I would have to check with my local government but I was wondering would Universities or Colleges ever come to help restore some land either as volunteers or if I donate/pay for the project (not sure how that works).

I am planning to move out of the city with the family, and we have potentially a fairly large piece of land realistically, a small patio a BBQ and a garden are all we need. But what to do with the rest of the property? It is mostly lawn, with a few large trees as a natural fence. I'd like to remove most of the grass and replace it with native species of plants, flowers, trees, and shrubs. And then hopefully I can set up some rain catchers too.

I was just curious if that's something possible. I wanted to do it through a school because I thought it would be an interesting project and a way to give back to the community.

Discover the latest insights into global tree-growing efforts! 🌳 Schubert et al. (2024) reveal the successes and challenges faced by organizations in adhering to reforestation best practices. While many acknowledge the importance of measurable goals and community involvement, only a few provide detailed monitoring and long-term plans. Only 38% of organizations in the study report quantitative measures of the benefits to local communities.🌱 #Reforestation #OpenData #Sustainability #EnvironmentalScience https://groundtruth.app/evaluating-global-tree-growing-efforts-achievements-and-challenges/

I am a land manager at an urban natural areas park in the Midwest (no venomous snakes or spiders). Part of our management directive is nature education and immersion. To that end, I want to create intentional and sustainable log flipping stations around the park for educators to flip and talk about the things they find. A ad hock approach could be damaging so I want to do this in a structured intentional way. Ideally I’d like to do this in a way that maximizes the variety of things educators might find. I have some ideas of my own like using split logs to minimize choke points, but I’m in a brainstorming phase and can’t find anything written about this.

We successfully restored a dry land forest through assisted natural regenerations and enhanced tree diversity and carbon regulations. Our restoration effort has become witnessed with an article.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719324001237

Creative common license CC NC ND 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

A tree with Nest and Fruits

A restored unit

Tree Management Practices

Overview of supply chain issues re: sourcing seed for tree planting projects around the world.

https://groundtruth.app/tough-nut-to-crack-the-seeds-of-reforestation-pipeline-problems-around-the-world/

Hi everyone,

Could use some opinions on planting a non-native in a unique scenario.

I’ve been grappling a bit with the impending impact of Beech Leaf Disease. It has hit my area hard lately. The arborist I use is in the middle of running a trial on a local preserve, but doesn’t see a lot of hope for the future. This seems to be echoed by everything I can find on BLD (no observed survivors).

Generally, I’m pretty optimistic about species making it through the gauntlet of natural selection (sometimes with some human help). My wife and I have planted DED resistant elms and are in the process of planting high content American Chestnut (which have blight resistance from some backcrossed European/chinese chestnut).

Given the bad situation American Beech are in and given my desire to plant species that will aide in population recovery, is it crazy to plant a non-native beech?

Fagus Crenata (Siebold’s Beech) appears to be somewhat related to American Beech with some of the same morphological characteristics. Based on the cladograms I can find it appears somewhat related to American Beech. I’m trying to determine whether planting Siebold’s beech on my property could help introduce a species with potential BLD resistance, with the potential for hybridization with any American Beech that survive. Siebold’s Beech is native to Japan, where BLD appears to be from, intuitively suggesting it might have some resistance.

There are dozens of reasons this idea is half baked. I hate the idea of planting non-native and I’m aware of all of the reasons this is a questionable idea. Humor me though and suggest resources I might be able to use to help read up on this topic or on Siebold’s Beech.

I have the good fortune to have a job as a project manager for a large ecological wilding project on the great plains in the US.

The land is a private holding by one family and contains 300 acres of pasture and working horse farm and appx 1700 acres of undeveloped land. This large area contains multiple ecosystems including plains, closed canopy woodland, open canopy grasslands, bogs and former waterways, beaches, and a meandering river.

My official instructions are to create a self-sustaining asset that is a source of pride and connection to the family. They have mentioned placing the property into a 200 year easement to prevent future development. They are not eco-warriors, and in fact are conservative republicans, but they have a respect for nature.

I have a year and a half to develop a master plan for the wilds, and as of now I have no team to assist me.

I'm looking to connect with like-minded folks who have experience with this work at scale and would be interested in an ongoing conversation, providing feedback, and sharing resources.

Thanks all!

Everyone always attribute non native species as bad for ecpsystems or invasive, and for some species this is definitely the case (feral cats, spotted lanternfly, and lionfish just to name a few). But are there any cases where non-native species can be a good thing?

I'm no biologist, but I'd think that in some cases, non-native species could A: fufil niches left by extinct/extripated native species, B: help control true invasive species, or C: serve as backup populations for species struggling in their native range.

Are there any good examples of non-native species having positive effects, or at least no harmful effects on a new ecosystem?

TL;DR: I am a city planner and want to enter into the restoration/conservation field, but do not have formal schooling in biology or ecology. Looking for advice on how to enter the field given my experience and education.

I’m a city planner, graduated with my Masters in urban planning with an emphasis in transportation in dec 2021. I’m still newish to the planning world and am in the middle of establishing my professional identity and career trajectory.

My undergraduate degree is in behavioral science/community health, so I don’t have any education in biology, but participated in a lot of basic research in the behavioral analysis lab.

I spend all of my free time reading and learning about the ecosystem in which I live (the last and largest prairie ecosystem in the world), and have been doing conservation activities through my spouses organization that does conservation along a major river where we live. This is an area I have a lot of knowledge in, but don’t have a piece of paper to prove it. I could probably use formal classes to enhance my knowledge and understanding of basic biology and ecology, though.

I really want to get into the restoration/park/ecological planning, but there aren’t a ton of opportunities to engage in this kind of work in my region (red states that do not prioritize funding for these activities)

Does anyone have advice on how I can enter the field given my experience? I’m happy to go back to college to get some credits or even a certificate/associates to up my credentials in biology and/or ecology.

Any and all advice would be GREATLY appreciated. I can’t do this soul sucking work as a city planner much longer.

I don't live nor have ever lived in the southeast, but love the appalachias for their incredible biodiversity. However I know the harsh economic climate is pretty real down there too, and have heard that jobs, let alone ones with liveable wages, aren't too abundant.

I'm pursuing a career in restoration and/or conservation ecology, A.K.A helping to restore damaged/imbalanced habitats back to a healthier state, and working to study and protect the life inhabiting them.

What are the prospects for careers in restoration ecology in the Asheville area? Right now I'm looking towards the PNW Since there seem to be lots of opportunities up there, especially within the salmon industry and DFW. Are there similar job opportunities down in the southern appalachias?

What makes people likely to donate to plant trees? Do people think that tree planting helps the environment?

https://docs.google.com/forms/u/1/d/e/1FAIpQLSd9t93YNw18IWHWIcvcv2O-fssNyEqmiuGELSWRrnizT9q1YA/viewform?usp=send_form

I’m planning to go into prairie restoration as a career for a few reasons. I care deeply for the environment and want to make a difference. I enjoy being outdoors. Also, most of my hobbies (art, gaming, coding, etc.) are indoors and very digital, so I want to balance that with a healthy dose of nature.

However, I have a couple of things I’m worried about.

First, I don’t want to use herbicides too much. I’m concerned about chronic health effects from long term exposure. Unfortunately most of the job listings I see require use of a backpack sprayer. Should I look for groups that are against herbicide use and work with them? Is it possible to tell an employer that I am not comfortable using excessive amounts of herbicide?

Second, it seems like the higher paying jobs are highly writing-based. I would be interested in some project management, like ordering seeds/plants from nurseries, deciding which plants go where, mapping an area, etc. I can also collect data in the field for sure. But I do not want to spend hours in front of a computer under LED lights. If you’re a restoration ecologist, could you tell me what type of work you do and how much of it is physical labor vs sending emails? I lean more toward the physical labor side of things. I know this clashes with my aversion to herbicides and makes things more difficult, but I don’t know exactly how much it will disadvantage me.

The anwers I’m looking for are, mostly, your personal experience in the field, and what you recommend to a newcomer. I would also like your honest opinion on whether or not my stances are reasonable.

Edit: Fixed typo "date" to "data"

I am seeking input on dealing with a few invasives in my newish backyard wildflower patch (~700 sq ft). Medium to heavy shade from a couple black walnuts. Rich, recently imported top soil, fairly moist. Located in the Twin Cities, Minnesota.

Last spring I covered bare soil in a seed mix (Shady Woodland Seed Mix | Prairie Moon Nursery) and mowed periodically through the season. I was happy to see a significant increase in wild flower establishment this spring compared to last year.

That said there are significant populations of Motherwort, Common Chickweed, and Ground Ivy, and a few plants of Goutweed, Giant Ragweed, and a couple Thistles.

I'm under the impression that pulling up all the non-natives will have the negative effect of soil disturbance. I am considering spot spraying glyphosate (horror of horrors!). The increase of the ratio of wild flowers to non native weeds from last year to this year gives me hope that I'm headed in the right direction.

Any advice? Anyone have experience with those particular plants (especially Motherwort, Chickweed, and Ground Ivy) in a wild flower patch?

All insights are welcome and appreciated!

https://groundtruth.app/revolutionizing-forest-management-ai-driven-identification-of-commercially-valuable-forest-species/

I have 16 acres of monoculture ash woodland in the south west of England that I inherited from my grandfather. It's sadly riddled with dieback and I wanted to take this opportunity to diversify/reinvigorate the ecosystem. I intend to plant new trees, dig ponds, create habitats and wetland, put up bird boxes, bat roosts, and insect hotels. I've been in touch with an ecologist and together we hope to plant violets to encourage the return of the pearl bordered fritillary that used to be common in the area. I also want to make the site a place for the community to come and learn about nature and conservation, through classes, workshops and talks.

The problem is I have no money and I really want to commit to this full time, is there a way I can earn a living doing this? It feels like a pipe dream the idea I could be paid to do something I genuinely want to do, but if there is any way I can i would love some advice, Thanks y'all.

https://groundtruth.app/openforest-a-beacon-for-forest-monitoring-and-environmental-stewardship/

https://groundtruth.app/openforest-a-beacon-for-forest-monitoring-and-environmental-stewardship/