15 Jun 2012

Staying safe in the heat- We have an APP for that- workers can monitor heat index

By Rhonda Burke

The Midwest forecast for the first week of summer is hot, hot, hot. Weather affects all of us, but workers who job is to be outdoors such as construction workers, first responders, maintenance and festival workers are particularly at risk when the heat index soars. Every year, thousands of workers across the country suffer from serious heat-related illnesses. If not quickly addressed, heat exhaustion can become heat stroke, which has killed ? on average ? more than 30 workers annually since 2003.

OSHA will launch its Summer Safety Campaign for workers- "Water. Rest. Shade," on the first day of summer, June 20.
  • OSHA has released a free application for mobile devices that enables workers and supervisors to monitor the heat index at their work sites. The app displays a risk level for workers based on the heat index, as well as reminders about protective measures that should be taken at that risk level. Available for Android-based platforms and the iPhone, the app can be downloaded in both English and Spanish by visiting http://s.dol.gov/RI.
  • In preparation for the summer season, OSHA has developed heat illness educational materials in English and Spanish, as well as a curriculum to be used for workplace training.  

  • Additionally, a Web page provides information and resources on heat illness ? including how to prevent it and what to do in case of an emergency ? for workers and employers. The page is available at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/index.html. This page includes artwork, videos and other resource material such as PSAs.

 

We hope you will keep this message at the forefront of you summer heat coverage throughout the season.

Additionally, The Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis and National Weather Service Acting Deputy Director Steven Cooper will host the teleconference at 2 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 20, exclusively for television and radio meteorologists and weather reporters to provide helpful information to outdoor workers when temperatures soar to summer's dangerous levels. Please consider having your meteorologist or weather reporters participate in this informational event or to use the material above to develop stories on summer safety for workers.

 

 

We hope you will keep this message at the forefront of you summer heat coverage throughout the season to help protect the health and lives of workers.


15 Jun 2012

NAWCA Grants to Help Pheasants Forever Conserve Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin Habitat

By Pheasants Forever Press

PF utilizes NAWCA funding to create wildlife habitat, public hunting opportunities

Washington, D.C. - June 14, 2012 - Pheasants Forever has been awarded five North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grants to conserve wetlands and associated grasslands in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Pheasants Forever will utilize NAWCA funding to permanently protect and conserve habitat on more than 2,100 acres that are vital to waterfowl and upland birds and also open to public hunting.

Pheasants Forever projects funded with NAWCA Small Grants in the Midwest for 2012 include :

Iowa
Project: Buffalo Creek Wildlife Management Area, Mangold Addition, Delaware County. The purpose of this 40-acre project is to restore and protect grassland and riparian wetland habitats in the Wapsipinicon River watershed. This effort will protect a prairie stream by acquiring additional riparian habitat and creating an additional wetland within the corridor. Waterfowl, grassland nesting birds and many species that use riparian habitat will benefit from this project. Another objective is to create a large wildlife habitat complex for the benefit of wildlife and for public access to these natural resources. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is a partner on this project.

Project: Iowa Prairie Pothole Upland Habitat Enhancement II. The purpose of this grant project is to fund critical enhancement of native, local tallgrass prairie on state wildlife management areas within the 35-county Prairie Pothole Joint Venture Region in Iowa.  The goal is to assist in the enhancement of 1,440 acres of tallgrass prairie and create 290 new acres of tallgrass prairie associated with restored wetlands on areas designated for wildlife management. The objective is to enhance tallgrass prairie blocks large enough to achieve ecological function and to benefit all grassland bird species that breed in the Iowa portion of the Prairie Pothole Region. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is a partner on this project.

Minnesota
Project: Minnesota Lake Waterfowl Complex Addition, Faribault County. This project will build upon existing conservation work being completed by federal, state and private organizations. The Minnesota Lake Waterfowl Production Area acquisition will permanently protect 78 acres within an area that has over 1,323 acres of permanently protected habitat. This complex is adjacent to Minnesota Lake, a regionally significant 1,900-acre lake vital to migratory waterfowl within the area. The area has been designated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources as a migratory waterfowl feeding and resting area.

Project: West Central MN Grasslands II, Big Stone, Pope, Traverse and Stevens Counties. West-central Minnesota provides important migration and breeding waterfowl habitats.  This area also provides critical staging and migratory habitats for lesser scaup, canvasbacks, ring-necked ducks and other migratory waterfowl. The purpose of this project is to restore and protect grassland and wetland habitats to assist land managers in increasing and accelerating grassland management for the benefit of waterfowl and grassland nesting birds within the project area. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is a partner on this project.

Wisconsin
Project: Marquardt Addition to the Hallie Marsh Wildlife Area, Chippewa County. The Marquardt Acquisition will protect a palustrine emergent wetland and allow for the conversion of row cropping to significant upland nesting cover/habitat for waterfowl and grassland birds. This will decrease habitat fragmentation while also serving as a buffer from area urbanization and development. Pheasants Forever will acquire and eventually restore the 105-acre Marquardt property, and then donate the land to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

About NAWCA
The North American Wetlands Conservation Act was established in 1989 to provide matching grants for organizations and individuals who have developed partnerships to carry out wetlands conservation projects in the United States. As part of the Act, both the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission and Northern American Wetlands Conservation Council were formed to recommend and approve worthy conservation projects. From September 1990 through March 2011, some 4,500 partners in 2,067 projects have received more than $1.1 billion in grants. They have contributed another $2.32 billion in matching funds to affect 26.5 million acres of habitat and $1.21 billion in nonmatching funds to affect 234,820 acres of habitat. NAWCA funding is awarded through a Standard and a Small Grants Program.

About Pheasants Forever
Pheasants Forever and its quail division, Quail Forever, is the nation's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. Combined, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have more than 135,000 members and 700 local chapters across the United States and Canada. Chapters are empowered to determine how 100 percent of their locally raised conservation funds are spent, the only national conservation organization that operates through this truly grassroots structure.

-30-

13 Jun 2012

Ill Wind Blows for America's Eagles

By Rick Martin

On June 20, we celebrate American Eagle Day, officially designated by Congress to recognize the cultural, historical, and ecological significance of our proud national symbol, and to raise awareness of the threats it faces. Ironically, Eagle Day comes just five days after Global Wind Day, a worldwide event "for discovering wind, its power, and the possibilities it holds for our world" (as described on the globalwindday.org website). The proximity of these events to each other is notable because, although it has the potential to be a green source of energy, wind power as it is currently being developed kills hundreds of thousands birds each year, including Bald and Golden Eagles.

Decades of conservation efforts to recover our eagles from past threats such as overhunting and poisoning by DDT are now being countered at the behest of the wind power industry, which has pressured the government to weaken eagle protections.

In 2009, so as to protect wind companies that would otherwise be in violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (BGEPA?the landmark law protecting these majestic birds), the government introduced a special five-year permit scheme that allows the wind power industry and others to kill eagles during the normal course of their business. Rather than being grateful for a means to operate within the law, wind companies have continuously flouted BGEPA and lobbied for a longer permit duration. Incredibly, the Fish and Wildlife Service is now poised to grant that request with proposals to extend the "take permit" length from five to 30 years, and to weaken the standards required to obtain a permit.

Allowing energy corporations to sidestep BGEPA flies in the face of sound science and common sense, disregards the high esteem that most Americans hold for these spectacular birds, and puts thousands of eagles in danger.

Wind power is a black box with regard to eagle and other bird deaths. Companies are not required to report the birds they kill, and many simply fail to make an adequate monitoring effort. Independent scientists are routinely refused access to wind power facilities, and data given to the government are often kept from the public. Some companies even falsely claim that this information is proprietary, as if they owned the public's wildlife. The birds that are publicly acknowledged as being killed therefore represent just a fraction of the true toll.

Wind power can be a valuable tool in the battle against global warming, but without transparency and accountability, and with thirty-year take permits handed out to an industry failing on both those counts, we will only see more wind development in inappropriate places and more dead eagles.

American Eagle Day serves as a reminder of how close we came to losing our nation's symbol, and should give us pause to consider how we treat it today. The federal government needs to keep our eagles flying strong by abandoning its proposal.

 

Dr. George Fenwick, 540-253-5789

President, American Bird Conservancy

4249 Loudon Avenue

The Plains, Virginia 20198

13 Jun 2012

Conservation act designates $1.2 million under Small Grants Program to bird habitat conservation

By Ashley Spratt

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced more than $1.2 million in federal grants to help protect, restore and enhance wetlands and associated habitats across the Midwest Region under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) Small Grants Program. The federal grants are matched by more than $3.6 million in partner funds.

"The NAWCA Small Grants Program facilitates public-private partnerships that benefit wetlands and other vital habitats, which contribute to our water quality and overall ecological health," said Service Midwest Regional Director Tom Melius. "The continuation of this funding source provides outdoor recreation opportunities while educating the public on the importance of wetlands and wetland-dependent species to our environment and our economy."

NAWCA Small Grants Program approved projects in 2012 –

Iowa
Buffalo Creek Wildlife Management Area, Mangold Addition
Grantee: Pheasants Forever
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$125,000
This project will protect 40 acres adjacent to Buffalo Creek Wildlife Management Area in Delaware County, Iowa. The property will be converted from row-crop agriculture to native prairie and wetlands will be restored.

Iowa Prairie Pothole Upland Habitat Enhancement II
Grantee: Pheasants Forever
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$75,000
This project will restore or enhance over 1,440 acres of wetland-associated grasslands throughout the Prairie Pothole region of Iowa. Project activities will include a combination of tree removal and seeding of native grasses and other prairie plants.

Minnesota
Minnesota Lake Waterfowl Complex Addition
Grantee: Pheasants Forever
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$225,000
This project will protect 78 acres of wetland and associated upland habitat adjacent to Minnesota Lake and 1,323 acres of existing habitat complex in Faribault County, Minn. The area hosts a large colony of American White Pelicans and is part of a regionally significant migratory bird stopover site.

Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge Wetland Restorations
Grantee: Rydell/Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuges
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$249,499
This project will restore or enhance 245 acres of wetland and associated upland habitat on two recently acquired tracts of refuge land. Project activities will include ditch plugging and berm construction, tree and invasive species removal, and seeding using native plants.

Fergus Falls Wetland and Grassland Restoration
Grantee: Fergus Falls Wetland Management District
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $50,000/$170,000
This project will restore or enhance 381 acres of wetland and associated upland habitat on Waterfowl Production Areas in the Fergus Falls Wetland Management District. Multiple small wetland basins will be restored throughout the area, and larger existing basins will be enhanced with the replacement or installation of water control structures. Grasslands will be restored and enhanced through tree removal, herbicide and seeding.

West Central Minnesota Grasslands II
Grantee: Pheasants Forever
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$120,000
This project will restore 250 acres of wetland-associated grasslands on 18 Waterfowl Production Areas and protect more than 74 acres of predominantly wetland habitat via fee-title acquisition.

Windom Area Wetlands
Grantee: Ducks Unlimited
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$359,973
This project will enhance water quality at three large, shallow wetland basins totaling 358 acres. These basins have been degraded due to invasive species. Installation of water-control structures will provide managers with the capability to conduct periodic drawdowns, which will help rejuvenate water clarity and allow for emergent vegetation to re-establish.

Detroit Lakes Private Lands Wetland Restorations
Grantee: Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $55,000/$175,000
This project will restore or enhance 122 acres of wetland and grassland habitat on several tracts of land that are adjacent to publicly-managed areas in northwestern Minnesota. Project activities will involve a combination of ditch plugging, sediment removal, seeding and tree removal.

Wisconsin
Marquart Addition to the Hallie Marsh Wildlife Area
Grantee: Pheasants Forever
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$120,000
This project will protect approximately 106 acres of habitat including a wetland basin surrounded by row-crop agriculture. This parcel is located directly adjacent to Hallie Marsh Wildlife Area. Agricultural land will subsequently be restored to grassland after acquisition, which will contribute to a larger intact habitat complex.

Meadow Valley Flowage Wetland Enhancement Project- Phase III
Grantee: Ducks Unlimited
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$75,000
This project will enhance 350 acres of wetland habitat and improve water-level management capacity at the Meadow Valley Wildlife Area, a key wetland complex in central Wisconsin. This project will build upon the previous two phases of this initiative to better manage a 3,000 acre wetland complex on this area.

Glacial Habitat Restoration Area Wetland Restoration Project
Grantee: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$81,856
This project will restore approximately 74 acres of row-crop agricultural land to wetland habitat and protect 140 acres of habitat.

Green Bay West Shore Preserve Acquisition
Grantee: Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $48,960/79,040
This project will protect 34 acres of predominantly wetland habitat along the west shore of Green Bay, Wis. This parcel contains high-quality wetlands and is in close proximity to other conservation-managed areas including the 570-acre Sensiba Wildlife Area.

Northern Empire Prairie Wetlands Initiative
Grantee: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$81,856
This project will protect and enhance 757 acres of wetland and associated upland habitat. Wetlands will be restored via a combination of installation of water control structures, dike renovation, chemical treatment, tree removal and seeding.

Indiana
Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge Wetlands Conservation
Grantee: Ducks Unlimited
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $42,416/$42,416
This project will protect 155 acres of wetland and associated upland habitat and restore approximately 63 acres of predominantly forested wetlands on four separate tracts of the Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge in southern Indiana. These areas were recently acquired by the refuge and were until recently in row-crop agriculture.

Illinois
Black Crown Marsh Restoration and Protection Project
Grantee: Ducks Unlimited
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$116,673
This project will protect 36 acres of wetland and associated upland habitat, and will restore 75 acres of former wetland habitat via a combination of earthwork, tree and invasive plant removal, and seeding. This project is part of a larger initiative to restore the 375 acre Black Crown Marsh complex.

Habitat Restoration at Hadley Valley Preserve
Grantee: Forest Preserve District of Will County
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$104,000
This project will restore or enhance 96 acres of former wetland and grassland habitat in Will County, Ill. Project activities will include locating and disabling drain tiles, tributary stabilization, and re-establishing native prairie and wetland plants on the area via seeding and invasive plant control/removal.

Ohio

Medina Marsh Protection Project
Grantee: Medina County Park District
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$1,189,000
This project will protect 91 acres of wetland and associated upland habitat in Medina County, Ohio. This area will connect two adjacent conservation-managed areas along the West Branch of the Rocky River, which drains into nearby Lake Erie.

Franklin Bog Protection Project
Grantee: Portage Park District
NAWCA funds awarded/match: $75,000/$262,760
This project will protect 56 acres of wetland and associated upland habitat in Portage County, Ohio. The property includes more than 17 acres of rare wetland and supports populations of several rare plant and animal species.

For additional information on the NAWCA Small Grant Program, visit http://www.fws.gov/birdhabitat/Grants/NAWCA/Small/2012.shtm

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

Connect with our Facebook page at facebook.com/usfwsmidwest, follow our tweets at twitter.com/usfwsmidwest, watch our YouTube Channel at youtube.com/usfws and download photos from our Flickr page at flickr.com/photos/usfwsmidwest.

-FWS-

08 Jun 2012

University of Iowa Receives EPA Green Power Partnership Award

By Chelsey Derks

(Kansas City, Kan., June 6, 2012) - EPA has presented the University of Iowa, at Iowa City, Iowa, with a Green Power Partnership Top 20 Award for its on-site generation of green power.

EPA's Green Power Partnership works with a variety of organizations, including Fortune 500 companies, agencies at all levels of government, and a growing number of colleges, universities, and schools, to promote green power concepts. EPA defines green power as electricity produced from solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass, and low-impact small hydroelectric sources.

Annually, the Green Power Partnership Awards highlight organizations' use of green power across various industry sectors. The University of Iowa was cited for using biomass (oat hulls) to displace coal in one of its two solid fuel boilers, which significantly reduces its emissions. The university's Main Power Plant cogenerated, per hour, nearly nine million kilowatts of electricity from biomass-produced steam, which represented more than three percent of the electric power consumption on campus in 2010.

Using green power helps reduce the environmental impacts of electricity use and supports the development of new renewable generation capacity nationwide.

EPA co-sponsors the Green Power Leadership Awards in conjunction with the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS). The awards serve to recognize the leading actions of organizations, programs, and individuals that significantly advance the development of green power sources. Nominations are typically collected in late spring for that year's award event, which is usually held the following fall in conjunction with the Renewable Energy Markets Conference.

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For more on EPA Green Power Partners, visit: http://www.epa.gov/greenpower.htm

Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eparegion7

08 Jun 2012

WASTE COMMISSION ENCOURAGES RESIDENTS TO PROPERLY DISPOSE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIAL IN JUNE

By Erin Vorac

DAVENPORT, IA–Waste Commission of Scott County (Commission) is encouraging area residents to clear their garages, homes and workshops of household hazardous materials (HHM) during the month of June. HHM are items such as paints, pesticides, cleaners and other toxins that are no longer in use. This reduces the risk of accidental poisoning and fires and ensures environmentally sound disposal of these materials through the Commission's HHM program. The service is free to residents in Scott County, Iowa and Rock Island County, Illinois.

 

The Commission accepts these items by appointment on Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays at its facilities in Davenport and Buffalo. Appointments are required to ensure adequate staffing to handle the hazardous materials, which leads to shorter wait times for the customer.

 

To make an appointment, residents should first take a rough inventory of their materials and then visit www.wastecom.com or call (563) 381-1300 to choose the facility, date and time that is most convenient. Residents who make an appointment by June 30 are entered in a drawing to win one of thirteen $25 gift cards from K&K Hardware in Bettendorf.

 

If residents do not have material to dispose of at this time, there is still al chance to win! The Commission is gathering data on opinions and awareness related to local hazardous waste disposal options. Everyone who takes the survey automatically receives a coupon for $5 off a $25 purchase at K&K Hardware and is entered to win a $250 gift card to K&K Hardware. Visit www.wastecomgiveaway.com by June 10 to be entered to win.

 

The Commission is an inter-governmental agency that operates the Scott Area Landfill, Scott Area Recycling Center, Scott Area Household Hazardous Material Facilities and the Electronic Demanufacturing Facility. In addition, it provides public education and outreach through the iLivehere: myhome ourcommunity® program. For more information about the Commission visit www.wastecom.com.

 

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04 Jun 2012

Tree Identification Booklet from the Arbor Day Foundation Makes It Easier to Recognize Tree Species in Iowa

By Arbor Day Foundation

The Arbor Day Foundation has a booklet that helps people identify trees in a simple, step-by-step process. The booklet, What Tree is That?, is available for a $5 donation to the nonprofit tree-planting organization.

What Tree Is That? is a fun, easy-to-use tree identification guide that features hand-drawn botanical illustrations highlighting the distinct characteristics of many tree species.

Nature lovers and professional arborists alike have called this pocket field guide one of the most user-friendly resources to have. Its beautiful, full-color illustrations are in precise detail to depict natural colors, shapes and textures, so users can make a positive species identification in just a few easy steps.

The Arbor Day Foundation offers this booklet to help people identify trees in Iowa and throughout the Eastern and Central regions of the United States. What Tree Is That? uses a unique step-by-step approach to identify the species of each tree. The booklet explains what to look for in the shape of the leaves and differences in the leaf stems and twig structures, specifics on the fruits and flowers and the details of buds and bark.

"Our What Tree Is That? pocket brochure is an ideal resource to help people develop a greater appreciation for trees," said John Rosenow, founder and chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. "The Arbor Day Foundation strives to help people enjoy and appreciate trees, and we feel our pocket field guide will do just that."

What Tree is That? is also available as an online interactive version at arborday.org. The Arbor Day Foundation offers this unique, one-of-a-kind online tool so people can identify trees using the internet.

To obtain a tree identification guide in full color, send your name and address and $5 for each guide to What Tree Is That?, Arbor Day Foundation, Nebraska City, NE 68410. You can also order the book online at arborday.org.

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04 Jun 2012

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR QUAD CITY ENVIRO-KIDS

By Paula Webinger

Quad City area youth entering 3rd-5th grade this fall are invited to attend the fourth annual Enviro-Kids on Saturday, June 9 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Middle Park in Bettendorf. The goal of Enviro-Kids is to teach youth different ways to have fun outdoors while incorporating environmental education. The event is free of charge, but pre-registration is required.

 

Children will participate in the following activities: fishing, learning about water quality, hiking, a litter cleanup, canoeing, disc golfing and packing a waste-free lunch. Parents or guardians are encouraged to stay at the event and participate in activities with their child. Younger children can attend Enviro-Kids if accompanied by an adult.

 

Registration is limited and accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information call 563-468-4218 or visit www.ilivehereqc.org to download the flier and registration form.

 

Quad City Enviro-Kids is sponsored by: City of Bettendorf, Davenport Parks and Recreation, Davenport Public Works, iLivehere®, Nahant Marsh, Partners of Scott County Watersheds, Scott County Conservation Board and Scott County Soil & Water Conservation District.

 

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29 May 2012

MillionTrees Project Grows to Halfway Mark!

By Natalie Linville-Mass

This spring, with the help of 800 volunteers, including an AmeriCorps NCCC team, Living Lands & Waters (LL&W) packaged and distributed over 140,000 oak tree saplings to community members, schools, park districts, and businesses within 13 different states throughout the country.  Over 350 volunteers helped LL&W wrap 24,500 saplings at the QCCA Expo center over a 6-day period in March.  Along with the wrapping and distribution, LL&W also hosted community plantings in Peoria, IL and Des Moines, IA.

 

Living Lands & Waters began the MillionTrees Project (MTP) in 2007.  In the past six years, 476,000 tree saplings have been wrapped, handed out, and/or planted with the help of over 3,000 volunteers.  The main goal of MTP has been to plant one million trees to provide shelter and a viable food source for wildlife and migratory birds, increase biodiversity, help reduce run-off and erosion, and to improve water and air quality.  The planting and distribution of oak tree saplings also helps repopulate devastated areas such as Joplin, MO after the tornado, Southern Illinois after the inland hurricane, and Cedar Rapids after the tremendous flooding.  Tree handouts are held on Earth Day at several schools to bring awareness about the importance of trees and their environment to the students as well.

 

The AmeriCorps NCCC team, stationed out of Vinton, IA, worked side by side with Living Lands & Waters for two months and contributed so much to the organization's mission.  The journey started when the team joined forces with LL&W to clean up a portion of the Mississippi River during LL&W's Alternative Spring Break in Memphis, TN.  The Americorps NCCC, also known as Maple 1, then stopped off at LL&W's nursery in Beardstown, IL to help harvest 20,000 saplings and prepare the beds for next season. Maple 1 was a huge asset to LL&W's MillionTrees Project this year, doing everything asked of them including wrapping, packaging, distributing, and planting.

 

LL&W is looking to establish a new nursery in the Quad Cities where 150,000 acorns will be planted in the first year.  Volunteers will be needed to assist with the upkeep and harvesting of this nursery.  For more information, visit LL&W's website at www.livinglandsandwaters.org or call the MillionTrees Project Coordinator, Ashley Stover, at 309.737.5913.

 

Chad Pregracke started Living Lands & Waters in 1998 as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the beautification and restoration of America's major rivers and to the education of people about environmental issues. From his single boat beginning, LL&W has grown to an internationally known organization with a fleet of barges and workboats.  LL&W engages thousands of volunteers each year in river cleanups, hands-on environmental education workshops, the Great Mississippi River Cleanup, Adopt-a- River-Mile programs and the Million Trees Project.

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23 May 2012

The World's Waters Are Becoming Corrosive to Critical Marine Life. Is Time Running Out to Save our Oceans?

By E - The Environmental Magazine

The oceans do a lot of the Earth's dirty work. On a given day, they will absorb 22 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), a third of the global output. In doing so they help to keep climate change in check, but they also pay a heavy toll as a result.

Increasing levels of carbon in the ocean are making the water more acidic, and that's beginning to have an impact on shellfish, corals and some of the tiniest shell-making marine organisms that are essential to the ocean food web. The June 2012 issue of E - The Environmental Magazine (now posted at www.emagazine.com) takes a closer look at the phenomenon of "ocean acidification," the process by which levels of CO2 are rising, changing the chemistry of the ocean, and the ways this is impacting sea creatures on which mankind depends.

Shellfish farmers in Washington and Oregon were some of the first to sound the alarm about ocean acidification. In 2006, hatchery-produced oyster larvae began to die off, despite their controlled and monitored environments. The two largest oyster hatcheries -- which supply seedling to the majority of West Coast oyster farmers -- lost between 60% and 80% of their larvae. Through ocean monitoring, the farmers discovered that the pH had fallen enough to make the water too corrosive for the oysters to form shells.

Once the problem was identified, shellfish farmers were able to take precautions -- such as waiting to fill tanks following a north wind when upwelling causes corrosive water to rise to the surface. But in the open ocean, there are no quick fixes for ocean acidification.

"A lot of things we like to eat have these calcium carbonate shells and they're very sensitive to acidification," says Richard Feely, Ph.D., a senior scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and its Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL). "Just a small drop in pH can cause the shells to begin to dissolve. It turns out that for many of these species, the larval and juvenile stages are much more sensitive than the adults. And we're finding that they can die off quite rapidly even with the kinds of changes that we're seeing right now."

One of the most serious threats posed by ocean acidification is to corals -- marine animals that need carbonate ions to form their skeletons. During ocean acidification, CO2 sinks into the water and releases hydrogen ions which combine with carbonate ions, making them unavailable to the shell- and exoskeleton-making creatures that need them.

"There have been a lot of studies showing that under ocean acidification scenarios corals and other organisms on the reef calcify at a slower rate," says Davey Kline, Ph.D., a coral reef ecology expert at the University of Queensland in Australia. "Even with just a little less growth, the corals can be tipped into these situations where they're getting eroded faster than they can grow and the reefs start to dissolve."

Coral reefs are already at risk from pollution, development, overfishing and warming waters as a result of global warming. Ocean acidification may be the final stressor that pushes them into extinction. The most recent report on reef health -- Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2008 -- found that 19% of coral reefs were already lost, 15% were in a critical state with loss possible within a decade or two, and 20% could be lost in 20 to 40 years. "If we continue on the trajectory that we're currently at," says Kline, referring to unchecked global emissions, "we will lose reefs as we know them."

The impacts of a world without reefs would be profound. The estimated net global value of reefs is $29.8 billion per year, and reefs provide essential work in protecting shorelines from storm damage, providing a home to one million species and offering new sources of medicine to treat everything from cancer to arthritis.

There are certainly local solutions, including designating marine protected areas to at least minimize the stresses on coral reefs in light of global warming and ocean acidification. But any major solution to keeping ocean acidification from further threatening our oceans and its inhabitants needs to involve a global agreement for keeping emissions in check -- something that, despite the warning signs, seems oceans away.

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E - The Environmental Magazine distributes 50,000 copies six times per year to subscribers and bookstores. Its website, www.emagazine.com, enjoys 150,000 monthly visitors. E also publishes EarthTalk, a nationally syndicated environmental Q&A column distributed free to 1,850 newspapers, magazines and websites throughout the U.S. and Canada (www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek). Single copies of E's May/June 2012 issue are available for $5 postpaid from: E Magazine, P.O. Box 469111, Escondido, CA 92046. Subscriptions are $19.95 per year, available at the same address.

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