By Cath Ritchie | Communications Coordinator
Dear Supporter
Here we 'grow' again
We're thrilled to report that, since our last update, we've welcomed SIX Ecosystem Restoration Communities to the mighty movement. Our continued growth and broadening impact is only possible because of your generosity, which we remain so grateful for. Meet the latest restoration initiatives to come onboard!
RestorACTION at Rocciaviva: Beta testing in Basilicata
From mid April until early May, ERC monitoring coordinator Mick dos Santos supported ERC Rocciaviva in collecting baseline data at one of their restoration sites in Italy's southern Basilicata region. This forms part of "RestorACTION" – a European Commission Erasmus+ funded project to engage the local community in ecosystem restoration as a way of tackling environmental degradation and climate change. A citizen science approach was used to train thirty people from the local Rocciaviva community in ecological research through on-the-ground training which covered the key concepts, principles and goals of ecosystem restoration, the role and importance of data collection, and how to monitor the land using the M&E (montitoring and evaluation) frameworks. All this empowered the participants with a more scientific understanding of the cycle of ecosystem degradation PLUS the knowledge and skills needed to identify degraded areas, generate reliable and scientific data and take action to reverse ecosystem degradation. Excitingly, participants prototyped and then provided valuable feedback on the BETA ERC impact monitoring mobile app which will allow for the capture, storage and sharing of data gathered via an Open Restoration Database.
And more M&E action in Kentucky (because we're crazy about Science!)
Renew Appalachia in Eastern Kentucky, USA, sits on approximately 7,000 acres of mostly reclaimed surface coal mine land. In 2023 alone, 200 acres of reclaimed lands were prepared for restoration with nearly 200,000 native forest tree seedling planted. In early June, ERC Renew Appalachia hosted a five day event titled “R2 – Restoration Recording: Measurement and Evaluation Strategies on a Reclaimed Surface Mine”. Attendees experienced an immersive five-day program that combined ecosystem restoration measurement techniques and personal and professional development experiences. Renew Appalachia served as host to 18 researchers, including graduate students and professors from Kentucky State University and Tennessee State University, and whose homelands include Nepal, Nigeria, Portugal, Liberia and the US. Soil samples were taken at 37 randomized sites representative of this ERCs reforestation efforts on the reclaimed coal mine site. Both citizen science and laboratory-supported methodologies were implemented to demonstrate holistic and accessible approaches to fieldwork in ecosystem restoration. The data gathered from soil monitoring will provide invaluable insights to inform and monitor further restoration activities. As we await the detailed results from lab analysis, the community remains engaged and positive about a sustainable future being built in the region.
Restoring land + livelihoods: THIS is what it's all about
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