Category: Climate Change

Planting Trees and Hope in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil

1 Comment

Planting Trees and Hope in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil

Veronika Perková, Journalist & Host of the podcast Nature Solutionaries sits down with Micaela Locke, REGUA’s  Research and Communications Coordinator to talk about her family’s dedication to Brazil’s “other” rainforest.

When Micaela Locke, a young Brazilian conservationist, speaks about her work at Guapiaçu Nature Reserve, she is radiant. No wonder. It’s rare to come across such a nice conservation story. Her family’s property, which could have been turned into a condominium or a factory back in the 1990s, has instead become a vibrant 11,000-hectare nature reserve buzzing with wildlife. 

In this interview, Micaela Locke talks about protecting biodiversity in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil and creating a corridor for wildlife by planting trees sourced from seeds the surrounding rainforest. 

Welcome, Micaela! While the Amazon is the largest and best-known rainforest in Latin America, the Atlantic Forest rarely makes it into the headlines of international news. And yet, it’s incredibly important for global biodiversity conservation. Can you briefly describe why it is so unique?

The Atlantic Forest is among the biologically richest and most diverse forests in the world with high levels of fauna and flora, which is found nowhere else on the planet. Its mosaic of different ecosystems ranges from humid, dry and coastal forests to mangroves. The forest is home to around 20,000 species of plants and 2,100 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish. Some of the region’s most iconic animals, such as pumas, ocelots, tapirs and woolly spider monkeys, live in the Atlantic Forest.

This incredible biodiversity is under threat because it’s estimated that less than 16% of the forest cover remains today. How can we best protect what’s left and prevent further degradation?

Thanks to the Atlantic Forest National Law created in 2006 and the creation of parks, illegal logging and poaching have decreased throughout the country. People know that if they cut a tree, they will be prosecuted. So I believe the best solution is to turn the remaining forests into parks, which is already happening across Brazil. In the state of Rio de Janeiro, around 30% of the original forest cover (1 million hectares) is already legally protected by the Atlantic Forest National Law.

HELP HEAL BRAZIL'S ATLANTIC FOREST

Donate

A Vision for the Future

REGUA protects over 11,000 hectares of the Atlantic Forest in the Guapiaçu watershed. How did you manage to create such a big protected area?

It all began with my great grandfather, who moved from Germany to Rio de Janeiro state in 1895. He established his business (a silk factory) in Petropolis and bought land in the Guapiaçu watershed.  The third generation understood the relevance of protecting the remaining forest within the property and decided to create a private nature reserve in the late 1990’s.

What an interesting story! Since then REGUA has been protecting the forest and its biodiversity by expanding the nature reserve through land acquisition and partnership agreements, right?

Yes. In 2002, we increased the size of the reserve to 2,000 hectares. That’s where we created the offices, lodge and housing for visitors. Thanks to partners, such as SavingNature, we’ve been buying more land every year. We now own 8,000 hectares and additional 3,000 hectares through partnership agreements.

What is your goal? How much do you want to expand the reserve?

We want to double the size of REGUA in the Guapiaçu watershed. This area is important for three reasons: It safeguards a vital watershed for 2.5 million residents of eastern Metropolitan Rio de Janeiro city, builds habitat for biodiversity, and sequesters carbon dioxide to fight climate change.

Is it easy to buy land?

It has become easier over the years, because people trust REGUA’s conservation work. We often have people coming to our office to offer their properties for sale.  We usually buy land on slopes not suitable for farming or eroded hills and grasslands degraded from cattle grazing and areas that were burned for crops in the past.

Planting Trees to Create Wildlife Corridors

Besides protecting standing forests, you’ve also been restoring forests that had previously been cleared for timber and agriculture. What is your tree-planting strategy?

The aim of our reforestation program is to create connectivity between isolated forest fragments. Basically, we are building corridors that will enable wildlife to move through and access to other areas.  

How many trees have you planted so far? 

Since 2002, we have planted 800,000 trees.

Quite a number! What type of trees are you planting?

Our team and volunteers collect seeds from about 250 native Atlantic Forest species year-round from the forest on the reserve and surroundings. Over the years, we’ve been increasing the production of saplings in our nursery. The nursery can now provide about 100,000 saplings per year.

Man digging holes with auger to plant trees in Brazil's Atlantic Forest

That’s a lot! Do you have any special strategy for tree planting?

When we work on a reforestation site, we plant three categories of trees: pioneer, second growth and mature (climax). Each of these trees have a different function in the forest. The pioneer trees grow very fast, providing shade for the other trees. When the pioneer trees reach 10-15 years of age, they start breaking and die, creating organic matter and nutrients for the second growth trees. These trees grow slower and are important because they open the way for more demanding species.  Two of the most majestic trees are the Jequitibá and Copaíba trees, which take up to 30 to 50  years to become mature and produce seeds. When all these trees grow in one forest, it can be considered a mature forest.

Once the saplings are planted, how do you care for them?    

We have to return every three months to the restoration site to weed around the saplings and control the presence of the leaf cutting ants. This can take up to three or four years.

What are your reforestation goals for the upcoming years?

REGUA wishes to plant a million trees in the upcoming years within the Guapiaçu watershed. This can only be made possible through the generous support of partners like Saving Nature. 

Getting Results

What animals use the corridor?

We have seen pumas, ocelots, margays and tapirs in the corridor. These animals need big areas to survive to search for food or explore the territory. But also birds, such as the Shrike-like cotinga, the Bellbird, the Blue-winged Parrotlet, and the White-necked Hawk, which used to be rare, are making a comeback.  Even though our oldest restoration sites are 16 years old and it will take another 20-30 years for the forests to be mature, they are already buzzing with life.

South American Tapir (Tapirus terrestris)
Saffron tucanet (Pteroglossus bailloni) from the Atlantic Forest of Brazil.

HELP HEAL BRAZIL'S ATLANTIC FOREST

Donate
Categories: Climate Change, Colombia, Saving Nature Collection, Tree Planting

Saving Neotropical Migratory Birds

Canada Warbler

Saving Neotropical Migratory Birds

How Reforesting Colombia’s Western Andes Ensures the Survival of North American Birds

Neotropical migratory birds undertake incredible journeys, traveling thousands of miles between their breeding grounds in North America and their non-breeding grounds in the Western Andes of Colombia during the winter. However, these remarkable birds face a significant threat to their survival: the loss, degradation, and fragmentation of their critical habitats. 

In this blog post, we’ll explore the challenges faced by neotropical migratory birds in the Western Andes, the causes of declining populations, and the proposed solution of reforestation efforts to protect their winter habitat. Additionally, we’ll highlight how these conservation actions align with the growing interest in tree planting initiatives.

The other migrant crisis

The Critical Importance of Winter Habitat for Neotropical Migratory Birds

Neotropical migratory birds are known for their vast ranges in North America, where they breed and raise their young. However, what often goes unnoticed is that their winter ranges in South America are considerably smaller. This distinction is vital to understanding the precarious situation these birds face.

While neotropical migratory birds may have expansive breeding and nesting grounds in North America, their wintering habitats in the Western Andes of Colombia are limited. These smaller winter ranges are meticulously selected by these birds for specific environmental conditions, providing them with the resources needed for survival.

Here’s the crucial point: if neotropical migratory birds lose their winter habitat, they will face severe challenges in surviving. During the non-breeding season, these birds rely on these specific locations for shelter, food, and safety. The loss, degradation, or fragmentation of these vital wintering habitats can disrupt their life cycle, making it difficult for them to prepare for the demanding journey back to their breeding grounds.

In essence, these small winter ranges are their lifelines, and any disruption in these areas can have far-reaching consequences for their populations. By supporting reforestation and habitat restoration efforts, we are working to ensure that these critical winter habitats remain intact, providing neotropical migratory birds with the refuge they need to endure and thrive.

Help Protect Migratory Bird Habitat

Donate

The Problem: Habitat Loss and Fragmentation

The decline in neotropical migratory bird populations can be attributed to numerous factors, but the most significant cause is the loss and fragmentation of their habitats. Human activities, including agricultural expansion and deforestation, have severely affected these habitats, disrupting the birds’ life cycle. The Western Andes of Colombia, home to these incredible birds during the winter, faces a dual threat from climate change and population growth. Climate change compounds the effects of habitat fragmentation and deforestation, making it crucial to address these issues urgently.

Habitat loss in the Andean region is driven primarily by practices like agriculture and forest clearing for livestock. Recent accessibility to forested areas after a peace agreement in Colombia has only exacerbated this issue. Cerulean Warblers and Canada Warblers are particularly at risk due to the loss of suitable wintering habitat, while the deforestation of the Northern Andes poses a significant threat to Olive-sided Flycatchers and other avian species.

The Proposed Solution: Reforestation and Habitat Restoration

The Mesenia-Paramillo Nature Reserve in the Western Andes of Colombia has become a crucial focal point for conservation efforts. Saving Nature has partnered with Fundacion Bioconservancy to restore habitat for neotropical migratory birds in the area and engage local communities in these restoration efforts. By reforesting and protecting winter habitat, the project addresses a critical factor in the declining population trends of these remarkable birds.

The project focuses on five priority neotropical migratory birds native to the area: Canada Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Mourning Warbler, Olive-sided Flycatcher, and Swallow-tailed Kite. These species are threatened by persistent habitat loss and fragmentation in their non-breeding grounds. Reforestation with native trees serves to counteract these threats by increasing habitat availability and connectivity, thus reducing mortality during the non-breeding season and improving conditions for spring migration and breeding.

Since the project’s inception in 2008, we have secured 3,845 hectares of land, of which 308 hectares are earmarked for restoration with native trees. The rest remains intact forest. This high-elevation forest is vital for species like Canada Warblers, which winter in areas between 500-2,500m. Over the next five years, the project aims to reforest 594 hectares with over 650,000 native trees to increase neotropical migratory bird habitat. As of 2019, they have already restored 183 hectares, with plans to restore an additional 100 hectares in 2024 by planting around 120,000 native trees.

Where You Come In

Reforestation efforts in the Western Andes of Colombia are providing a beacon of hope for neotropical migratory birds facing population declines. By restoring their winter habitat and actively engaging local communities, the project is contributing to the survival of these incredible birds. Furthermore, these conservation actions are in line with the growing global interest in tree planting initiatives, which play a vital role in combating climate change, protecting biodiversity, and ensuring a sustainable future for all.

Supporting initiatives like this, whether through direct involvement or financial contributions, is not only beneficial for neotropical migratory birds but for our planet as a whole. It’s a reminder that when we take action to protect the environment, we are planting the seeds of a better future for ourselves and generations to come.

Why Your Donation Matters

Your donation plays a pivotal role in the ongoing efforts to save neotropical migratory birds by restoring their winter habitat in the Western Andes of Colombia. Here’s why your support is so crucial:

  1. Habitat Restoration: The primary focus of this project is the restoration of critical winter habitat for neotropical migratory birds. Your donation directly contributes to planting native trees and creating healthier, more connected habitats for these migratory birds. By increasing habitat availability, you help provide the food, shelter, and safety that neotropical migratory birds need during the non-breeding season.

  2. Biodiversity Conservation: neotropical migratory birds are not the only beneficiaries of this restoration effort. The increased tree planting and habitat restoration also benefit the broader ecosystem. Many other species, both flora and fauna, rely on these habitats, and your donation supports the protection of this diverse ecosystem.

  3. Climate Change Mitigation: Trees are essential in the fight against climate change. They capture and store carbon dioxide, helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change. By supporting reforestation efforts, your donation contributes to a healthier planet for both neotropical migratory birds and people alike.

  4. Global Migration: neotropical migratory birds play a critical role in ecosystems on both sides of their migration routes. By supporting their winter habitat, you’re helping ensure the continuation of these incredible long-distance journeys that connect continents. This not only contributes to biodiversity but also our understanding of the planet’s interconnectedness

Help Protect Migratory Bird Habitat

Donate
Categories: Climate Change, Colombia, Saving Nature Collection, Tree Planting

Uphill Battles

Uphill Battles

How Species Are Escaping Climate Change

The effects of climate change are undeniable, and our planet’s flora and fauna are feeling the heat. As temperatures rise and ecosystems shift, many species are embarking on an uphill journey to escape the changing climate. However, their path to survival is often blocked by deforestation, leaving them isolated and vulnerable. In this blog post, we will explore the remarkable phenomenon of species moving upslope to adapt to climate change and introduce you to Fundación Bioconservancy, a beacon of hope in the battle to save nature’s project by creating wildlife corridors for these resilient species.

The Uphill Migration: Escaping Climate Change

As global temperatures continue to climb, species that are unable to adapt to the changing conditions in their current habitats are facing a dilemma: adapt or perish. Many of them are choosing to migrate upslope to cooler, more suitable environments. This migration can involve a wide range of species, from plants to animals, and it’s a fascinating display of nature’s resilience.

The phenomenon of species moving upslope to escape the impacts of climate change is not limited to one region but is a global narrative. In Colombia’s Western Andes, home to the iconic spectacled bear, the Andean condor, and a myriad of vibrant orchid species, this uphill migration is particularly significant. These mountains provide refuge for countless species, but as temperatures rise, even they are not immune to the effects of climate change. The spectacled bear, an endangered species, is one such resident in the Western Andes. By supporting initiatives that protect these habitats, we can ensure that species like the spectacled bear continue to roam these mountain ranges and find the cooler climes they desperately need to survive. Your support is vital in safeguarding the rich biodiversity of Colombia’s Western Andes and similar ecosystems around the world.

The Challenges of Deforestation

While the instinct to move upslope is essential for survival, it is not without its challenges. One of the most significant obstacles is deforestation. As human activities continue to clear large swaths of land for agriculture, urban development, and logging, these acts of deforestation create fragmented landscapes that can block the migration paths of species.

For species attempting to move to higher altitudes, deforested areas can act as insurmountable barriers, preventing them from reaching the cooler, more suitable habitats they seek. This isolation can lead to genetic bottlenecks, inbreeding, and increased susceptibility to diseases – all factors that threaten the survival of these species.

Creating Wildlife Corridors

Wildlife corridors are strategically designed to connect fragmented habitats, allowing species to move upslope, find food, mates, and new breeding grounds, and maintain genetic diversity. These green pathways act as lifelines for species threatened by deforestation and climate change, facilitating their movement and survival. By actively working to establish wildlife corridors, they are helping to ensure that the resilient species moving upslope can successfully adapt to the changing climate and continue their critical roles within their ecosystems.

In the face of this pressing ecological issue, Saving Nature has partnered with Fundación Bioconservancy , a beacon of hope in the cloud forest of Colombia’s Western Andes. This non-profit foundation, dedicated to preserving biodiversity, is actively engaged in creating wildlife corridors, which are essential for the safe passage of species adapting to climate change.

Our project is centered on planting native trees sourced from seeds collected in the surrounding areas by the local community. By involving the community in nursery operations with seeds sourced from the local area, they create economic opportunities for women and promote the preservation of local biodiversity. What sets Bioconservancy apart is their commitment to connecting forest fragments, enabling species to move to more habitable altitudes. Through this interconnected web of forests, they are facilitating the migration of species to more suitable environments, mitigating the impact of climate change, and ultimately creating a healthier, more vibrant ecosystem. In doing so, they are not only planting trees but sowing the seeds of a sustainable future for both the environment and the communities they engage with.

Where You Come In

As we’ve explored in this blog post, climate change is reshaping our world, forcing many of Earth’s incredible species to embark on an uphill journey for survival. Yet, the obstacles they face, particularly deforestation, can be insurmountable. This is where you come in. We need your help to create a lifeline for these resilient species – an escape route to ensure their survival.

With your help, we can ensure that the incredible species in the face of this ecological crisis have the opportunity to adapt and thrive. We have the power to be stewards of this planet, to preserve its beauty, its biodiversity, and its wonder. 

Why Your Donation Matters

The urgency of climate change requires collective action. Join us in this important mission and be a part of the solution. Together, we can close the gap, create an escape route, and secure the future of our imperiled species.  By donating today, you are helping to create a brighter and more sustainable future for all.

  1. Closing the Gap: Your contribution will directly support efforts to close the gaps in fragmented landscapes created by deforestation. By purchasing vital land and restoring it to its natural state, we can ensure that species can migrate upslope safely.

  2. Creating Wildlife Corridors: Your donation will be instrumental in establishing and maintaining wildlife corridors. These green pathways act as lifelines, allowing species to move freely between habitats, find food, mates, and new breeding grounds, and ultimately thrive in the face of climate change.

  3. Preserving Biodiversity: Your support will help protect and preserve the incredible biodiversity of our planet. Each species plays a unique role within its ecosystem, and the loss of even one can have far-reaching consequences. By safeguarding their habitats, you are helping to maintain the delicate balance of our natural world.

Donate today and be a catalyst for change. Together, we can make a world of difference!

help species escape climate change

Donate
Categories: Climate Change, Colombia, Saving Nature Collection, Tree Planting

4 Reasons to Teach Children About Climate Change

The Importance of Teaching Children About Climate Change

Chatty Garrette

As the adage goes, children are like sponges. They absorb what they see around them and what kids learn becomes a part of who they will be. It is essential to start them young if humankind relies on a new generation of responsible individuals.

 

Meanwhile, Climate.gov explains that climate change is not reversible overnight or even in a few decades. This problem resulted from centuries of artificial activities. In the same sense, it might take just as long to recover, if at all. Still, every little help counts, even those from your little ones.

For parents and educators everywhere, here are a few reasons why you should start teaching kids about climate change:

1. Guide Them Towards Environmental Consciousness

One of the most significant potential impacts of teaching climate change to children is influencing the kinds of adults they will be. Integrating this subject into the educational curriculum allows children to learn from their environment in a different light.

They will grow with consciousness about how everything they do can affect the environment around them.

 

Teaching children about climate change doesn’t end with an academic approach. It usually includes practical topics like collective responsibility and environmental stewardship. These concepts, when relayed properly, affect their lifestyle as adults. Proper education reflects on their choices once they grow up. Whether they use everyday objects sourced from responsible sources and means or contribute to the growing plastic waste in the oceans depends on their upbringing. From actively participating in Earth day activities to making conscious lifestyle choices, it all begins with the habits they form growing up.

 

Children are usually eager to find applications for the things they learn. Being at school also gives them the chance to experiment and test out the concepts. For this purpose, teaching them environmental concepts must be delivered to integrate with other aspects of their education.

2. Encourage Career Choices

A good part of humanity’s progress so far is because of the experts lending their time and resources to find ways to help mitigate the mounting environmental crisis. In the same way that exposing kids to coding and programming encourages them into a career in the science and technology sectors, teaching kids about climate change could push them down an environmental career path. There are a lot of possible jobs that have something to do with taking care of the environment. From studying plant and animal life to monitoring marine weather, there are different ways to help mitigate the effects of global warming.

 

There has been a workforce crisis among environment-related jobs. This situation means that there are a lot of roles to fill in and opportunities to explore. By raising children aware and concerned about the natural world, humankind also increases the odds of having professionals whose dedication and focus point toward reversing climate change.

3. Influence Civic Engagement

Today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders, and steering them into more responsible paths and decisions makes for a compelling case on why climate change and related environmental concepts have to be taught early. Including these topics into the school curriculum and at home make children more aware of them and everything around them. Civic engagement, a concept usually taught in higher education, is possible to impart in a child-friendly setting. There are ways for children to see if the community they’re a part of contributes to the fight against climate change.

 

More than the factors that contribute to global warming, it is also essential for children to gradually understand how different levels of society respond to the challenges posed by the changing environment. By having a clear context about these things, children can start looking for unique opportunities with which they can contribute as a member of society.

4. Climate Change is a Complex Subject

Almost everyone knows that climate change refers to the continuous increase in average Earth temperatures that has been happening for at least a century now. However, to better reverse this trend, it is even more important to understand it deeply. More than the cycle of trash finding its way into landfills and oceans, it is also crucial to recognize its effects on health and community and the societal repercussions of the phenomenon.

 

This reason is why teaching the subject from an early age gives children more time to gain a holistic understanding. If properly integrated into the existing educational curriculum, children can learn more profound and complex ideas associated with climate change. By gradually introducing them into what is now a separate field of study, kids can better grasp this problem’s actual scale and magnitude.

Final Word

As climate change affects everyone, it is only fair to give everyone an opportunity to participate in reversing the problem. By teaching children about it, as well as the systematic challenges that come with it, we are helping in the development of leaders and professionals who can go further than we’ve ever been.

Calculate Your Carbon Footprint

See how lifestyle choices affect your carbon emissions.

Learn More
Categories: Climate Change, Saving Nature Collection

2019 Excellence in Wilderness Stewardship Research

national assessment of conservation values (a) and climate-change vulnerability as has been indicated by forward climate velocity (b) to guide conservation strategies (c)

January 6, 2020

Saving Nature’s Dr. Clinton Jenkins in collaboration with the Wilderness Society was recently recognized by the U.S. Forest Service for a pair of papers he co-authored with a team of scientists exploring how to set conservation priorities in an era of climate change. The papers consider how the migration of species challenges traditional approaches and suggest an approach to anticipate future priorities.

2019 Excellence in Wilderness Stewardship Research

The U.S. Forest Service has awarded a team of scientists, including Saving Nature’s Dr. Clinton Jenkins, with their 2019 Excellence in Wilderness Stewardship Research.  The award recognizes their innovative spatial assessment of conservation values that provides guidance on conservation strategies for the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS). In this pair of award-winning papers, the authors consider how to set conservation priorities and management strategies to build resilience and protect biodiversity in an era of climate change.  

The team, led by Travis Belote of the Wilderness Society, investigated how to best maintain biodiversity and ecological processes in the face of habitat fragmentation and climate change, while considering what a resilient system of protected areas in the United States would look like.  The team developed maps that visualized ecological integrity, connectivity, representation of ecosystems, and biodiversity priorities. Their analysis revealed that wilderness areas are of high conservation value, but their quality depends on the protection level of surrounding lands. These maps provide an important visual reference to land managers for evaluating the relationship between the National Wilderness Preservation System and other public and private lands.

Conservation Map

In their first paper, “Wild, connected, and diverse: building a more resilient system of protected areas.“, the authors construct an approach for delivering a more resilient system for protecting the nation’s biological heritage. In doing so, they use geospatial data to assess priorities for expanding protected areas within the contiguous United States to include the least human‐modified wildlands, establish a connected network, and better represent ecosystem diversity and hotspots of biodiversity. 

In their second paper, “Mapping Conservation Strategies under a Changing Climate”, the authors rethink conservation strategies in an era of climate change. Rather than focusing on protecting ecosystems within reserves and restoring degraded lands that were missing key historical structures, processes, or species, they explore how to integrate climate induced factors, like  invasive species and  cross reserve boundaries create moving targets for preservation and restoration.  

In doing so, the authors construct a wildland conservation value by mapping indices of ecological integrity, connectivity, and ecosystem and endemic-species representation in protected areas.  They cross-reference these areas with a climate vulnerability assessment to identify areas where conservation interventions are most critical.  

Categories: Climate Change, News, Research, Saving Nature Collection, Science, Science Corner

A warm welcome? The wildlife visitors warning of climate disaster

Guardian Article

January 2, 2020

The Guardian spotlights the continued migration of species as the climate warms, transforming ecosystems and introducing exotic visitors, new competition, new predators, and new challenges for conservation in the coming decade.

A warm welcome? The wildlife visitors warning of climate disaster

Mediterranean egrets balancing on the backs of cows, multicoloured moths the size of a human hand, and impossibly exotic bee-eaters hawking for insects under English skies. All are here as a direct consequence of the climate crisis, which has allowed continental European species to extend their ranges northwards, and then make the leap across the Channel to gain a foothold in southern Britain.

This article in the Guardian alerts us to the harbingers of our new reality in an era of climate change, wondering about the fate of all but the most adaptable of species with more frequent and extreme weather events such as droughts, storms, and floods.

Read the full article
Categories: Bird Watching, Climate Change, News, Science, Science Corner, Travel Blog

Global Warming

NASA - A year in the earth's life of carbon dioxide

September 2019

Time is running out in the fight against the world’s two most critical environmental crises: global warming and mass species extinction.”

GLOBAL WARMING

A significant driver of both climate change and extinctions is deforestation and its aftermath of degraded, fragmented, and isolated landscapes. Such places lose their capacity to absorb carbon emissions and to sustain species.

As forests around the world fall to exploitation, key areas for biodiversity not only lose habitat, but what remains is in fragments. Populations die out in fragments, because they are not viable, often becoming inbred, or suffer chance accidents of birth and death. Even when they are viable, a warming climate pushes species uphill —a journey that a fragmented landscape may prevent.

Even under the most optimistic scenarios, the world is not going to reduce the high levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide anytime soon. Species do not have the option of waiting. They are moving towards the poles and, in the tropics, to higher elevations. That is when they can.

Play Video
Girl on Train Tracks analogy for Climate Change

But there is hope to help both endangered species and vulnerable communities facing the threats of climate change and deforestation.With the right, strong will, and enough resources, we can make a real difference for the health of the planet.

Our Goal is to Prevent Extinctions

Saving Nature believes it is an economic, environmental, human health, and moral imperative to fight the climate and extinction crises. Over the past ten years, we have proven our strategy to Connect, Protect, and Restore habitat for endangered species works for both. We unite the power of scientific discovery and conservation action to provide practical, immediate, scalable, and sustainable solutions to environmental challenges. In doing so, we address the pressing problem of species going extinct in isolated forest patches that are becoming too small and too warm for them.

We work in places where exceptional numbers of species are in extreme peril. These are also places where poverty is extreme, indigenous cultures are threatened, watersheds are degraded, and landslides are rampant. While our focus is on preventing extinctions, our approach to conserving biodiversity addresses all these cascading consequences of deforestation. It delivers crucial benefits to vulnerable human populations by putting a check on development that degrades watersheds. It also helps insulate indigenous cultures from intrusion, exploitation, and displacement.

Helping Species Adapt To Climate Change

Saving Nature is taking practical action to rescue the species most at risk of extinction from climate change. While humanity struggles with finding solutions to climate change, species are fighting for survival. They are seeking safe harbors with habitable temperatures by moving towards the poles and to higher elevations. Time is running out for many.

There is abundant evidence that species are moving and that even slight warming pushes species higher in mountainous areas to keep within habitable temperatures. The cycle of deforestation and climate change amplify this crisis. Deforestation blocks migration, trapping species in uninhabitable landscapes, dooming them to extinction. In their retreat to cooler climates, their ranges shrink, further compounding the odds against survival.

Saving Nature intervenes by creating corridors in biodiversity hotspots that connect forest fragments, liberating species trapped and isolated in increasingly inhospitable habitats. Restoring degraded land and reconnecting isolated forests achieves two objectives – it absorbs atmospheric carbon emissions and helps species adapt to climate change by finding safe harbor. Read More about how Saving Nature is building corridors to safe harbor.

Forest Drone View

Putting a Dent in Climate Change

In terms of climate change mitigation, planting tropical moist forests soak up an average of about 26 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare per year. The forests we restore can likely soak up carbon dioxide for 20 years or more. Indeed, increasing evidence suggests that they will continue to do so for much longer, though at a slower rate.

Large-scale tropical reforestation could make a huge dent in carbon emissions. Theoretically, we could offset about a third of global emissions from all sources by planting trees. While we concede that it’s not likely we could plant all those millions of hectares, it does show there are plenty of places with degraded land from which to select. We choose those places carefully and in ways that help other problems.

It also shows how individuals can make a difference by planting tress to offset their carbon dioxide emissions and help species adapt to climate change. Read More About How to become “carbon neutral” while helping species survive in an era of climate change.

How Can You Help?

We will continue to use both science and savvy to connect, protect, and restore forest corridors. We invite you to join us in this ambitious effort!

Help Fight Climate Change

Please support our forest restoration and connectivity efforts. Donating to Saving Nature helps fight the two most pressing environmental problems the world faces—mass species extinction and global warming!

Categories: Climate Change

The Lungs of the Planet Are Burning

Burning tropical forests is a major factor in climate change. Deforestation contributes one fifth of all the greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere due to human activity–more that all the emissions from Europe.
Burning tropical forests is a major factor in climate change. Deforestation contributes one fifth of all the greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere due to human activity–more that all the emissions from Europe.

September 3, 2019: Rewilding Earth

As the world watches the Amazon fires rage, destroying one of our most important global treasures there is only one question on everyone’s mind:

 

Can we survive this unchecked destruction?

In his recent article for Rewilding Earth, Stuart Pimm, President of Saving Nature, shares his insights into the Amazon fires and explains the potential consequences.

Days of Fire

by Stuart Pimm

Fly from the USA to Rio de Janeiro and choose a day-time flight. Reject all demands to lower your window shades. You must not miss the view. One heads southeast, crosses Cuba, and makes landfall near Caracas, Venezuela. The next two and a half hours are a planetary spectacular, while the final three are apocalyptic.

The transect from Caracas to Manaus on the Amazon shows vast, unbroken tracts of forest. I’ve done this on crisp, clear days and, on magical ones, when the tepuis rise above low-lying mist. They inspired Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World. I don’t think undiscovered dinosaurs live there, but undiscovered species? Bet on it.

At Manaus, the black waters of the Rio Negro, coming in from the north, meet the coffee-coloured ones from the Andes. From the plane, I see they refuse to mix for a long way downstream. Unbroken forest returns – but not for long. Soon, there will be huge columns of smoke rising to the height of the plane, their plumes trailing downwind for as far as we can see. All too soon, thick grey smoke will completely cover the ground below. It will continue for most of the rest of the journey.

No other journey tells me what wonderful places we still have of our planet — and how we might lose them in a generation.

Click here to read the entire article.

Girl on Train Tracks analogy for Climate Change
Categories: Climate Change, News, Saving Nature Collection

Helping Species Adapt to Climate Change

2 Comments
Help species trying to escape climate change. Help Saving Nature plant trees to offset your carbon footprint and give species an escape route.
Help species trying to escape climate change. Help Saving Nature plant trees to offset your carbon footprint and give species an escape route.

July 19, 2019

In the face of climate change, species are fleeing to the poles and to higher elevations.  Saving Nature is trying to help them get there.

HELPING SPECIES ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Every year, the world’s increasing population adds approximately 37 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from industry, agriculture, forestry, utilities, and transportation. 

Deforestation — of which the burning of tropical forests is the major component — contributes about 10% of these emissions. It is also the principal driver of biodiversity loss.

Our unrelenting carbon dioxide emissions have surpassed the planet’s ability to absorb these greenhouse gases, leading to climate disruption and species extinctions.

Species Moving to Higher Elevations as the Climate Warms

While governments struggle with finding solutions for climate change, species must seek higher ground with habitable temperatures for their survival.

Even under the most optimistic scenarios, we aren’t going to reduce the high levels of carbon dioxide anytime soon. Species do not have the option of waiting. They are moving towards the poles and, in the tropics, to higher elevations. That is, when they can.

Some species may not reach the refuge of higher elevations and will go extinct. The cycle of deforestation and climate change blocks their passage through degraded wastelands. As a result, they become trapped them in an uninhabitable landscape, dooming them to extinction.

Evidence from a 40-year Study: 1978 vs. 2018

Ph.D. student, German Forero-Medina, under the direction of Dr. Pimm, examined the distribution of birds along an elevation gradient in the mountains of Peru. Forty years earlier, Dr. Pimm’s Duke colleague, John Terborgh, had surveyed this same mountain chain at various elevations.

 

Returning to the original sites and using the same methods, the team compared where the birds are now versus in the past. Simply, they are at higher elevations — though not as high as one expects.

 

This suggests that the already threatened birds in the isolated patches of forest are in deep trouble. Isolation is bad enough, the inability to move to higher elevations is even worse news.

Saving Nature Builds Corridors to Safe Harbors

Our approach is a simple, effective, and scalable solution to reducing carbon dioxide and preventing extinctions. Restoring degraded land and reconnecting isolated forests achieves two objectives – it absorbs atmospheric carbon emissions and helps species adapt to climate change by finding safe harbor.

 

Simply put, the corridors we create in biodiversity hotspots connect forest fragments and liberate species trapped and isolated in increasingly inhospitable habitats. By reconnecting isolated forests, we create vital migration routes for species seeking higher ground.

 

In doing so, we get massive leverage by financing local partners to buy relatively small amounts of land to create significant protected refuges and strategic connections. Merging isolated forest fragments is critical to facilitating colonization of previously inaccessible areas. Doing so diversifies genetics and builds resiliency. In this era of climate change, the forest corridors also serve as the routes to survival as the climate warms.

Girl on Train Tracks analogy for Climate Change

How Can You help?

We will continue to use both science and savvy to connect, protect, and restore forest corridors. We invite you to join us in this ambitious effort!

Donating to Saving Nature puts trees in the ground for biodiversity, and sequesters carbon from the atmosphere. In short, supporting Saving Nature helps fight the two most pressing environmental problems the world faces—mass species extinction and global warming—at the same time!

Categories: Birds, Carbon Offsets, Climate Change, Research, Saving Nature Collection, Science

Let’s Talk Carbon!

Offest Your Carbon Footprint by Planting Trees

July 5, 2019

Stuart Pimm

HOW TO BECOME CARBON NEUTRAL

Let’s talk carbon. Saving Nature offsets carbon emissions surprisingly cheaply and, in doing so, helps species adapt to climate change.

This can be a complicated subject. Let’s simplify it.

We ask each supporter for $100 per year. That will make the average US citizen “carbon neutral” — the native trees we plant to restore forests with that money will soak up as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere that he or she puts into it each year.

Carbon Dioxide Causes Global Warming

Our various human activities put about 37 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year. That’s from burning coal and gasoline, of course, but also by burning forests.

Girl on Train Tracks analogy for Climate Change

We measure increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere with great precision and have done so for decades. As the concentration increases, it traps more of the sun’s energy and so the planet warms. That massively disrupts the climate, harming people and biodiversity alike.

How to Become Carbon Neutral

Taking action to erase your carbon footprint is as simple as answering three questions.  

1. How much carbon dioxide am I putting into the atmosphere each year?

If you are average and live in the USA, the answer is 16 tons.

2. How much carbon does a forest soak up?

 

Growing trees take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. So how many trees do you need to plant so that you are “carbon neutral?” That is, how many trees with your name on them are needed to soak up — technically, the word is sequester — as much carbon dioxide as your lifestyle produces. 

 

The answer is that the corridors we reforest at Saving Nature soak up about that same amount per hectare per year. Those corridors continue to do that for twenty years or more and at a slower rate thereafter. The bottom line is: help us plant and protect a hectare of forest and you’ll be carbon neutral for decades.

3. And finally, how much does it cost to be carbon neutral?

Tropical forests soak up about 26 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare per year as they grow back. They do so for 20 years — and usually considerably longer. Close enough, buying and reforesting a hectare of tropical forest will offset almost all a typical American’s carbon dioxide emissions for 20 years.

 

So how much does a hectare cost? Well, that depends on where we help our partners buy land and whether they plant the trees. Apart from some very difficult restorations, for which we solicit support from foundations, our costs are about $4 a ton per carbon dioxide. So about $100 per year will offset a typical American’s carbon emissions. (Other nations have different and usually lower ones.)

4. How to help combat global warming and save species?

We will continue to use both science and savvy to connect, protect, and restore forest corridors. We invite you to join us in this ambitious effort! Donating to Saving Nature puts trees in the ground for biodiversity, and sequesters carbon from the atmosphere.

Help Fight Climate Change

Please support Saving Nature in fighting global warming — at the same time you’ll be fighting mass species extinctions!

Categories: Carbon Offsets, Climate Change, Saving Nature Collection

Help Us Have a Bigger Impact

Donate Now

Give Someone A Forest 

Offset someone’s carbon footprint this year and you are giving two gifts. The first for your loved one. The second for the planet.

The time is now to enlist new trees in the fight against climate change

Donate Now!

before you fly

Sign-Up for Our Newsletter

Stay connected for good news from the front lines of conservation.

Skip to content