Latest news with #ecology
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Rockford Public Library's new garden honors Bill Perry and teaches native plant ecology
A new garden at the Rockford Public Library will offer residents a living lesson in local ecology and community spirit. The premier tour of the Bill Perry Native Plant Garden is scheduled for 10 a.m. July 31 on the river side of the new Main Library at 215 N. Wyman Street in downtown Rockford, according to a community announcement. The event will showcase the purpose of native landscaping, while honoring the legacy of Bill Perry, a lifelong advocate for environmental stewardship and native plant gardening. The garden was named in Perry's honor by his family. Perry, who earned a horticulture degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, spent decades cultivating prairie-style gardens across Illinois and Ohio. Perry was known for championing plants such as black-eyed Susan, bee balm, butterfly weed, purple coneflower and New England aster. These species were chosen for their seasonal beauty and their ability to support pollinators while reducing the need for irrigation and chemicals, according to the announcement. Lynn Stainbrook, executive director of the Rockford Public Library and Perry's spouse, led the transformation of the Main Library over the past decade. This included the remediation of environmentally contaminated land and the construction of the new library building. The revitalized land now hosts the Bill Perry Native Plant Garden, reflecting Perry's passion for preserving native ecosystems and educating future generations. 'This garden brings together so many things Bill cared about — beauty, biodiversity and environmental responsibility,' Stainbrook said in the announcement. 'It's incredibly meaningful to me that this space, which was once a symbol of environmental concern, is now a living classroom where people can reconnect with nature and learn how to care for the world around them." The garden was created in collaboration with Severson Dells Nature Center. Local experts from the center were scheduled to lead the tour and share insights on native plant selection, sustainable gardening and ecosystem protection, according to a community announcement. This story was created by reporter Abreanna Blose, ablose@ with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: A new Rockford garden grows beauty, biodiversity and legacy Solve the daily Crossword
Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Times
Trump tilts at ‘windmills' that ruin view from his golf course
President Trump has claimed that wind turbines are an ecological 'con job' blighting the countryside, killing birds and driving whales 'loco'. During a press conference with Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, he said: 'I say to Europe, we will not allow a windmill to be built in the United States. They're killing us. They're killing the beauty of our scenery, our valleys, our beautiful plains.' On the third day of his visit to Scotland, Trump said that the wind turbines had ruined the view from the 18th hole of his Ayrshire golf course. 'Today, I'm playing the best course, I think, in the world,' he said. 'Turnberry, even though I own it, it's probably the best course in the world. And I look over the horizon and I see nine windmills. It's like, 'Great, at the end of the 18th'. I said, 'Isn't that a shame?' What a shame.' He added: 'It's the most expensive form of energy. They're made in China, almost all of them. When they start to rust and rot in eight years you can't really turn them off, you can't burn them. They won't let you bury the propellers, the props, because there's a certain type of fibre that doesn't go well with the land. 'That's what they say. The environmentalists say you can't bury them because the fibre doesn't go well with the land. In other words, if you bury it, it will harm our soil. The whole thing is a con job.' He claimed the turbines were being peddled by 'environmental hacks' but were not ecologically friendly as the fibres from which they are made do not break down. Trump also declared that wind turbines harmed nature with their noise and killed birds that were struck by the blades. 'It kills the birds. They're noisy. You know, you have a certain place in the Massachusetts area that over the last 20 years had one or two whales wash ashore and over the last short period of time they had 18, because it's driving them loco,' he went on. 'It's driving them crazy.'
BBC News
5 days ago
- Science
- BBC News
Aspen trees increase due to reintroduction of wolves to US national park
For the first time in 80 years, aspen trees are thriving in Yellowstone National Park in the US, due mostly to the reintroduction of wolves to the area. According to a new study the return of wolves has led to an ecological transformation. Gray wolves disappeared from the park by 1930 because of habitat loss and hunting. Their loss led to a type of deer species, elk, taking elk chomped grass, shrubs and even young trees which meant aspen trees didn't grow. The reintroduction of wolves to the park in the early 1990s led to the elk population dropping sharply. The authors of the study published in Forest Ecology and Management believe this is the main reason for the resurgence of aspen trees. By looking at the particular areas where aspen trees grow over a number of years, they were able to see what had changed. Aspen trees which are also called Populus tremula, because of the way its leaves tremble, attract a wide range of wildlife. Luke Painter ecologist at Oregon State University and lead author told the website Live Science: "Aspen are a key species for biodiversity. The canopy is more open than it is with conifers and you get filtering light that creates a habitat that supports a lot of diversity of plants."While the aspen is recovering they are not out of the woods yet. Bison also eat the young aspen shoots and numbers appear to be increasing. Overall, researchers say it shows what the effect of introducing a predator at the top of the food chain like a wolf can have on biodiversity.
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Murray–Darling Basin Plan Evaluation is out. The next step is to fix the land, not just the flows
A report card into the A$13 billion Murray–Darling Basin Plan has found much work is needed to ensure the ecology of Australia's largest river system is properly restored. The assessment, by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority, is the most comprehensive to date. The authority says the river system is doing better now than it would have without the plan, which aims to ensure sustainable water use for the environment, communities and industries. But it found there is more to be done. We are water, economics and environmental researchers with many years of experience working in the Murray-Darling Basin. We agree more work is needed, but with a more local focus, to restore the basin to health. This requires more than just more water for the environment. Coordinated local efforts to restore rivers and the surrounding land are desperately needed. There's so much more to the river system than just the water it contains. What's the plan? The Murray-Darling Basin is Australia's food bowl. But for too long, the health of environment was in decline – rivers were sick and wildlife was suffering. The river stopped flowing naturally to the sea because too much water was being taken from it. Poor land management has also degraded the river system over time. Floodplain vegetation has been damaged, the river channel has been re-engineered, and pest plants and animals have been introduced. The Murray-Darling Basin Plan was established in 2012. It aimed to recover water for the environment and safeguard the long-term health of the river system, while continuing to support productive agriculture and communities. It demanded more water for the environment and then described how this water would be delivered, in the form of targeted 'environmental flows'. Since 2012, the allocation of water to various uses has gradually changed. So far, 2,069 billion litres (gigalitres) of surface water has been recovered for the environment. Combined with other earlier water recovery, a total of about 28% of water previously diverted for agriculture, towns and industry is now being used by the environment instead. A mixed report card The evaluation released today is the first step towards a complete review of the plan next year. The 2026 review will make recommendations to Environment and Water Minister Murray Watt. It will then be up to him to decide whether any changes are needed. It is a mixed report card. Ecological decline has been successfully halted at many sites. But sustained restoration of ecosystems across the basin is yet to be achieved, and native fish populations are in poor condition across 19 of the basin's 23 catchments. Climate change is putting increasing pressure on water resources. More intense and frequent extreme climate events and an average 20–30% less streamflow (up to 50% in some rivers) are expected by mid-century. The evaluation also called for better policy and program design. Specifically, flexible programs have proven more effective than prescriptive, highly regulated programs. Finally, the report also highlights that the cost of water reform is increasing. Direct buybacks of water licences, mostly from irrigators, account for around two-thirds of the water recovered for the environment under the basin plan. Buybacks are the simplest and most cost-effective way to recover water but are controversial because of concerns about social and economic impacts. Much of the remaining water has been recovered through investment in more efficient water supply infrastructure, with water savings reserved for environmental use. The authority suggests different approaches will be needed for additional water recovery. Healthy rivers need more than water For the past two decades, measures to restore the Murray-Darling Basin have focused largely on water recovery. But research suggests attention now needs to be paid to other, more local actions. In March, one author of this article – Samantha Capon – identified nine priority actions to restore Australia's inland river and groundwater ecosystems at local levels. They included: revegetating land alongside waterways retiring some farmland modifying barriers to fish movements installing modern fish screens on irrigation pumps. The study estimated such actions would cost around A$2.9 billion a year, if completed over the next 30 years. Works to restore vegetation or other environmental conditions at these critical habitats will only occur with landholders, as well as Traditional Owners. That's because most of the basin's wetlands and floodplain areas are on private property, including in irrigation districts. Irrigator involvement is needed to place fish screens on private irrigation pumps or retire farmland. There is a growing interest and some early experience in using private irrigation channels to deliver environmental water. This also requires local partnerships. The basin plan should include targets for environmental outcomes, not just water recovery. This will allow the benefits from local restoration measures and environmental flows to be included when tracking the plan. Such ecosystem accounting tools already exist. Research is urgently needed to make these tools both locally relevant and suitable for the basin plan. Time for a local approach To date, water for the environment under the basin plan has been recovered largely through centralised government-led programs. Decisions around the delivery of environmental flows are also largely in the hands of government agencies. But other local restoration actions are also needed. A business-as-usual approach would leave responsible agencies struggling to complete these vital local measures with limited funding, resources and accountability. This article is republished from The Conversation. It was written by: Michael Stewardson, The University of Melbourne; Neville Crossman, Flinders University; Samantha Capon, Griffith University, and Seth Westra, University of Adelaide Read more: Historic ruling finds climate change 'imperils all forms of life' and puts laggard nations on notice World's highest court issues groundbreaking ruling for climate action. Here's what it means for Australia Politics with Michelle Grattan: Chris Bowen on why it's 'a little frustrating' bidding for COP 31 Michael Stewardson is a member of the Advisory Committee on Social, Economic and Environmental Science, which advises the Murray Darling Basin Authority,, although he is not representing the views of this committee in this article. The committee is established under Section 203 of the Water Act 2007. Michael Stewardson is the CEO of the One Basin CRC, which is jointly funded under the commonwealth Cooperative Research Centre Program and by its partners listed here: These partners include: state and federal government agencies including the Murray Darling Basin Authority; irrigation infrastructure operators (government owned and non-government), natural resource management agencies (government and non-government); agriculture businesses, industry organisation and R&D organisations; local government organisations; consulting companies in the water sector; technology companies; education and training organisations; and research organisation. Partners contribute to the One Basin CRC in the form of in-kind and cash contributions. The One Basin CRC is also funded by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office under its FlowMER program. The views in this article do not necessarily represent the views of these partner and funding organisations. Michael Stewardson has previously received research funding from the Australian Research Council and both state and federal government agencies. Neville Crossman is a Program Leader for Adaptation and Innovation in the One Basin CRC. He is a past employee of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (2018-2024). He has worked closely with a range of State and federal government agencies and many researchers, industry and community members in the Murray-Darling Basin throughout his career. Samantha Capon receives funding from the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy Efficiency, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), NSW DCCEEW, the Cotton Research and Development Corporation. She is a member of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority's Advisory Committee for Social, Economic and Environmental Science (ACSEES), but is not representing the view of this committee in this article. Samantha has worked closely with NRM agencies, a range of State and federal government agencies and many researchers, industry and community members in the Murray-Darling Basin throughout her career. Seth Westra is the Research Director for the One Basin CRC. He receives funding from the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy Efficiency, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), NSW DCCEEW and the South Australian Department for Environment and Water (DEW). Seth is Research Director of the One Basin Cooperative Research Centre, Director of the Systems Cooperative, and has worked closely with NRM agencies, a range of State and federal government agencies and many researchers, industry and community members in the Murray-Darling Basin throughout his career.
Daily Mail
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Anger as Britain's most controversial allotment wins right to stay despite opposition from Chris Packham and Deborah Meaden
Britain's 'most controversial allotment' has won the right to stay where it is despite outrage from eco-celebs like Springwatch host Chris Packham and Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden. The site on the edge of Bristol has been labelled as the 'world's first no-dig allotment', but it received criticism from locals as well as the eco-conscious celebrities. 'No dig' means growers plant into topsoil which has been placed on top of the ground so no soil is dug up, broken or turned. It has been in a lengthy battle for Bath-based Roots Allotment two years after setting up on a field next to the A369 in Abbots Leigh in April 2023. Despite more than 3,400 people signing a petition against the site, which borders two Sites of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI), it was awarded retrospective planning permission for three parts of the 600-plot allotment field. Some claimed there had been a lack of consultation on the ecology of the land and concerns for local wildlife. Speaking when they first moved in, Dragons' Den's Meaden, who lives in Somerset, argued the site is 'very sad' for local wildlife and 'devastating' for the 'precious meadow habitat'. Taking to X on the allotment's opening day on September 18, she wrote: 'Butterfly numbers have crashed in the UK and Roots Allotments have taken 25 acres of precious meadow habitat, and celebrate with a party. It has been in a lengthy battle for Bath-based Roots Allotment two years after setting up on a field next to the A369 in Abbots Leigh in April 2023 'They could go (and) do much good in the right area but we can't keep taking from a nature who can't defend herself. Very sad.' Last May, Meadon backed the concept of Roots Allotment but argued it was using the wrong location. She wrote: 'Totally agree on farmed land and Farmers are absolutely going to be at the forefront of restoring Nature but that does not apply to already rich meadowland being bulldozed with alien soils being dumped on it. 'I love the concept of roots allotments but they need to choose their sites actually add and regenerate.' Naturalist and wildlife presenter Chris Packham TV wildlife also criticised the location and safety of the site, and took issue with the allotment company redeveloping 'species rich grassland with breeding skylarks'. Taking to Facebook in May last year, Packham wrote: 'Increasing access to green spaces is a must- and allotments are a great way to do that, and more. 'But when you're a venture capital-backed firm developing on species rich grassland, with breeding skylarks... you're in the wrong Roots Allotments. 'Avon and Somerset Police have ordered work to stop on part of the site due to breeding red-listed skylarks- great. But the whole project needs scrapping.' However, North Somerset Council's planning committee voted last week to finally award retrospective planning permission. The Roots Allotments team were given permission for two shipping containers in the field to be used as a tool shed and site office, CCTV cameras, an access track, gravel hardstanding and a sign on the main A369 road. Roots Allotment group says they are answering a 'much needed' allotment crisis and are providing an opportunity for people to sustainably grow their own food. One of the founders, Christian Samuel, said the group had 'flipped the script' - saying their allotments on the site were allegedly the only place where skylarks were feeding. He also added that their 'no dig' method had restored the soil and suppressed carbon into the ground. 'We believe this council has far more pressing issues to resolve than preventing people from growing vegetables in a sustainable manner,' Mr Samuel added. 'At the end of the day everyone, it is just vegetables.' But parish councillor Jenny Stoodley, who lives in Leigh Woods, disagreed. She said: 'The introduction of urban man-made structures such as cars, shipping containers and CCTV in this sensitive green belt location is exactly the kind of encroachment that greenbelt policy is intended to protect against.' Councillors on the planning committee eventually voted seven to three to approve the plans, and a separate planning application covering the sign for the site was approved. Some councillors were left 'disappointed' by the outcome - with Abbots Leigh Parish Council chair Simon Talbot-Ponsonby saying: 'Obviously we are disappointed because it's basically ruined that part of the green belt.' But Christian said the Roots Allotment team, as well as their members, were grateful for the decision. He added: 'There are so many people that need this space - and I'm glad that planning bills are going to come to an end.'
