ecosystem restoration
Credit: ILRI/Flickr
Reviving ancient practices to combat desertification in Jordan
Communities in Jordan are successfully using the ancient practice of hima to combat overgrazing and desertification, revitalizing local ecosystems and traditions.
In short:
- Hima, an ancient land-management practice, is being revived in Jordan to combat overgrazing and desertification, resulting in a significant increase in plant biomass and biodiversity.
- The rotational grazing system protects certain areas, allowing them to recover, which benefits both the environment and local shepherds.
- International conservation organizations are looking to scale up this culturally integrated approach across the Middle East.
Key quote:
"Our religion tells us that whoever plants a tree—and an animal, a bird, or a person eats from it, or takes shade in it, or lives in it—then he has good deeds, and his reward is with God."
— Emad al-Alimat, Bedouin shepherd
Why this matters:
Reviving hima not only restores ecosystems but also supports local communities, blending conservation with cultural and religious traditions, and offering a sustainable model for land management in arid regions. Read more: Climate, justice, and the deep roots of regenerative farming.
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Credit: catcha/BigStock Photo ID:456142131
Austria’s last-minute support enables EU Nature Restoration Law
After months of deadlock, the EU's Nature Restoration Law passed, driven by a crucial change of heart from Austria.
In short:
- Environment ministers in Luxembourg voted to pass the Nature Restoration Law, aiming to restore 20% of land and sea by 2030.
- Austria’s last-minute decision to support the law was pivotal in breaking the deadlock among EU countries.
- The law targets long-term ecosystem restoration but faced criticism for potential economic and administrative burdens on the agricultural sector.
Key quote:
“This law is pivotal to combat climate change. We need to ensure legal certainty for people using soil and land.”
— Leonor Gewessler, Austrian climate minister
Why this matters:
Restoring ecosystems is an important step forward towards mitigating climate change and preserving biodiversity. The EU's decision emphasizes the importance of legal frameworks in driving environmental action on a large scale. Read more: Appalachia is transitioning from coal. Here’s what it could learn from Germany.
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Photo by andreas kretschmer on Unsplash
South Korea is a test case on how to fight an ecological disaster
After two-thirds of the country’s tidal flats were lost to shoreline development, South Korean scientists set out to prove why this ecosystem is so essential.
Newsletter
Photo by Billy Huynh on Unsplash
Reviving the majestic redwood forests
A mission to undo decades of damage to the redwoods of California caused by unchecked logging involves even more logging — and chain saws.
Opinion: Another deadly pandemic seems inevitable – but there is a way to avoid it
We need to do big things quickly to halt the disturbance of nature. And I fear that’s not happening, says former Guardian environment editor John Vidal.
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Photo by Philip Brown on Unsplash
‘Rewilding’ parts of the planet could have big climate benefits
Restoring fish, bison, gray wolves and other animals in key regions is possible without risking food supplies, and could remove nearly 500 gigatons of CO2 from the atmosphere by 2100.
Chesapeake Bay Program/Flickr
A photographic farewell to James Island
The photo gallery on this page bears witness to a changing landscape. For decades, Bay Journal photographer Dave Harp has been documenting the withering of James Island in the Chesapeake.
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