Don't Forget The Wildlife!

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:42:17 GMT

A report released this week, Design of U.S. Habitat Banking Systems to Support the Conservation of Wildlife Habitat and At-Risk Species, a joint effort of the Environmental Law Institute and Environmental Defense (both DC-based), assesses the potential for habitat banking to contribute to the conservation of priority wildlife habitat identified in the state wildlife action plans. These plans, available in all 50 states, identify each state's at-risk species, the habitats on which they depend, actions to conserve the species and their habitats, and, with varying degrees of specificity, strategies to achieve those priorities. The research was supported by the Wildlife Habitat Policy Research Program, a results oriented program with the mission to develop and disseminate objective information and practical tools to accelerate the conservation of wildlife habitat in the United States.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

There's Still Time To Nominate A Possible 2008 National Wetlands Award Winner

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 13:09:50 GMT

The deadline for nomination forms for the 2008 National Wetlands Awards Program has been extended by 15 days. The National Wetlands Awards Program honors individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the conservation and restoration of our nation's wetlands. All submissions for the 2008 Awards program must be received by January 31, 2008. The 2008 National Wetlands Awards Program will honor individual achievement in six categories: Education and Outreach, Science Research, Conservation and Restoration, Landowner Stewardship, State, Tribal and Local Program Development, and Wetland Community Leader. Organizations and federal employees are not eligible. Awardees will be recognized at a Capitol Hill ceremony in May 2008.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Report Offers Recommendations to Help States Address Invasive Forest Pests, Pathogens

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 13:23:50 GMT

When a new forest pathogen or pest like the Asian long- horned beetle, Dutch Elm disease, or hemlock woolly adelgid is discovered, there is an assumption that state agricultural and or natural resources agencies are ready and able to respond. However, according to a new report by the Environmental Law Institute (ELI)-Strategies for Effective State Early Detection and Rapid Response Programs for Plant Pests and Pathogens-the state laws that enable early-detection and rapid-response authorities to address terrestrial plant pathogens and pests may hinder the exercise of those response powers. ELI produced the report with funding and guidance from The Nature Conservancy (TNC),a group that, according to TNC's senior policy representative Faith Campbell, seeks to bolster the laws and regulations pertaining to the detection and control of forest pests. "When something new gets into the country, it's clear that there's supposed to be a coordinated federal-state response," said Campbell. "We felt that things are not going as well and as effectively as we would like, so we thought that one aspect of that might be limitations of what the state laws provide, so we chose to analyze the laws in 14 states that have had problems with forests pests." ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Utilities Can Protect America's Wildlife

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 11:00:45 GMT

Power companies, sewage treatment plants, and water providers can protect large amounts of wildlife habitat in cooperation with state governments, says a recent study by the nonpartisan Environmental Law Institute (ELI). Every U.S. state and territory recently completed a "state wildlife action plan (SWAP)" identifying conservation needs for its species of concern, including threatened and endangered wildlife and other more common wildlife species. Many of the actions in the plans can be implemented by public and private electricity, water, and sewer utilities. ELI announces the release of "State Wildlife Action Plans and Utilities: New Conservation Opportunities for America's Wildlife," a report by ELI staffers Austin Kane and Jim McElfish that identifies specific opportunities for SWAPs to inform utilities' operations and management activities. "The plans include a wealth of information on habitats and species and outline conservation actions that will help utilities better protect wildlife," says Kane. Specifically, utilities will be able to take advantage of the best available wildlife information in every state and territory to design better management practices, develop effective conservation programs, minimize adverse impacts, and enhance wildlife habitat. Hear broadcast of the announcement here, via:: The Environment Report. Details are presented below.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

National Wetlands Newsletter From ELI Examines Developments Since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 09:00:08 GMT

Washington, DC - On August 29, 2005, Hurricanes Katrina wrought devastation of historic proportions on the Gulf Coast and its people. Shortly thereafter, Hurricane Rita struck the Texas-Louisiana border. In the two years since, much work has taken place. Last April, the state of Louisiana issued the Integrated Ecosystem Restoration and Hurricane Protection: Louisiana's Comprehensive Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast. And the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is expected to issue its Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Plan by the end of this year. Yet many questions remain: what lessons have we learned, how should we restore and protect the Gulf Coast's wetlands in the future, and are we headed in the right direction? The dozen articles presented in the September-October 2007 double issue of the National Wetlands Newsletter shed light on these questions and look at what steps have taken place since the storms. While the articles primarily focus on the restoration and protection of the Gulf Coast, they offer invaluable insight as to how wetlands should be managed and protected in a world where our natural and built environments increasingly collide. This is particularly true given our changing and less predictable climate. "Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have given us the opportunity to learn from past mistakes and decide how to move forward in an uncertain world. To ignore these lessons would be a true tragedy," said National Wetlands Newsletter editor Rachel Jean-Baptiste [email].... Read the full story on TreeHugger

TreeHugger Welcomes the Environmental Law Institute

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 09:54:06 GMT