Latest news with #habitatRestoration
CTV News
a day ago
- Business
- CTV News
Salmon recovery gets funding boost
The Pacific Salmon Foundation is helping push a major salmon habitat restoration project near Tofino over the finish line with $100,000 in financial support.
Associated Press
22-05-2025
- Science
- Associated Press
After a Century, Eels and Shad Return to Their Historic Waters
By Page Leggett Consider the eel. Unlike most eel species, which live in saltwater their entire lives, the American eel spends most of its life in freshwater before returning to the Sargasso Sea to spawn. It's probably their final journey, but scientists say much about their life cycle remains a mystery, said Mike Abney, a project manager with Duke Energy, whose expertise comes from a decades-long effort to restore eel populations in the Catawba-Wateree and Pee Dee rivers. But eel aren't the only species making a comeback. Duke Energy is also reintroducing American shad, another migratory fish that, in reverse, hatches in rivers, matures in the ocean, then returns to freshwater to spawn. A 100-year homecoming Historically, eels thrived in the Pee Dee River, but in 1912, a Duke Energy dam near the North Carolina/South Carolina border blocked their migration to generate electricity that would drive the region's economic growth. 'As the U.S. developed, rivers were altered for industry, power, and infrastructure. One of the drawbacks, however, was reduced habitat for some species,' said Jason Brown, lead Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) consultant at Duke Energy. A newly constructed eel ladder at Blewett Falls Hydroelectric Station in Lilesville, N.C, is changing that. To date, nearly 18,000 still-maturing eels have taken up residence in the waters near Blewett Falls Lake. 'By restoring access to hundreds of miles of habitat, the American eel can access previously blocked upstream riverine habitat. We want to bring the river systems back to what they once were,' Brown said of the company's work to enhance environmental habitats for fish and other aquatic life. How the eel ladder works The ladder guides eels upstream using flowing water and was designed with help from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service (a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – NOAA for short). 'Eels sense moving water and follow it to continue their migration upstream,' Brown explained. 'We provide flow by pumping water from the lake down a long ramp. That gets them over the dam and into the lake.' Eels travel up the ladder, which consists of five aluminum ramp sections connected by resting pools, and into a collection tank where the team counts, measures and weighs them – both to ensure they are healthy and to track how many eels migrate each year. Then, the eels are funneled to Blewett Falls Lake. Eventually, Duke Energy will phase out manual collection, allowing eels to migrate independently – a Duke Energy first. Their lifespan in Blewett Falls Lake is about eight to 10 years, Brown explained, so they'll likely be here for an extended stay before instinct lures them back toward the Sargasso Sea. Shad make their return Unlike eel, shad are picky about their migration routes. 'The eel ladder is simple and runs on its own, so you don't need a person on-site to operate it,' Abney said. 'American shad, however, required a more sophisticated approach.' Siting studies were done to position both facilities in the right spot. 'We did extensive studies back in 2015 and '16 to see where the majority of eel and shad congregate,' Brown said. 'Had we not, we could've constructed them in the wrong spot.' Migrating shad are similarly attracted toward flowing water, but the shad facility lifts collected fish up two levels where they are sorted through a system of tanks. This requires a dedicated team of scientists to carefully examine and sort the shad from other species. American shad are loaded into a large tank on the back of a pickup and transferred above the dam and into the lake, while other fish and aquatic life return to the river through several large pipes. Conservation in action Blewett Falls Lake remains a popular destination for boating, swimming, and fishing – but anglers must release any American shad they catch. 'If there's one in Blewett Falls Lake, that means we passed it,' Abney said. 'And if we're putting in all this effort, we don't want people taking them home.' For Abney and Brown, seeing these species return is deeply rewarding. 'Watching critters use the passageway we created – and in large numbers – is gratifying,' Brown said. 'It's a key milestone in my career.' Many who helped launch the project have since retired. 'When this project was first discussed, we talked about it taking decades,' Abney said. 'John Crutchfield, one of our project managers retired. He was instrumental in those early discussions.' Though this restoration took years, its impact will last for generations. 'I want my kids to enjoy what I got to experience growing up,' Brown said. 'This project builds a bridge to the future.' Also happening at Blewett Falls Alongside efforts to restore migratory eel and fish populations, Duke Energy has enhanced its water management system at Blewett Falls Hydro Station with new spillway gates designed to enhance operational efficiency and lake management. The gates allow for more precise control of water levels, improving conditions in Blewett Falls Lake and downstream areas. Their modular design simplifies maintenance, while a pneumatic support system ensures reliable operation – even during power outages. The gates also allow for safe passage of floodwaters, helping protect upstream properties by minimizing the risk of overtopping. View original content here. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from Duke Energy Corporation
BBC News
12-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Cumbria nature recovery strategy consultation begins
People are being asked for their views on a draft document outlining measures to support nature Cumbria Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) aims to restore and connect habitats so that important species across the county can thrive.A six-week public consultation will close on 22 June, with a goal to agree the best places to plant trees, restore peatland, improve grassland condition and mitigate flood Giles Archibald, LNRS Project Board Chair, said: "We must shift our collective focus towards ensuring the finalised strategy is not just a document on a shelf, but a call for action that delivers real, tangible and lasting benefits for nature across Cumbria." A draft version provides seven priorities, including safeguarding existing important areas, improving data and reducing the spread of invasive non-native species."The Cumbria Local Nature Recovery Strategy will be an important tool, guiding our efforts and ensuring that we work collaboratively to create an action plan for the council, our communities, and everyone who lives in, works in, or visits Cumbria," Archibald is one of 48 designated strategy areas in England developing their own LNRS. Once finalised and submitted to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the strategy will be a guiding document to be reviewed every 3 to 10 years to ensure it is still effective. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Cross-border bid to create red squirrel strongholds
A cross-border conservation project to create red squirrel strongholds has been awarded nearly £5m of funding. Wildlife trusts from across the north of England are teaming up with organisations in the south of Scotland for a five-year programme of restoring habitats and controlling grey squirrels. The five-year plan will concentrate on fertility control of greys, with a contraceptive being introduced into the population. Natural predators of greys, such as pine martens, will also be encouraged into new areas, while restoration of red squirrels habitats will also take place. Alongside these initiatives, there will be a major push for communities, businesses and other organisations to get involved in saving the reds. Dr Karen Blackport, from Selkirk-based Bright Green Nature, said: "There are lots of new, innovative threads for helping red squirrels being introduced in this programme." Surveys have shown that about 75% of the UK's 160,000 red squirrels are to be found in Scotland. Numbers are continuing to decline as non-native grey squirrels, which were first introduced to country estates from North America in the late 1800s, drive them out of habitats. Greys also carry the squirrelpox virus, which is deadly to their red cousins. The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) has provided £4.86m for the five-year Red Squirrel Recovery Programme. About 50 voluntary conservation organisations have been involved in a 12-month development phase of the project, where a conservation plan was drawn up. The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership and Bright Green Nature will now team up with wildlife trusts in Northumberland, Cumbria, Lancashire and Merseyside for the next five-year phas. Dr Blackport added: "All of the work that has been done to date by so many organisations has been instrumental in forming the work that we are taking forward. "What is different this time is that it will be cross-border for the first time, and there will be an even greater emphasis on community engagement. "We want to get many more people involved in helping this iconic species." Listen to news for the Scottish Borders on BBC Sounds More stories from South Scotland Mike Pratt, chief executive of Northumberland Wildlife Trust, said: "We are all absolutely delighted to have been awarded funding from NLHF to ensure red squirrel survival as we truly believe this project will make a sustainable long-term contribution to preventing the extinction of red squirrels in England and southern Scotland. "I'd like to say a massive thank you to all the community groups and volunteers who really worked and supported us over the past 12 months and helped turn our conservation dream into a reality." Greys invade England's red squirrel strongholds Disease that kills red squirrels moves north
BBC News
08-05-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Cross-border project launched to create red squirrel strongholds gets £5m funding
A cross-border conservation project to create red squirrel strongholds has been awarded nearly £5m of trusts from across the north of England are teaming up with organisations in the south of Scotland for a five-year programme of restoring habitats and controlling grey five-year plan will concentrate on fertility control of greys, with a contraceptive being introduced into the predators of greys, such as pine martens, will also be encouraged into new areas, while restoration of red squirrels habitats will also take place. Alongside these initiatives, there will be a major push for communities, businesses and other organisations to get involved in saving the Karen Blackport, from Selkirk-based Bright Green Nature, said: "There are lots of new, innovative threads for helping red squirrels being introduced in this programme."Surveys have shown that about 75% of the UK's 160,000 red squirrels are to be found in are continuing to decline as non-native grey squirrels, which were first introduced to country estates from North America in the late 1800s, drive them out of also carry the squirrelpox virus, which is deadly to their red National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) has provided £4.86m for the five-year Red Squirrel Recovery Programme. About 50 voluntary conservation organisations have been involved in a 12-month development phase of the project, where a conservation plan was drawn Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership and Bright Green Nature will now team up with wildlife trusts in Northumberland, Cumbria, Lancashire and Merseyside for the next five-year phas. Dr Blackport added: "All of the work that has been done to date by so many organisations has been instrumental in forming the work that we are taking forward."What is different this time is that it will be cross-border for the first time, and there will be an even greater emphasis on community engagement."We want to get many more people involved in helping this iconic species." Mike Pratt, chief executive of Northumberland Wildlife Trust, said: "We are all absolutely delighted to have been awarded funding from NLHF to ensure red squirrel survival as we truly believe this project will make a sustainable long-term contribution to preventing the extinction of red squirrels in England and southern Scotland."I'd like to say a massive thank you to all the community groups and volunteers who really worked and supported us over the past 12 months and helped turn our conservation dream into a reality."
