Working to build climate change resilience for the Belize Barrier Reef
Marine and climate scientists from Columbia University’s Earth Institute and the World Wildlife Fund are working to protect the Belize Barrier Reef, and the entire Meso American Barrier Reef System, from the effects of climate change: Warm-water coral reefs—composed of stony corals, algae, and other organisms—are classified as a “unique …
Trees heal from hurricanes by growing more efficient leaves
Research carried out in Puerto Rico’s dry forest after Hurricane Maria shows how trees recover after hurricanes by growing leaves that absorb light and carbon dioxide more efficiently: Some tree species heal from the ravages of hurricane damage by growing replacement leaves optimized for greater efficiency, according to a Clemson …
Training opportunity: Online Certificate in Tropical Forest Landscapes
The Yale Environmental Leadership and Training Initiative, in collaboration with the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, has launched a new online certificate programme, Tropical Forest Landscapes: Conservation, Restoration and Sustainable Use: This yearlong program consists of four eight-week online courses, a capstone project and an optional field course in …
The value of nature: seagrass beds save beaches and money
The Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research reports on recent research, carried out in the Caribbean, that shows how seagrass saves beaches and money by preventing erosion and reducing the need for artificial beach nourishment: Seagrass beds are so effective in protecting tropical beaches from erosion, that they can reduce …
Closed season for bird-hunting in Guyana
Guyana’s Wildlife and Conservation Management Commission has declared a five-month ban on the hunting of wild birds: The period January 1, 2019 to May 31, 2019 has been declared a “closed season” for the hunting of wild birds. This is according to a notice published by the Guyana Wildlife and Conservation …
Crocodile conservation in Jamaica
Jamaica’s National Environment and Planning Agency has launched a programme to improve the conservation status of the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), which is a protected species in Jamaica. The initiative focuses on changing people’s attitudes to and interactions with crocodiles: The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is moving to help …
New conservation approaches can help to alleviate impacts of climate warming for sea turtles
Research from St. Eustatius suggests that new, and relatively simple, conservation methods can help reduce some of the negative effects of climate change on sea turtle populations: In the article published by Scientific Reports, a range of experiments were conducted between 2012 and 2017 in St Eustatius Marine Park in …