those just curious to learn more about this unique habitat!).
Another exciting update is that for the first time ever we have a Pine Rockland Initiative logo! Thank you to Lillian Higgins with SeaOurLife for making our ideas come to life.
Let us know what kind of "swag" (sticker, hat, t-shirt, etc.) you want to see this awesome new logo on!
| | We're Hiring - Field Technician | |
We're HIRING! IRC is looking to hire up to 2 new field technician positions for our Pine Rockland Initiative Program. Visit this link to read more information about the position and how to apply!
An ideal candidate would be someone willing to learn the safe use and handling of herbicide, and operation of machinery such as chainsaws and brushcutters. Must be able to lift and carry 50 pounds. A working knowledge of South Florida plants (native and nonnative) is preferred. Our team members receive in depth training on restoration techniques and come away with an advanced knowledge of native and nonnative plant species.
| | | Miami Dade County Solid Waste Project | | Crew Leader, Alex Crow, monitoring in the field. | | IRC is excited to share that we have begun work on an exciting new project for Miami-Dade County Solid Waste Management. Our Ecological Restoration team is surveying an area that used to be an old landfill that in the process of being restored to a mangrove slough. |
Mangrove skipper (Phocides pigmalion) observed on a white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa) by Alex Seasholtz while surveying.
| | IRC Contributes to High-Level Science Brief | |
In his role as International Policy Lead for the Society for Ecological Restoration, IRC Executive Director, George Gann is a contributor to this high-level science brief on ecosystem restoration in preparation for the Convention on Biological Diversity's Conference of the Parties (COP) 15 next month in Montreal. This brief clearly spells out how ecological restoration, or the restoration of natural (native) ecosystems, is imperative to achieving both the ecosystem area and integrity recovery needed to avert a global biodiversity catastrophe. Traditional conservation measures and all other ecosystem restoration activities, including the rehabilitation of degraded lands and the move to sustainable agriculture, are needed and valued, but without ecological restoration at large scale we will not succeed.
| | | IRC Receives Top-Rated Award | | | |
We have been honored with one of the first Top-Rated Awards of 2022 from GreatNonprofits! We appreciate everyone who took the time to leave us a positive review. Click here to read what some of our partners and supporters had to say.
| | Pine Rockland Working Group 2022 Conference |
The Pine Rockland Working Group 2022 Conference took place from October 31 - November 6 and was full of field trips and presentations from experts in the field including IRC Ecological Restoration Team Leader, Alex Seasholtz. If you missed the conference but would like to watch any of the recordings, click here.
| | | | | On November 5, IRC's Ecological Restoration Team Leader, Alex Seasholtz, teamed up with Miami Dade Environmentally Endangered Lands Preserve Manager, Tim Joyner, to take Advanced Achievers Academy classes on a field trip through Florida City Pineland Preserve. Students had the opportunity to learn about the ongoing restoration process and the importance of imperiled Pine Rockland habitat. | | Calderon Pineland Volunteer Day |
More than 100 volunteers joined Miami-Dade's Environmentally Endangered Lands Program at the Calderon Pineland Preserve on November 6, planting more than 1,500 rare plants that support butterfly species and other pollinators.
Thank you to the Miami-Dade Environmentally Endangered Lands Program, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Connect to Protect Network, Miami Blue Chapter North American Butterfly Association, North American Butterfly Association (NABA) for their collaboration, and to all of the volunteers! IRC is honored to be part of this fabulous group of collaborators.
| | | | |
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ON GIVE MIAMI DAY!
Give Miami Day is one of the nation's biggest 24-hour annual giving events. Thank you to each and every one of you for taking the time to donate to our organization and our Pine Rockland Initiative Program.
Borin-Knapp Family, thank you for creating a champion page for us and raising $575!
Your donation allows us to continue our restoration and conservation efforts for our Pine Rockland Initiative Program. This year, we raised roughly $4,499.97! That's just over $1,000 more than we did last year! We are very grateful for all of you. THANK YOU!
| |
We are a nonprofit conservation organization exempt from taxes under the
U.S. Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)3.
| | |
The Institute for Regional Conservation | Website
Newsletter Editor: Cara Abbott
| |
| | | |
