habitat

Engineers dredged 500,000 cubic yards of sand from the Mississippi River and used it to build seven islands; six years later, the $25 million McGregor Lake project has restored 270 acres of aquatic habitat and protected 22 acres of wetlands

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Engineers dredged 500,000 cubic yards of sand from the Mississippi River and used it to build seven islands; six years later, the $25 million McGregor Lake project has restored 270 acres of aquatic habitat and protected 22 acres of wetlands

For years, sand dredged from the Mississippi River was removed to keep one of America’s most important waterways navigable. At one restoration site, engineers found another use for that material, building islands. The US Army Corps of Engineers has completed a $25 million habitat restoration project at McGregor Lake in Wisconsin, where about 500,000 cubic … Read more

In 2004, Phillip Island launched a campaign to eliminate foxes after nine of its 10 little-penguin colonies had vanished; alongside habitat restoration, the surviving colony grew from 12,000 to 40,000 birds

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In 2004, Phillip Island launched a campaign to eliminate foxes after nine of its 10 little-penguin colonies had vanished; alongside habitat restoration, the surviving colony grew from 12,000 to 40,000 birds

Phillip Island’s little penguins once faced a crisis that threatened to erase much of their presence from the island. By the 1980s, nine of its 10 penguin colonies had disappeared, while the final colony on the Summerland Peninsula was also under pressure from introduced predators, habitat loss and human activity. According to Phillip Island Nature … Read more

In 1910, Oregon planted European beachgrass to stabilize shifting dunes; it spread along the coast, reshaped the landscape and squeezed open sandy habitat used by native wildlife

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In 1910, Oregon planted European beachgrass to stabilize shifting dunes; it spread along the coast, reshaped the landscape and squeezed open sandy habitat used by native wildlife

European beachgrass (Ammophila arenaria) is now well established in the Oregon dunes In 1910, Oregon introduced European beachgrass near Coos Bay to stabilise its shifting dunes. The plant trapped moving sand and helped hold the dunes in place as it was meant to. But as the beachgrass spread, it changed the coastal landscape and reduced … Read more

In 2017, Dubuque turned recycled plastic equal to about 67,000 water bottles into 14 floating islands; the 2,674-sq-ft system now adds plant, fish and bird habitat to Bee Branch Creek

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In 2017, Dubuque turned recycled plastic equal to about 67,000 water bottles into 14 floating islands; the 2,674-sq-ft system now adds plant, fish and bird habitat to Bee Branch Creek

There are 14 islands totaling 2,674 square feet. Each island is a miniature replica of the natural archipelagos of the Mississippi River. Before the islands were placed in the creek, four prototype designs in a variety of shapes and sizes were developed. Sometimes the answer for a city that has fought floodwaters for years isn’t … Read more

Ann Hammond spent years restoring her 12-acre Iowa property with native habitat; years later, a federally endangered bumblebee appeared among her flowers

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Ann Hammond spent years restoring her 12-acre Iowa property with native habitat; years later, a federally endangered bumblebee appeared among her flowers

Representative image Image credits: Wikimedia Commons For years, Ann Hammond worked to transform her 12-acre Iowa property into a welcoming place for native plants and wildlife. The effort eventually brought an extraordinary visitor to her flowers: a rusty patched bumblebee, a species listed as federally endangered in the United States. As reported by Iowa Public … Read more

She started raising butterflies at 7; by 16, this Florida girl had tracked birds and found populations rose by up to 159% after habitat restoration, she’s now headed to a national magazine

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She started raising butterflies at 7; by 16, this Florida girl had tracked birds and found populations rose by up to 159% after habitat restoration, she's now headed to a national magazine

A 16-year-old student from Sarasota, Florida, Sophia Haakman began growing butterflies at just 7. Over the years, her love for nature and its beings has evolved into a serious conservation effort. Haakman sought to find out if the hundreds of hours she spent rehabilitating local ecosystems were truly beneficial to wildlife. So she created her … Read more

Priscilla Chan helped protect a Hawaiian beach preserve and wetland habitat; 17 acres are now protected for the public

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Priscilla Chan helped protect a Hawaiian beach preserve and wetland habitat; 17 acres are now protected for the public

A 17-acre stretch of coastline on Kauaʻi’s North Shore is now protected for public access and long-term conservation, with philanthropic support from Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg helping fund its ongoing stewardship. Kāhili Beach Preserve, also known locally as Rock Quarry, includes a windswept beach, the mouth of Kīlauea Stream and important riparian areas. The … Read more

In 1992, a partnership began rebuilding Lake Havasu’s declining fish habitat; 90 acres of artificial habitat helped improve about 875 acres of coves, with habitat now created across 124 coves

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In 1992, a partnership began rebuilding Lake Havasu’s declining fish habitat; 90 acres of artificial habitat helped improve about 875 acres of coves, with habitat now created across 124 coves

During its first decade, the partnership installed approximately 90 acres of artificial habitat, improving about 875 acres of cove complexes. Lake Havasu is famous for striped bass, redear sunfish, world-class fishing tournaments and unforgettable days on the water. But beneath that success is a decades-long conservation effort that many visitors never see. For more than … Read more

In 2014, Virginia removed a dam that had blocked migrating fish for over 70 years; nearly 130 miles of upstream spawning and nursery habitat reopened

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In 2014, Virginia removed a dam that had blocked migrating fish for over 70 years; nearly 130 miles of upstream spawning and nursery habitat reopened

For decades, a concrete barrier on Virginia’s Appomattox River stood between migratory fish and more than 120 miles of upstream habitat. In 2014, its removal changed that. The Harvell Dam in Petersburg was taken out as part of a collaborative restoration effort, reconnecting roughly 127 miles of river for migratory and resident fish, according to … Read more

Since 2007, New York’s Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has been milled into lumber after the holidays; the wood has helped build Habitat homes from New York to Mississippi

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Since 2007, New York's Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has been milled into lumber after the holidays; the wood has helped build Habitat homes from New York to Mississippi

Rockefeller Center Christmas trees has been used in Habitat homes in several communities, including locations in New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Mississippi and Maryland. For millions of people, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is a familiar part of the holiday season in New York City. Every year, the large tree stands in the plaza, … Read more