France’s largest reconstruction project is underway in the Dauphiné Alps in the south of the country.
by Mongabay.com
World Rewilding Day March 20 celebrates human efforts to reclaim and restore degraded areas Rewilding can focus on one A single species, A city parkor even one the whole islandAnd Mongabay has reported on such efforts from around the word.
Rewilding in the Dauphin Alps, France
France’s largest reconstruction project is underway in the Dauphiné Alps in the south of the country. In 18m During the century, many areas were cleared for agriculture. But with the advent of the Industrial Revolution, many people abandoned the farms and moved to the cities. Left undisturbed, native plants and wildlife slowly began to return.
“It allows us to build on what has already been done,” said Olivier Raynaud, director of Rewilding France and leader of the Dauphiné Alps project. Mangabe said. “We’re not starting from scratch.”
Four species of vultures have already been reintroduced after successful breeding in captivity. They are crucial for ridding the area of disease-spreading carrion and have become tourist attractions.
Next, the project plans to bring back large herbivores, including Polish konik ponies and Scottish Galloway cattle, which will spread the seeds that are expected to eventually grow into forests.
Project leaders hope to bring back locally endangered Eurasian lynx and eventually wolves — though the wolf plan has so far faced pushback from locals who see predators as a threat to livestock.
Revitalizing the world’s largest volcanic lake
Lake Toba, on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, is the world’s largest volcanic lake and has historically been home to a variety of wildlife, including gibbons and endemic fish species. However, over the past two decades, about a quarter of its old-growth forests have been cleared, leaving ash, trash and pesticides in the lake.
Retired civil servant Wilmar Eliaser has dedicated himself to reviving the Simandjorang Lake and has advocated for stricter environmental laws to protect the area. He has worked with local communities to create grassroots networks aimed at reforesting the region.
“I inspired residents to understand that planting trees is like planting their own future.” Wilmer told Mangabe.
Rewilding, one species at a time
Many projects focus on specific species for rewilding, often threatened species or ecosystem engineering.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, conservationists Four critically endangered female gorillas releasedRescued from the illegal wildlife trade, in Birunga National Park. The Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center (GRACE), which prepared the great apes for release, reports that they have successfully integrated into the wild population.
In the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Brown howler monkey (Aluatta Guariba) was dying en masse after a yellow fever outbreak. So scientists modified a yellow fever vaccine for humans and successfully treated monkeys before reintroducing them Tijuca National Park In Rio de Janeiro. Brown howlers are excellent seed dispersers and are expected to help restore degraded parks.
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Previously published with news.mongabay Creative Commons Attribution
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Photo credit: splash
