June positive news
TEN POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS STORIES FROM THIS MONTH.
Article by: Eveline Vouillemin
This month’s collection of climate positive news stories highlight significant strides in marine conservation, the approval of a new nature restoration law and community efforts to restore nature in both wild and urban environments.
1. Green islands released in Bristol Harbour
Two large floating platforms covered in 500 native plants have been launched in Bristol harbour to help improve the water quality.
The two islands, which measure approximately 17m in length, were created at Bristol's Festival of Nature and are the first of a number of platforms due to be floated in the water this year.
Find out more on the BBC website.
2. Woodland increasing and peatland being restored in Scotland
A long-term photography study has revealed how woodland is increasing and peatland is being restored at a number of nature reserves in the Scottish Highlands. The Scottish government agency said this involves retaking historical photos at the same location and at the same time of year.
Find out more on the Sky News website.
3. Wales second in the world for recycling rates
Wales has been named the second best country in the world for recycling and is within touching distance of the top spot, just behind Austria in the global rankings, with both countries managing to recycle 59% of their waste.
Northern Ireland is ranked ninth, England 11th and Scotland 15th among the 48 countries included in the comparison.
Find out more on the BBC website.
4. New scheme to restore Sussex’s marine environment
A new scheme aimed at restoring the marine environment in Sussex has been launched. The campaign aims to protect 100 miles of coastline from Selsey to Camber Sands.
The project could see kelp, oyster beds and salt marsh reintroduced along the sea bed, in an attempt to combat climate change and encourage wildlife.
Find out more on the BBC website.
5. Million tree project launched to conserve wild fish
Tens of thousands of native trees have been planted on a Sutherland estate as part of a wild fish conservation project.
Atlantic Salmon Trust is working with the Duke of Westminster-owned Grosvenor's Reay Forest Estate on a 10-year project to restore habitats and boost numbers of Atlantic salmon and sea trout.
Find out more on the BBC website.
6. Welsh nursery growing seagrass to save marine habitat
In south-west Wales, an ambitious project is under way to try to help restore one of the world’s most important and threatened habitats: seagrass meadows.
Over the past two years, what is being billed as the UK’s first large-scale seagrass nursery has processed 1.5m seeds collected from sites in Wales and England and grown tens of thousands of plants, the first of which have been introduced into the wild to restore underwater meadows.
Find out more on The Guardian website.
7. Beavers build 'ideal' habitat for endangered native voles
Beavers introduced to a Scottish rainforest in 2009 may have created the "right conditions" for native water voles to flourish, according to conservationists.
Dams built by beavers in Knapdale, Argyll and Bute, have led to the creation of a new habitat where water voles can dig burrows hidden from predators.
Once abundant in Scotland, water voles are now one of the country's most threatened native animals. Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) said beavers had blurred the line between water and land, providing the ideal conditions for water voles to flourish.
Find out more on the BBC website.
8. Nature reserve celebrates 100th volunteer
A Lincolnshire nature reserve, Frampton Marsh, near Boston, is celebrating after recruiting its 100th volunteer. The reserve was bought by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) 40 years ago.
Chris Andrews, visitor experience manager, described the volunteers as "amazing". "Volunteers are fundamental to achieving our mission as a nature reserve, providing the best habitat we can and helping as many people experience it in the best way they can," he said.
Find out more on the BBC website.
9. EU approves first-of-its-kind law that could bring back biodiversity
After months of deliberations, the EU’s Nature Restoration Law has finally been approved. The first-of-its-kind regulation aims to restore Europe’s damaged ecosystems and boost biodiversity.
The law aims to restore at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030, and all degraded ecosystems by 2050. The law sets binding targets and obligations for EU member states to rehabilitate their natural habitats - 80% of which are currently in poor condition.
Find out more on the Euronews website.
10. Edinburgh bans SUV and airline ads
Scotland's capital city has banned advertisements for airlines and sports utility vehicles (SUVs), along with ads for cruise lines and oil and gas companies, in what campaigners are calling a "historic" step-up in action to tackle climate change.
Edinburgh's council announced on Tuesday that it had moved to exclude adverts and sponsorships for "high-carbon products and services" that "undermine the council’s commitment to tackling the climate emergency."
Find out more on the Forbes website.