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Philadelphia Vacant Land Management & Reclamation
A half-century of divestment and depopulation has resulted in 40,000 abandoned and derelict parcels of land in Philadelphia. In 1995, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society partnered with city agencies and community organizations to create a system for addressing the social, environmental, and economic impacts inflicted by vacant land in the urban environment. With support from city, state and federal governments, as well as private foundations over the past decade, this vacant land management project has achieved significant accomplishments, demonstrating an innovative approach to cooperative conservation in an urban setting. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Project Website: http://www.pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org/phlgreen/ui_reclaimvacantlots.html. Detroit River Conservation Partnerships
The Detroit River Watershed, traditionally known for automobile manufacturing, steel making, and heavy industry, offers world-class water, wildlife, heritage, and recreational opportunities. It is no secret that Southeast Michigan has suffered from pollution and other negative impacts of global industrialization. However, there’s a change happening. Due to innovative partnerships, the region is becoming a model for preserving and enhancing quality of life by protecting regional resources. This unique cross-border partnership established North America's only international wildlife refuge. This project is a prime example of locally led partnerships within the broader context of the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration effort. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Malpai Borderlands Partnership
The Malpai Borderlands is an area of a million acres of private, State and Federal land along the Arizona and New Mexico border. Led by ranchers committed to protecting and restoring ecological diversity and the productivity of the Borderlands, the partnership has protected 77,000 acres of privately-owned land through conservation easements, grass-banking, and wildlife habitat restoration. As a result, the partnership has improved rangeland conditions and promoted sustainable ranching, preserving a working landscape as an alternative to subdivision and development of agricultural land. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Project Website: http://www.malpaiborderlandsgroup.org/. Blackfoot Challenge
Popularized by the movie A River Runs Through It, communities in western Montana's rural Blackfoot River Valley are working to balance protection of natural resources and rural lifestyles with increasing demands of destination recreation, floating, fishing, and vacationing. To address these growing impacts, private landowners, Federal and State land managers, local government officials, and corporate landowners created the Blackfoot Challenge that along with over sixty public and private partners collaborate on cooperative conservation. This diverse group seeks common ground to address issues such as subdivision, weeds, water quality and quantity, drought, wildlife management, and sustainable agriculture. By squarely confronting these issues and engaging all stakeholders in an open forum, solutions have evolved where problems once loomed. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Project Website: http://www.blackfootchallenge.org/am/publish/. Onslow Bight Conservation Forum
Mix explosive coastal population growth, military bases, national forest and refuges, fishermen, hunters, farmers, and foresters and you have land use conflicts and environmental degradation. The Forum is rewriting this recipe by helping diverse interests mutually benefit from better environmental stewardship. Over 7,500 acres of land has already been protected. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Olympia Oyster Restoration Project
More than 100 partners, including private landowners, Tribes, States and Counties, the shellfish industry, community organizations, schools, and the U.S. Navy, have joined forces to restore the Olympia oyster, the only native oyster of the Pacific Northwest coast. By leveraging Federal funds, 5 million oysters have been spread at 80 sites in a community-based effort to restore an essential component of the marine ecoystem and an icon of Washington State history. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Project Website: http://www.restorationfund.org/. Nisqually River Collaborative Management
The Nisqually River Task Force was created in 1985 as a vehicle for implementing a locally based approach to the protection and betterment of this unique area. The resulting Nisqually River Management Plan convened the Nisqually River Council. Over nearly two decades, the Council and its many partners have achieved tremendous results through a number of collaborative programs to address timber harvest and land use issues, species recovery and allocations of water for people and fish throughout the watershed. This unique partnership is now undertaking the creation and implementation of a sustainable approach to development and economic vitality that supports continued investment in the watershed ecosystem. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Project Website: http://www.nisquallyriver.org/. Phalen Corridor Brownfields Redevelopment
Abandonment of industrial sites, disinvestment of housing, neglect of commercial properties, and degradation of natural lands affects cities and towns of all sizes across the country. This session will highlight how a diverse coalition of citizens, corporations, Government agencies, and developers have realized a $600 million collective vision to restore jobs, introduce sustainable housing, build bike trails and a road, and reclaim the natural environment in four diverse communities. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Project Website: http://www.phalencorridor.org/RunScript.asp?p=ASP\Pg0.asp. New York City Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
Watersheds surrounding the metropolitan area supply drinking water to over 9 million New York City and State residents. This session will highlight how a unique coalition of landowners, farmers, and Government agencies are working collaboratively to protect stream corridors, enhance the quality of life and greatly reduce the costs associated with providing quality drinking water to the people of New York City. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Project Website: http://www.nycwatershed.org/. Northwest Florida Greenway Project
Northwest Florida is one of the most biologically diverse regions in the nation. The area also serves as the home to five major military installations and the Joint Gulf Range Complex, which represent the nation's largest military test and training complex. Incompatible development and the loss of open natural lands threaten the region's military mission, unique biodiversity, silviculture industry, and recreational opportunities. This presentation will illustrate how the Northwest Florida Greenway Project partnership is working to protect the valuable environmental, military, recreational, and economic values of this region. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Project Website: http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/florida/. Wetlands, Birds, and Bears - A Louisiana Happening
The indigenous hardwood forests of the Lower Mississippi River have been called North America's rain forest. It was a rich diverse ecosystem home to resident and migrant species alike. Over 90 percent of the forest in Louisiana has been converted to cropland, much of which was submarginal to marginal at best. Various programs, initiatives, and partnerships have developed to help landowners convert these marginal croplands back to their natural state. Numerous species from waterfowl to neotropical songbirds to the endangered Louisiana black bear are favorably responding to the restoration activities. Public agencies working with private landowners and conservation organizations are establishing and expanding tens of thousands of acres of habitat. The Cooperative America Web site has additional information. Project Website: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/wildlife.html and http://www.la.nrcs.usda.gov/. Conserving Prairie Ranches, Ranchers, and Grassland Birds
The grassland and wetland complexes of the prairie pothole region are critical habitat for numerous species of waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds. Most of the land in the region is privately owned and managed by descendants of the ranching families who homesteaded the area in the 1800's. Today these families face numerous financial challenges which prevent them from keeping the native rangeland intact. To address this challenge, more than 1,400 ranch families have partnered with wildlife conservationists to protect over 522,000 acres of wetland and grassland habitat in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Project Website: http://www.ducks.org/. Hawaii Coral Reef and Native Algae Restoration
Hawaii's coral reefs and other near-shore marine ecosystems have a formidable foe: alien marine algae. But a coalition of local residents, organizations and Government agencies at several levels launched a community-based effort to restore these areas. Through cleanups and monitoring, community members learn about reef ecology, alien species' impacts, and resource stewardship. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Project Website: http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/hawaii/. Sonoita Valley Planning Partnership
The Sonoita Valley is an ecologically unique area of desert grasslands and riparian areas east of Tucson, Arizona. This session will highlight how a diverse coalition of volunteers, Government agencies and private organizations overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles to enable establishment of a National Conservation Area for the protection of this invaluable resource. In addition, the Sonoita Valley Planning Partnership negotiated a long-range plan of occupancy and use of connected watersheds that strives to preserve ecological and environmental values to assure equitable and healthful occupancy over generations. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Project Website: (PDF, 4 pages) http://sonoran.org/programs/pdfs/SVPP%20case%20study.pdf. Lower Bronx River (NY): A Community-Led Restoration Initiative
Due to channelization and bank armoring, the inter-tidal portion of the Bronx River exhibits little of the vegetation that once dominated its shores. Long stretches of bulkhead and sheet piling provide little or no habitat for marine and estuarine fish and dumping and filling in tidal wetlands has raised elevations and contaminated the soil. This diverse partnership is committed to restoring the riparian and tidal area on the west bank of the river at the site of an abandoned cement plant. Their work involves removing large blocks of concrete and debris, regrading the banks, removing invasive plant species, and replacing the riparian zone with native plants. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Project Website: http://www.bronxriver.org/. Central Texas Sustainability Partnership
The project establishes a successful model of cooperation among private landowners for landscape-level recovery of listed species and the restoration of historic plant communities. Central Texas Cattlemen's Association, U.S. Army (Ft. Hood, TX), The Nature Conservancy, Environmental Defense, Texas Department of Agriculture, Texas Wildlife Association, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, assisted by the Leon River Restoration Project, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Texas A&M University, launched this cooperative effort to balance the training demands at Ft. Hood with the need to sustain the natural resources of Central Texas. Ranchland habitat is being restored and enhanced for the endangered Black-capped vireo and Golden-cheeked warbler. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative
Research surveys and studies have shown that Puget Sound is facing rapid degradation. Threats to marine species and habitat have deep ramifications in adjacent communities. Since its inception in 1998, the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative has achieved tremendous results for the betterment of Puget Sound. With the support of Congress, seven citizen-led groups, and a coordinating commission have established marine protected areas, conducted inventories seminal to the conservation of key salmon species, restored native oysters, and succeeded in removing enormous quantities of fishing debris from the ocean floor. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Project Website: http://www.nwstraits.org/. Glacial Ridge Project, Partnership in Preservation
In October of 2004, Glacial Ridge became the Nation's 545th National Wildlife Refuge. At its core is 24,000 acres that form the largest prairie and wetland reconstruction project in the country. Here more than 30 partners have played an active role in returning the land to its pre-settlement condition. When fully restored, the lands will provide tremendous habitat for moose, gray wolf, waterfowl, prairie chickens, and other upland game birds, and a host of other prairie species. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Project Website: http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/minnesota/preserves/art6943.html. White Mountain Apache Tribe
The White Mountain Apache Tribe strives to protect the land and all the resources it supports. Proactive resource management integrates the sustainable protection of sensitive species with inherent cultural values and primary economic benefits for present and future generations. Logging, ranching, world-class trophy elk hunting, and a thriving outdoor recreation program co-exist with successful management programs for spotted owls, Mexican wolves and Apache trout. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Return of the Wild Turkey in North America
Due to restoration efforts by State and provincial wildlife agencies, which were accelerated by the NWTF and its partners, nearly 7 million wild turkeys inhabit North America. Since 1985, the NWTF and its cooperators have spent $202 million dollars on projects benefiting wild turkeys and other wildlife, including $11.5 million on projects within the National Forest System. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Project Website: http://www.nwtf.org/all_about_turkeys/history_of_hunting.html. Presidential Bobwhite Initiative
Populations of northern bobwhite quail and other grassland birds have declined dramatically over the past 40 years as a result of habitat loss. The "Northern Bobwhite Conservation Initiative" charts an ambitious path to restore quail to their 1980 levels across the species' range. In August 2004, President Bush announced a major bobwhite habitat initiative to help launch the NBCI restoration process. The Initiative partnership, which is fueled by a 250,000-acre enrollment authority under the Conservation Reserve Program, has already protected about 35,000 acres for bobwhites and other birds. The Farm Service Agency has a factsheet on the Presidential bobwhite initiative. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Enlisting Private Landowners and the Army for Endangered Species
Conservation of the red-cockaded woodpecker has challenged both private landowners and the Army in the Southeast. Initiatives on and off Army bases, including novel safe harbor agreements and Army compatible use buffers with private landowners, are helping this endangered species recover. Those efforts have become models for conservation efforts elsewhere. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Water Without War: Cooperative Salmon Restoration
This presentation will highlight a comprehensive cooperative conservation project that involves local, State, Federal, environmental, agricultural, and Tribal entities who are working together for the recovery and protection of salmon, steelhead, and bull trout populations and the quality of their habitat in the Walla Walla Basin in southeast Washington and northeast Oregon while also preserving local agricultural economies and tribal customs. The Cooperative Conservation America Web site has additional information. Project Website: http://www.wallawallawatershed.org/. The Good Samaritan Initiative
The Good Samaritan Initiative is a Cooperative Conservation
effort to encourage voluntary actions and accelerate restoration
of watersheds impacted by acid mine runoff from abandoned
hardrock mines. A "Good Samaritan" is a person or organization
who is not responsible for the contamination or cleanup
that voluntarily cleans up a mining site. An example of
a Good Samaritan project follows: Central Shortgrass Prairie Ecoregional Assessment
The Nature Conservancy, with funding from the Department of Defense Legacy Program and in partnership with Ft. Carson, is conducting a collaborative conservation assessment of the nearly 56 million acre Central Shortgrass Prairie ecoregion. This cooperative conservation project being undertaken with the active participation of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado Association of Conservation Districts, the Colorado State Land Board and several other federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations and private landowners. This is part of a larger partnership initiative to promote and support the long-term persistence of native species, natural communities and ecological systems across the entire region. View the Faces and Places of Cooperative Conservation. |
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