Drones

Cabo Verde is, probably, the largest nesting site in the world for Loggerhead turtles, listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List, nevertheless, many threats are compromising their survival. One of the main threats for adult turtles in Sal Island is hunting of nesting females which increased during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, foot and drone patrols were implemented within three MPA’s, and in suitable flying conditions, the accessible bays of a fourth MPA was also patrolled. These patrolled were enhanced by the purchase of more advanced drones with infra-red imaging. Local employment, targeted at nearby communities to the MPA’s, and community initiatives were also crucial as part of the solution. As a result, poaching levels were drastically reduced within all targeted MPA’s, community partnerships were strengthened and overall protection within the MPA’s was reinforced. This project was supported by the European Union and the Organisation of ACP States through the BIOPAMA Programme.

Treelings is a tree registration system that empowers individuals and organizations to plant trees and track their environmental impact — supporting nature-based carbon removal projects.

During the following 2 years of enlisting, the trees undergo regular monitoring through the use of drones, satellite images, and AI models to ensure their successful growth in the harsh climate of Mongolia. The process entails counting the number of trees, assessing the biomass, calculating carbon sequestration and checking their overall health with our algorithms. This information then gets recorded on blockchain and stays visible to their owners on the app and the website during their growth. 

Since launching our MVP in 2022, our application has been downloaded 10000+ times and we are currently monitoring 89 thousand trees of 6 forestation projects on our platform. On top of developing a digital solution, we also directly overlook the plantation of 30,000 trees in a 20 hectares of area affected by desertification. 

The Jiangsu Yancheng Wetland Rare Birds National Nature Reserve has the largest and most intact intertidal ecosystem on the western coast of the Pacific and the eastern edge of the Eurasian continent. It serves as an important stopover for water birds on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway and protects the largest wild red-crowned crane wintering population in China. Over the past 40 years, the reserve has carried out extensive work in coastal wetland and wildlife protection, scientific monitoring and research, publicity and nature education, and the transformation of the value of ecological products. It has continuously improved its construction and management level, made unremitting efforts in the practice and demonstration of protection, development, and support functions, and effectively protected the biological and cultural diversity within the area. It plays an important role in maintaining ecological security and showcasing ecological image.

In response to growing environmental challenges, Montenegro is embracing digitalization and new technologies to safeguard its biodiversity. As part of the “Biodiversity Mainstreaming into Sectoral Policies and Practices and Strengthening Protection of Biodiversity Hotspots in Montenegro” (GEF 7) initiative, the project has facilitated cross-sectoral and multi-institutional cooperation while piloting innovative solutions aimed at improving decision-making processes and biodiversity protection through enhanced data collection, institutional collaboration, and the application of new technologies.

Temperate rainforest is often affectionately described as woodland where there is ‘green on green on green’, due to the hundreds of species of plants and lichens which cover every surface. The west coast of the British Isles, with its high rainfall and infrequency of winter snow, steady temperatures, and clean air, is one of the few places globally with the right conditions for it to form and thrive.  

Once covering a fifth of our land, there are now only a few scattered fragments remaining- with the majority in Scotland (approximately 30,000 hectares). There are fragments still in parts of Devon, Cornwall, Wales, Lancashire, Cumbria, Yorkshire, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man – an area collectively termed our ‘oceanic zone’. Conserving and expanding our temperate rainforest is of vital importance not only for carbon sequestration, but also to protect ancient plant life, and to keep migrating populations of pied flycatchers, wood warblers, redstarts, and tree pipits coming back to our woodlands each year. 

The ‘ONE GOAL 100 TREES’ WE PLAY, WE PLANT Campaign is a dynamic initiative targeting youth at universities and colleges, using football as a powerful tool to promote environmental conservation. The campaign links the excitement of football with the goal of planting trees, encouraging students to score goals both on field and for the planet. For every goal scored in matches or tournaments, a commitment of 100 trees to be planted per score. This approach not only fosters teamwork and competition but also raises awareness about environmental issues, empowering students to actively contribute to a greener future. Through tree planting events and collaborations with university football clubs, the campaign inspires a culture of sustainability and responsibility among young people.

The Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) has been extinct in mainland Britain since the 16th century. The Scottish Beaver Trial was the first licensed mammal reintroduction project in the UK, establishing a beaver population of Norwegian origin in Scotland’s Knapdale forest. However, the population was small, with low genetic diversity threatening it with extirpation. The Scottish Beavers reinforcement project was designed to mitigate this risk. Following extensive public consultation and genetic sampling, the project released 21 beavers of Bavarian origin with more, different genetic diversity to Knapdale between 2017 and 2020. The reinforcement was a success, with subsequent monitoring finding increased breeding and new lochs occupied. Additionally, genetic sampling has indicated significantly higher genetic diversity in the population compared to before the translocation, improving the population’s resilience. The project has acted as a template for other translocations and informed Scotland’s Beaver Strategy 2022-2045.

In June 2015, an operation aimed at restoring islands of interest was carried out in the Gambier and Actéons islands. The eradication of the targeted introduced species was a success on all of these islands, except Kamaka, where the eradication of the Pacific rat (Rattus exulans) failed. In 2022, a second attempt via drone aerial baiting was made to preserve this site. It succeeded, and in 2023 rats were no longer found. The project was set up with the help of ENVICO, a drone company based in New Zealand, the landowners of Kamaka, Island Conservation, local members of the community & the Town hall of the Gambier.

By removing rats, the project has contributed to the conservation of rare seabird species, such as the Polynesian Storm-petrel (Nesofregetta fuliginosa) and many other indigenous species of the island. In addition, the local community has benefited from this restoration project through increased natural resources, reduced risk of diseases and increased economic opportunities. 

In the wider Enyezini area, Miombo Woodlands have been clearfelled and deforested, leading to substantial soil erosion threatening the livelihoods of nearby farmers. 
The restoration approach is focused on active soil erosion control, implemented with locally available organic materials and simple principles by hundreds of paid community workers. Eroded areas are then covered in organic material: grasses, brush packing and mulch to provide conditions for later planted indigenous trees to thrive. Not only will this approach restore the forest cover, provide paid work for hundreds of community members, but it will reduce the threat to the livelihoods of smallholder farmers whose fields are severely threatened by erosion channels cutting into their lands. This  andscape restoration approach with natural solutions will improve the water penetration of the soil allowing for groundwater storages to refill and provide a stream of life to community members in the longterm. 

The implementation of Protected Areas on a seasonal basis provides protection for turtles and their off-spring during the nesting and hatching season. The Temporal Protected Area approach ensures that the turtles are not disturbed, harmed or poached during these important periods.

This initiative focuses on the protection of hawksbill turtles, as they nest seasonally, mostly on the inner islands of Seychelles. The main nesting areas in the south of Mahe, the largest and most populated island in Seychelles, have been nominated for temporary protection.

The nesting beaches are patrolled regularly with an intensified effort during the peak season  to facilitate protection of the species at this critical life-cycle phase, as well recording of data from nesting turtles. Opportunistic encounters with the nesting females provide the necessary data for individual identification to better monitor their nesting behaviours.