Waste Connections’ Post

Today is #WorldWetlandsDay, but every day should be dedicated to raising awareness and protecting the natural resources that are central to our well-being. Did you know that Florida's wetlands are not just beautiful, but also crucial for our environment and well-being? They filter water, prevent flooding, reduce carbon emissions, and support diverse wildlife. 🌊 🐟 🌿 Coastal Resilience Program Coordinator, Haley Cox recently shared with Florida Sea Grant about the environmental role salt marsh wetlands play on the Big Bend region of Florida. A few key takeaways we learned from Haley are:  1- Salt marshes in Florida are culturally & economically significant, supporting communities reliant on seafood production and ecotourism.  2- Salt marshes serve as crucial breeding, nesting, and foraging grounds for bird species, and act as exceptional nurseries for juvenile fish and other organisms by providing shelter from larger predators.   3- Salt marshes absorb, filter, and remove pollutants that impact water quality. ✨ Learn more about preserving Florida's coastline and salt marsh conservation efforts at UF Center for Coastal Solutions ✨ Click the link below to read the full interview and to learn more:  https://bit.ly/3HLfa7w   

Turtle Creek | This is a story about the long-term, piece-by-piece restoration of Turtle Creek in north-central Pennsylvania. It’s also a story about the power of partnerships, innovation, the environmental stewardship of landowners, and the resiliency of natural systems. It’s a success story suggesting broader opportunities for Pennsylvania’s waters, and for the Chesapeake Bay. https://lnkd.in/ety4KVFi

It’s Colorado River Day – a day to celebrate the lifeblood and foundation of The West. 🎉 The Colorado River provides water for 35 million people, offers world-class outdoor recreation, supports millions of jobs, sustains essential wildlife habitat, and so much more. Climate change and unsustainable water demands threaten the river and our way of life - but it doesn’t have to be this way! Did you know: Right now, the federal government is working with the basin states, Tribes, and stakeholders to create new guidelines for managing the Colorado River. The decisions that are made in the coming months will determine the future of this river and our region. ⬇Learn more about the history, the problems, and WRA's work! ⬇ https://lnkd.in/gQEbdZfP

BREAKING: We just sued the U.S. Forest Service for not protecting Humboldt martens from off-road vehicles in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area — even though the Endangered Species Act safeguards both the martens and their habitat there. Humboldt martens — aka coastal martens — are stealthy, bushy-tailed carnivores in the weasel family who live only in Northern California and Oregon. Believed extinct until their rediscovery in the 1990s, these martens still have a tiny population: fewer than 400. Through nearly 15 years of unflinching legal work, the Center for Biological Diversity won federal protection for these martens in 2020 and, this spring, about 1.2 million acres of critical habitat — including 28,843 acres in the Oregon Dunes. We'll keep doing everything we can for these charismatic little carnivores.

Learn more about Keep Texas Beautiful here.

What are the causes of wildfires? Camille Stevens-Rumann — an associate professor in the Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship and Colorado Forest Restoration Institute assistant director — discusses three common, human-caused factors behind #wildfires and reminders on how to prevent them. Interested to learn what you can do to help prevent wildfires? Watch Camille's "How to be a Better Earthling" video at https://col.st/g2cpT.

A small but important step in our decarbonisation and a huge step in keeping our harbour litter free.

Have you ever been awed by a rugged place? As I describe here, the California desert can take your breath away. Underground water nourishes its life-giving springs. For decades, Sen. Dianne Feinstein worked to protect the desert, its places sacred to Tribes, & its most vunerable aquifer. In this brief article, I ask who will take up her legacy to prevent the plunder of this splendor. It’s an unfolding story. https://lnkd.in/dDqjkFjp

2024 marks 10 years since local voters confirmed their ongoing support for Midpen by passing Measure AA, a $300 million bond measure specific to Midpen that enabled work to begin on priority preservation, restoration, public access and agricultural projects in our community-supported Vision Plan. Throughout the year, we’ll be sharing the progress and projects that Measure AA has allowed Midpen to accomplish on your behalf during the last decade. Together, these projects help make our region a healthier, more climate change-resilient place for plants, animals and people. We’re kicking off this effort with a story about the purchase, made possible by Measure AA, of nearly 100 acres of redwood forest. Preserving this property as public open space has big benefits for coastal creeks and future trail connections, and narrows the gap to help physically join Midpen’s La Honda Creek and El Corte de Madera Creek open space preserves. Read on: https://bit.ly/48oYCy5 📷: Allen Ishibashi

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 --