Matt Mahan’s Post

I joined the board of The National Forest Foundation, or NFF, because it is a central player in forest restoration and management projects taking place today throughout the United States. NFF is a congressionally chartered nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting our National Forests and Grasslands. America has 193 million acres of National Forests and Grasslands, managed by the U.S. Forest Service.  The NFF works in conjunction with the Forest Service to bring private capital and on-the-ground expertise to the job of preserving our public lands for all current and future Americans. Most forest management work is on complex, non-optional projects that require cooperation between the Forest Service, state and private landowners, Native-American organizations, local businesses and nonprofits. The Forest Service, a government agency, cannot meet all of these demands and needs private capital, expertise, innovation, and influence to move urgent projects forward. Increasingly, technology is playing a major role in our forest system – whether it’s aiding in fire mitigation, predicting ecosystem needs, or making it easier for Americans to enjoy our public lands.  I am glad that people from all over our society are realizing that we are not doing enough to ensure our forests are healthy and forever a part of American life. I am helping NFF, the leading partner of the U.S. Forest Service at the national and local level, work in the years ahead to protect the national treasure we have in our forests.

Conserve Utah Valley is a charity organization that is working hard to protect Utah Lake and Great Salt Lake. Their initiative "Grow the Flow Utah" is focused on increasing the water level in Great Salt Lake which we all know has severely diminished. If you live in Utah, recreate in Utah, or are passionate about environmental sustainability. I encourage you to sign up for their newsletter and get more involved with protecting the lakes that create the Greatest Snow on Earth! Two easy ways to help grow the flow in Utah are: 1. Xeriscaping our lawns to match our natural landscape. 2. Changing the perception of green grass lawns to be seasonal (June, July, August). many Utahns water excessively from last frost to first frost (May through October) which wastes a lot of water. https://lnkd.in/gA9rC34F

Over the past four years, Torrance, California, has pursued a lethal coyote "management" program that has seen far from desirable results. Since Torrance began their trapping program, coyote sightings in the city have ~increased~. The citizens of Torrance also took a significant financial hit to fund this program, paying a staggering $256,000, resulting in the inhumane trapping of 78 coyotes. 🤯 That's over $3,200 per coyote – resources that could have been better allocated elsewhere! This method is not only destructive to local wildlife and ecosystems, it's ineffective and a significant waste of taxpayer funds. Opting for coexistence over killing has a wide range of benefits. It's proactive, preventing conflict before it happens, and delivers long-term effectiveness. Nonlethal methods allow carnivores to naturally regulate their own populations. Plus, nonlethal methods are significantly more cost-effective, freeing up funds for other essential community needs. Let's take inspiration from Pasadena, California, where the city council recently voted unanimously for an expanded NONlethal program, promoting public education and humane conflict solutions rather than killing. This victory, accomplished through grassroots advocacy and collaboration, fills us with hope as science, ethics, and reason triumphed over outdated methods. Killing should never be the answer to conflicts with our wild neighbors. 🌎🧡 #ProjectCoyote #California #Coexistence #CompassionateCoexistence #Coyotes 📷 Gretchen Kay Stuart, #CaptureCoexistenceContributor

Have you ever noticed how a tidy and organized community makes everyone feel happier and more connected? If you're looking for a way to bring your community together and make a positive impact, organizing a community cleanup day is the perfect solution! A community cleanup day brings people together to clean up litter, remove graffiti, and improve the overall environment. 🧹 Many communities struggle with litter and neglected public spaces, but by organizing an event like this, you can create an opportunity for residents to come together and take pride in their surroundings. 🌳 By gathering your community members and working together, you can make a significant difference in the appearance and cleanliness of your neighborhood. Plus, it's a wonderful way to teach children the importance of taking care of the environment and instill a sense of civic responsibility. Organizing a cleanup day might seem like a daunting task, but with the right planning and preparation, it can be a rewarding experience for everyone involved. 🗓️ Read our blog below to learn more about the importance of community cleanliness and how to organize your own community cleanup day! 🏘️ #CommunityCleanup #NeighborhoodPride #CivicResponsibility #CleanAndGreen #TogetherWeCan #ManagementPlus https://lnkd.in/gx4Vq-yq

Cheers to Suncoast Waterkeeper for launching its Mangrove Ranger program to safeguard Florida's precious mangroves. Mangroves aren't just trees—they're lifelines for our coastlines, marine biodiversity, and our planet's health. They are critical nurseries for juvenile reef fish like tarpon and redfish, and for invertebrates like shrimp and clams. As sea levels rise and development increases, their protection is more crucial than ever. The Mangrove Ranger program empowers volunteers to monitor mangrove health and report violations, providing vital data for advocacy efforts. We all need to protect our mangroves for current and future generations! Read more about the program below. #mangroves, #ClimateAction, #water, #cleanwater --

🌊 Making Waves for a Cleaner Tomorrow 🌊 Since 2017, our dedicated community at the Salty Soul Foundation has achieved remarkable milestones in the fight against ocean pollution. With the support of over 6,000 passionate volunteers and the contribution of more than 180,000 hours, we've successfully removed nearly 30,000 pounds of trash from our beloved local beaches, preventing it from reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The efforts have been centered in the #TampaBay area along the #GulfCoast, but now we're setting our sights higher—we're ready to go from Coast to Coast! Our mission to protect our oceans and shorelines is growing, and we're excited to invite you to be a part of this impactful journey. 💙Join the Movement💙 By following with us on #LinkedIn, you become a crucial part of our expanding network committed to preserving our coastal environments. Together, we can make an even greater impact. But that's not all—did you know that your involvement with the Salty Soul Foundation can be leveraged as a write-off? - Just saying... 🌟 Make a Difference, Get a Benefit 🌟 As a 501c3 nonprofit organization, the Salty Soul Foundation is eligible for tax-deductible contributions. By signing up and actively participating in our coastal cleanups, you not only contribute to a cleaner environment but also enjoy the added benefit of a potential write-off. 👥 Proud to be Part of the Salty Soul Foundation 👥 I am proud to be a member of the Salty Soul Foundation and witness the incredible impact we've made over the years. Together, we've shown that small acts can lead to significant change. Now, as we aim to expand our mission from Coast to Coast, your involvement becomes even more crucial. Let's continue this journey together, building a future where our coastlines remain pristine and our oceans thrive. Let's create waves of change that resonate across the entire coastline! #SaltySoulFoundation #CoastToCoastCleanup #OceanConservation #JoinTheMovement #LinkedInNetwork #501c3Nonprofit

On, Earth Day, theoretically the biggest holiday in terms of how "big" it is, I like to keep it small. I paddleboard a lot. It's one of the reasons I moved to Florida. In Pennsylvania, I generally paddled on the Susquehanna River, roughly 380 miles down from its beginning. 380 miles that have been mostly civilized for hundreds of years. It's difficult to go more than 100 yards or so without finding trash. There's actually an Instagram account from a guy who's been picking trash out of the water for the past several years. He's collected - literally - thousands of items. When possible, I'd pick up pieces, myself, but with so much trash and so much current, I found it impossible to make a dent. Before too long, some of what I collected would inevitably get blown off the board, despite my best efforts. In Florida, I live on a 28 mile river. It's a much smaller one in a state that's really only had measurable population for 100 years or so. On a two hour paddle, I might come across 4-6 pieces of trash and I try to pick every one of them up, from beer cans to lawn chairs. Why? Because when I leave the river will once again appear to be free of trash. At least for the day. My hope is that in doing so, my river in Florida never becomes too overwhelming to keep clean. That people will always pick up trash there because it appears wrong to not do so. So I choose a river that's "small." Likewise, I choose a tactic that's "small." There are wonderful nonprofits like the Suncoast Waterkeeper that are working to the protect my river and others in the courtroom. Organizations like the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast are doing their best to save these waters for future generations and I'm grateful for them and others like them. But someone needs to pick up the trash, and I'm happy to do it. #earthday #florida

Our Bureau of Highways does a lot to curb the amount of litter piling up in the county. In the past five years, DPW has removed over 800,000 pounds of trash from county roads, parks and highways. You can do your part by following these simple waste management tips: - Keep a bag for trash in your car; - Pick up any trash you see in your yard, and secure your bins with tight-fitting lids; and - Participate in community cleanup events. Find out more tips for how you can support litter cleanup, at https://bit.ly/49uLbgB #DPWandYOU

This issue of Louisa County's newsletter, The Informed Citizen, offers updates from departments including Parks, Recreation & Tourism, Community Development, General Services/the Animal Shelter, and Administration. It also features updates from the Louisa County Sheriff's Office, the Assessor's Office, and partners like the Louisa Arts Center, the Louisa County Historical Society, the Commission on Aging, JABA, the Louisa County Library, the Virginia Cooperative Extension, Firefly, and FFA. Each issue aims to communicate to citizens how their local government is working for them and provides useful partner resources. Featured in this issue: * Louisa County Photo Contest * Upcoming Events * Firefly Fiber Broadband's Progress in Numbers * Household Hazardous Waste Day * Community, Staff and Board Spotlights * What to Do If You Find a Lost Animal * Board of Supervisors Updates ... and more See past issues at https://lnkd.in/er3FMvju. Hard copies are available in the County Office Building (1 Woolfolk Ave, Louisa). See past issues at https://lnkd.in/er3FMvju. Sign up at https://lnkd.in/gjydJjZR to receive email or text notifications of new issues.

🍃 2024 Alabama PALS "Don’t Drop It On Alabama" Statewide Spring Cleanup 🍃 This April 2024, Alabama embarks on a transformative journey with the "Don’t Drop It On Alabama" Statewide Spring Cleanup. Throughout the entire month, we are calling on cities, counties, schools, neighborhoods, and volunteer groups to unite for a monumental cleanup effort across every county in our state. With all supplies and materials furnished, we are fully equipped to tackle the challenges of litter and illegal dumping head-on, improving our community health, environmental sustainability, and even our city budgets. Our recent blog post sheds light on the vast impacts of litter on our communities. (Read the full post here: https://lnkd.in/eW7ZJ6Qc) From affecting the aesthetics of our cities to profoundly impacting residents' quality of life, the costs of litter are not just financial but also societal. Studies, including those by the University of Toronto, have shown that clean, well-maintained neighborhoods boast lower crime rates and higher property values and even contribute to better mental health outcomes. Yet, the financial burden on states like ours is significant, with millions spent annually on litter collection and cleanup efforts. The "Don’t Drop It On Alabama" initiative is more than just a cleanup; it's a call to action for all Alabamians to play a part in enhancing the beauty and health of our state. It's an opportunity to demonstrate that, through collective effort and state-wide participation, we can significantly reduce the environmental and economic impacts of litter. Let's come together to make a difference. Plan now to involve your community in this vital initiative. Join hands with volunteers from every corner of Alabama to clean up our beloved state. 📅 Date: Entire Month of April 2024 📍 Statewide in Alabama ✨ Let's keep Alabama beautiful, one cleanup at a time! 🔗 Learn more here:https://www.alpals.org/ ✨ Be part of the change and help keep Alabama beautiful! #DontDropItOnAlabama #AlabamaPALS #StatewideCleanup #Litter #IllegalDumping #SmartCitiesConnect #CommunityPride #CleanAlabama #EnvironmentalImpact #CommunityHealth #RollTide #blightsurvey