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  • The Crisis Called for Goats

    It turns out goats may be the answer to addressing invasive species. In Manhattan’s Riverside Park, a herd of goats were hired to to eat weeds, ivy, and nonnative species in an attempt to restore the balance of the ecosystem. The herd of goats, owned by Larry and Ann Cihanek, have been trained to do this specific type of work across the northeast.

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  • Bok choy and bread fruit: How traditional crops fit a food secure future

    Organizations like Ho’oulu ka ‘Ulu are reintroducing small-scale farmers to breadfruit — a traditional Hawaiian starchy fruit that fell out of style following the rise of plantation farming and colonialism. Growers are taught how to cultivate and sell the fruit, and their network of now 200 farmers are helping to keep part of their culture alive. Similarly, in California a Food Roots program connects farmers growing traditional Asian produce like bok choy to local businesses and markets to provide accessibility to culturally relevant fresh produce.

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  • On the island of Java, a social forestry scheme creates jobs at home

    In Indonesia, transferring land management rights to local residents is slow-going, but one community is setting an example for what can happen when the residents are in charge. Mandiri farmers formed a cooperative and began replacing hillsides; now, tourism to the area has increased and attitudes towards the land and community have changed.

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  • This group wants to unite hikers and hunters on literal common ground: public lands

    A group called Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, now 36,000 strong, is bringing together people from different political and ideological backgrounds over a common interest in the preservation and conservation of public lands and waters. Bucking stereotypes, the group spans the political spectrum, with 33% Independent, 23% Republican, 20% Democrat and 16% unaffiliated in a recent survey. The BHA's recent promotion of the Land and Water Conservation Fund shows that bipartisanship is possible.

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  • 'It's a groundswell': the farmers fighting to save the Earth's soil

    Governments, UN officials, and climate experts alike are ringing the alarm bells of growing soil degradation around the world. But a new agricultural movement is tackling this challenge head on. Instead of the centuries-old method of ploughing, or turning up the soil, farmers have recently taken to keeping their fields covered with varied plants year round, to keep soil healthier. Advocates also point to lower costs on machinery and labor, more resilient crops, and climate change dividends as added benefits as well.

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  • Can rice husk briquettes stem the tide of mangrove deforestation in Myanmar?

    Recycled waste from rice mills offers an alternative to mangrove forests as a fuel source. In the Irrawaddy Delta in Myanmar, rice mills are beginning to use their byproducts to create rice-husk briquettes. The logs, made from byproducts previously discarded by rice mills, provide a fuel source for individuals and other businesses that traditionally rely on charcoal. Using recycled rice husks reduces waste and offers a way to alleviate the exploitation of mangrove forests, which act as a vital natural barrier against cyclones.

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  • California Has Farmers Growing Weeds. Why? To Capture Carbon

    Richer soil not only retains more water and minerals, it also trap carbon from the atmosphere absorbed by plants. As California works to meet its carbon neutral goal, the state is enlisting farmers in its climate change strategy. Grants from the state encourage California’s farmers to grow plants traditionally considered as weeds as a way to boost the amount of organic matter in the soil.

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  • One Way to Combat Climate Change: A Smartphone App That Lets Farmers Control Where Their Cows Graze

    A San Diego startup called Vence has created a device that can help farmers control their livestock’s movements and behavior. The new technology – a collar with accompanying software – buzzes when an animal is somewhere it shouldn’t be and shocks them if they keep going. While the practice of shocking animals isn’t universally approved, doing so can prevent overgrazing and thus improve overall land health.

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  • Decades of wise use pay off for a Kabale wetland

    In 1980, the Ugandan government signed an agreement with local communities in the Mugandu–Buramba wetland that gave them the right to own, manage, and conserve their own property. Today, the wetlands are thriving —reducing degradation and improving biodiversity— and creating a livelihood for the 276 people that live there. The government says that since they are using the land responsibly, their agreement will continue.

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  • Dying sustainably

    In Florida, a funeral home is specializing in green burial practices – such as hand-digging graves and using biodegradable urns – as a way of lessening the environmental impact that is often associated with both burials and cremation services. Although their methodologies are not entirely earth-friendly, they are still just one of a few burial cemeteries that is "abiding by strict laws that focus on reducing carbon emissions and land restoration."

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