Pelecanus

Check out these awesome headlines from the last few weeks!

All podcasts can be found at Pelecanus.org, iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. Long form podcasts including our new series with The Smithsonian's Earth Optimism "The Possibilists" can also be found on YouTube!

Restoration

U.N. declares decade of ecosystem restoration to ‘make peace with nature’

https://news.mongabay.com/2021/06/u-n-declares-decade-of-ecosystem-restoration-to-make-peace-with-nature/

Drawdown

Keystone XL Pipeline Project is donezo!

https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/09/energy/keystone-pipeline-canceled/index.html

Rewilding

Griffon Vultures are breeding in Morocco after 40-year absence

http://www.birdlife.org/worldwide/news/after-40-year-absence-griffon-vultures-are-breeding-morocco-again

1st Gray Wolf pup since 1940s spotted in Colorado

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/1st-gray-wolf-pups-since-1940s-spotted-in-colorado/ar-AAKScbO

Back from the Brink: Iberian Lynx population rises to over 1,000

https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/back-brink-iberian-lynx-population-rises-over-1000-2021-05-28/

Giant tortoise found in Galapagos a species considered extinct a century ago.

https://www.sciencealert.com/giant-tortoise-thought-extinct-for-a-century-discovered-on-galapagos-island

Check out these awesome headlines from the last few weeks!

All podcasts can be found at Pelecanus.org, iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. Long form podcasts including our new series with The Smithsonian's Earth Optimism "The Possibilists" can also be found on YouTube!

Chevron investors demand emission cuts

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/chevron-shareholders-approve-proposal-cut-customer-emissions-2021-05-26/

Dutch court tells Shell to cut emissions by half by 2030

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/dutch-royal-shell-climate-rulling-171405028.html

Exxon shareholders to buck the company and elect directors demanding climate action

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/exxon-mobil-climate-change-board-members_n_60af0443e4b0d56a83f2bfdd

Crane: Flying giant returning to Ireland after 300 years

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57074156

‘A huge surprise’ as giant river otter feared extinct in Argentina pops up

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/25/a-huge-surprise-as-giant-river-otter-feared-extinct-in-argentina-pops-up-aoe

In this Conservation Conversation episode we talk with Dr. Denise Knapp, who serves as the Director of Conservation and Research for the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden in Santa Barbara, CA, a non-profit botanic garden whose mission is to conserve California native plants and habitats for the health and well-being of people and the planet. They do this through their four key tenets of understanding biodiversity, protecting rare plants, restoring habitats, and engaging and mentoring their community. Especially if you’re in Santa Barbara, please look into the SBBG's programs if you’re looking to get involved in your natural community. www.sbbg.org

We’d like to thank Dr. Knapp again for taking the time to talk with us about the amazing work the SBBG does. Please check out their website and follow them on social media at @sbbotanicgarden.

This episode is brought to you in part by our sponsor Tidal Influence, a Californian ecological consulting firm who proudly supports environmental education and all of the diverse conservation efforts that Pelecanus works to highlight. Visit their website at www.tidalinfluence.com to learn more about what they do to conserve our coastal resources and how you can get involved

All podcasts can be found at Pelecanus.org, Soundcloud, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

Producers on this episode are Austin Parker and Taylor Parker

Music for this episode was provided by A Picture Book Studios

Please like, comment, and subscribe if you haven’t already and thank you again for tuning in, we’ll talk to you next time.

Check out these awesome headlines from the last few weeks!

All podcasts can be found at Pelecanus.org, iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. Long form podcasts including our new series with The Smithsonian's Earth Optimism "The Possibilists" can also be found on YouTube!

Halting Destruction

Biden administration cancels border wall construction

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/04/30/biden-terminates-border-wall-construction-485123

Protected Areas

Biden administration lays out 30x30 vision to conserve nature

https://news.mongabay.com/2021/05/biden-lays-out-vision-for-protecting-30-percent-of-us-land-waters-by-2030/

New Australian marine parks protect area twice Great Barrier Reef’s size

https://news.mongabay.com/2021/05/two-new-australian-marine-parks-protect-area-twice-the-size-the-great-barrier-reef/

Forests

A Madagascar-sized area of forest has regrown since 2000

https://news.mongabay.com/2021/05/a-madagascar-sized-area-of-forest-has-regrown-since-2000/

Sri Lanka to ban palm oil imports, raze plantations over environmental concerns

https://news.mongabay.com/2021/05/sri-lanka-to-ban-palm-oil-imports-raze-plantations-over-environmental-concerns/

Check out these awesome headlines from the last few weeks!

All podcasts can be found at Pelecanus.org, iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. Long form podcasts including our new series with The Smithsonian's Earth Optimism "The Possibilists" can also be found on YouTube!

Drawdown

In world first, New Zealand to make banks report climate impact

https://phys.org/news/2021-04-world-zealand-banks-climate-impact.html

Biden plans to cut emission at least in half by 2030

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2021/04/20/biden-climate-change/

California to ban fracking and phase out fossil fuels in California

https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/newsom-announces-plans-to-ban-fracking-phase-out-oil-extraction-in-california-2021-04-23/

Honda aims to go all-electric by 2040

https://www.npr.org/2021/04/23/990153361/honda-aims-to-go-all-electric-by-2040

German court orders revisions to climate law, citing major burdens on youth

https://www.npr.org/2021/04/29/992073429/german-court-orders-revisions-to-climate-law-citing-major-burdens-on-youth

Technology

Scientists Create Whitest Paint In The World That Could Help Us Fight Global Warming

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/04/ultra-white-paint-reflects-sunlight-cools-climate/

Winners of $20M contest make concrete to trap carbon dioxide

https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/winners-20m-contest-make-concrete-trap-carbon-dioxide-77162856

Coffee waste can boost tropical forest recovery

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210329085936.htm

We were lucky enough to be take part in the Smithsonian’s Earth Optimism initiative's Earth Day/Week/Month events by hosting a live discussion about conservation communications. Here is the discussion in its entirety from Friday April 23 2021.

This was a deep dive into the process of creating environmental communications content for the sake of showing innovative conservation futures. The founders of Pelecanus, a conservation-based collective committed to telling these types of stories and demonstrating optimism through science, sit down with professionals from Defenders of Wildlife and one of our National Monuments to discuss cutting-edge conservation and the role communications play in helping humanity thrive together on our shared planet.

Speakers:

Austin Parker, MA – President & co-founder

Taylor Parker, Ph.D. – Secretary & co-founder

Andrew Rosales, M.Ed. – Science Education Coordinator at Cabrillo National Monument

Megan Joyce – Digital Content Associate, Defenders of Wildlife

Special Thanks to Cat Kutz, Andrea Santy and Meredith Hickman of The Smithsonian's Conservation Commons.

Welcome to The Possibilists!

The Possibilists is a podcast collaboration between Smithsonian Earth Optimism and Pelecanus.

https://conservationcommons.si.edu

https://www.pelecanus.org

In this partnership we spotlight conservationists working with a possibilistic attitude for solutions-based efforts to tackle the world's critical environmental struggles. We’re attempting to reframe the narrative around conservation to show that conservation successes are possible through changes in attitude and implementation of intentional change.

This episode is a discussion with Dr. Nancy Knowlton.

Dr. Knowlton is a coral reef scientist that has worked in conservation since the 1970s. She has contributed to the scientific knowledge, conservation, and protection of coral reefs throughout the world and her work has been cited over 33 thousand times. Her impact on conservation is incomparable. Over the last decade or so she has started to change the narrative around conservation from doom and gloom to one of possibility through action and intentional change. Her work with the Smithsonian, and beyond, has led the way to reframing the idea of how we tackle the most important environmental problems we face as a society. We were so very grateful to talk with her and excited to share her story for our first episode of The Possibilists. Thank you very much for tuning in!

Video versions can be found at https://www.pelecanus.org/the-possibilists.html or on Youtube!

In this episode of Conservation Conversations we talk to Cris Sarabia, the President of the California Native Plant Society(www.CNPS.org) and an inspiring community leader in southern California.

California is one of the world's 36 biodiversity hotspots. It has more native plant species than any other state in the U.S., and an entire web of life depends on those plants. It has something really special that is worth our protection and love. So, CNPS is dedicated to that. They do their work through conservation, education, gardening, plant science, and even a publishing arm. They have more than 10,000 members and 35 volunteer chapters across the state and Baja, so wherever you live, you can get involved locally in issues that truly matter globally. Native plant conservation is directly tied to and impacted by some of the biggest environmental issues of our time: the extinction crisis, climate change, wildfire... It's a really exciting way to make a difference. Enjoy our conversation with Cris!

Special thanks to Liv O’keefe from CNPS

Especially if you’re in CA, please look into CNPS’s programs if you’re looking to get involved in your natural community. www.CNPS.org

This episode is brought to you in part by our sponsor Tidal Influence, a Californian ecological consulting firm who proudly supports environmental education and all of the diverse conservation efforts that Pelecanus works to highlight. Visit their website at www.tidalinfluence.com to learn more about what they do to conserve our coastal resources and how you can get involved

All podcasts can be found at www.Pelecanus.org, Soundcloud, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

Producers on this episode are Austin and Taylor Parker

Music for this episode was provided by A Picture Book Studios

Please like, comment, and subscribe if you haven’t already and thank you again for tuning in, we’ll talk to you next time.

Check out these awesome headlines from the last few weeks!

All podcasts can be found at Pelecanus.org, iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. Long form podcasts can also be found on YouTube!

Technology

Scientists design 'smart' device to harvest daylight

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210331103645.htm

Wildlife

Grizzly bears stay on endangered species list

https://dailyinterlake.com/news/2021/mar/31/grizzly-bears/

Federal judge’s ruling ends Colorado’s plan to kill hundreds of mountain lions in Upper Arkansas River Basin

https://www.vaildaily.com/news/colorado/federal-judges-ruling-ends-colorados-plan-to-kill-hundreds-of-mountain-lions-in-upper-arkansas-river-basin/

Endangered Candy Darter Fish Wins 368 Stream Miles of Protected Critical Habitat in Virginia

https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/endangered-candy-darter-fish-wins-368-stream-miles-of-protected-critical-habitat-in-virginia-west-virginia-2021-04-06/

California’s Central Coast Welcomes First Gray Wolf in Over 100 Years

https://www.independent.com/2021/04/08/californias-central-coast-welcomes-first-gray-wolf-in-over-100-years/

Check out these awesome headlines from the last few weeks!

All podcasts can be found at Pelecanus.org, iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. Long form Conservation Conversations can also be found on YouTube.

Leadership

Deb Haaland confirmed to lead Interior in historic vote

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/15/politics/deb-haaland-senate-confirmation-vote/index.html

White House appoints Jane Lubchenco to key climate change role

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/03/19/white-house-science-climate-lubchenco-ostp/

Wildlife

Reddit’s GameStop investors have donated over $350,000 to gorilla conservation

https://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/reddits-gamestop-investors-have-donated-over-350000-to-gorilla-conservation/

Endangered whales having a baby boom off East Coast

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/maine/articles/2021-03-15/endangered-whales-having-a-baby-boom-off-east-coast

Technology

Genetic scalpel invented for microalgae to efficiently turn CO2 into biofuel

https://phys.org/news/2021-03-genome-scalpel-industrial-microalgae-efficiently.html