Excerpt from conservation.org
Though news headlines about the state of the planet may seem bleak, they don’t always capture the whole story. Around the world, the work of protecting nature and the climate is happening in the field — and achieving triumphs that don’t always make the news.
Here are three recent conservation success stories you should know about.
1. From fisheries to farms – turning fish waste into fertilizer and feed in the Galápagos
Each week, local fisheries in the Galápagos generate approximately 4,500 pounds of fish processing waste — which is subsequently thrown into landfills. While this bio-waste is natural, when it is left to rot in landfills, it can emit methane and other climate-altering greenhouse gases.
To make better use of fish waste and curb its emissions, scientists at Conservation International came up with a solution: transform it into usable products like plant fertilizer and food for farm animals.
“Fish silage — that’s a fancy term for the liquified fish skin, heads and guts left after processing — contains organic matter, which is good for the soil, as well as different nutrients, such as calcium, that are not always present in industrial fertilizers,” said Pablo Obregon, a scientist at Conservation International.
“What we’re finding is that vegetables grown with this fish silage fertilizer are more productive and are actually sweeter and juicier than those produced using agrochemical fertilizer.”
2. In New Caledonia, Indigenous knowledge points to natural fire-fighting solutions
In the heart of the Pacific, 1,448 kilometers (900 miles) from Australia, the archipelago of New Caledonia boasts the highest density of endemic plants anywhere in the world, with around 2,500 native species.
One of the country’s unique plants — known as the Bourao tree — may prove to be a secret weapon in halting dangerous bushfires that have recently ravaged this island chain.
“Each year, bushfires burn up to 2 percent of New Caledonia,” said François Tron, Conservation International’s New Caledonia program director. “And while fire has many traditional uses, uncontrolled burns have become more frequent and intense due to a number of factors, including climate change. This could have multiple and devastating consequences for local communities.”
3. Ecuador expands marine reserve to protect threatened species
A vital swath of the Pacific Ocean has been declared off-limits from destructive fishing practices with the establishment of a new marine protected area that spans 60,000 square kilometers (23,166 square miles) — connecting the Galápagos Islands to Costa Rica’s Cocos Island National Park.
The new marine reserve will create an important corridor for migratory species such as whales, sharks, sea turtles and manta rays.
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