Ohio Has Invested Millions in Wetlands to Catch Nutrient Runoff From Farms. A New Report Suggests It’s Working. - Inside Climate News
> The annual report from the H2Ohio Wetland Monitoring Program found all of the wetlands examined successfully trapped nutrients and shed new light on possible best practices.
These findings come just 7 yrs after the tribe was formally recognized by the #US govt, bolstering its efforts to reclaim its ancestral #land. The tribe has nearly finished closing deals to reclaim ~2,100 acres of land that was once theirs.
Experts from St. Mary’s College matched old documents with the oral histories passed down for generations by the #Rappahannock tribe, including Richardson, who’s the 4th generation of her family to serve as the tribe’s chief & took over in the late 1990s.
…Fones Cliffs sits on the north side of the #Rappahannock River & is geologically unique because of its distinctive white diatomaceous earth—formed from fossilized remains of aquatic organisms from 5 million years ago when a shallow sea covered much of the area, acc/to Julia King, chair of the anthropology department at St. Mary’s College. #Wildlife experts said it’s a rare spot because its #wetlands are largely untouched & serve as an ideal habitat for bald eagles, fish & other animals.
Ohio Has Invested Millions in Wetlands to Catch Nutrient Runoff From Farms. A New Report Suggests It’s Working. - Inside Climate News
> The annual report from the H2Ohio Wetland Monitoring Program found all of the wetlands examined successfully trapped nutrients and shed new light on possible best practices.
A mini pot of gold: Researchers discover new tiny fungi species in Alberta https://phys.org/news/2025-11-mini-pot-gold-tiny-fungi.html
"13 #NewSpecies of 'stubble #fungi'—so named because they resemble beard whiskers—have been described through a 13-year study... Found in areas ranging from a dog park in #Edmonton's river valley and a southern #Alberta farmyard to #wetlands and foothills #forests, the wee, pin-like fungi with large heads grow on #shrubs, on #DeadWood, and on native #trees"
A mini pot of gold: Researchers discover new tiny fungi species in Alberta https://phys.org/news/2025-11-mini-pot-gold-tiny-fungi.html
"13 #NewSpecies of 'stubble #fungi'—so named because they resemble beard whiskers—have been described through a 13-year study... Found in areas ranging from a dog park in #Edmonton's river valley and a southern #Alberta farmyard to #wetlands and foothills #forests, the wee, pin-like fungi with large heads grow on #shrubs, on #DeadWood, and on native #trees"
The #Trump admin proposed Monday to significantly limit the EPA’s authority to limit #pollution in #wetlands, #rivers & other bodies of #water across the country.
The proposed rule could strip federal #protections from millions of acres of wetlands & #streams, potentially threatening sources of clean #DrinkingWater for millions of Americans.
#climate #wildlife #law #EnvironmentalLaw #CleanWaterAct
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/climate/epa-curbs-protections-for-wetlands.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
A 2023 #SCOTUS decision set the stage for the action by limiting the agency’s power to police #wetlands. In the opinion in Sackett v. EPA, Justice #Alito wrote that the #CleanWaterAct allowed the #EPA to regulate only wetlands with a “continuous surface connection” to a “relatively permanent” body of #water.
But he did not explicitly define a “relatively permanent” body of water. Now, the #Trump admin is describing it as a body of water that flows year-round or during the “wet season.”
The new definition would exclude #wetlands that abut or touch many intermittent #streams, which do not flow during dry periods. It also could exclude ephemeral streams, which sit dry for much of the year & fill up only after rainfall or snowmelt.
These changes could strip federal #protections from up to 55 million acres of wetlands, or about 85% of wetlands nationwide, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group.
It was a victory for a range of business interests that have lobbied to scale back the #CleanWaterAct of 1972, including farmers, home builders, real estate developers, #oil drillers & #petrochemical manufacturers.
…Under the #CleanWater Act, companies & individuals must obtain a permit from the #EPA before releasing #pollutants into the nation’s #waterways. They must receive a permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers.…
A 2023 #SCOTUS decision set the stage for the action by limiting the agency’s power to police #wetlands. In the opinion in Sackett v. EPA, Justice #Alito wrote that the #CleanWaterAct allowed the #EPA to regulate only wetlands with a “continuous surface connection” to a “relatively permanent” body of #water.
But he did not explicitly define a “relatively permanent” body of water. Now, the #Trump admin is describing it as a body of water that flows year-round or during the “wet season.”
The #Trump admin proposed Monday to significantly limit the EPA’s authority to limit #pollution in #wetlands, #rivers & other bodies of #water across the country.
The proposed rule could strip federal #protections from millions of acres of wetlands & #streams, potentially threatening sources of clean #DrinkingWater for millions of Americans.
#climate #wildlife #law #EnvironmentalLaw #CleanWaterAct
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/climate/epa-curbs-protections-for-wetlands.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
Can ' #WaterBatteries' help farmers tackle #drought?
Kirk England, 21 October 2025
" #Rainwater used to surge through Will Luke's dairy farm whenever there was a downpour.
"He used to watch it flow away but concerns over 'drier and drier' summers led him to build a storage pond allowing him to put that water to use - particularly for livestock.
" 'Once it leaves the farm, it's no good to me. If we capture the water we can get more use out of it. We're much more resilient,' said Mr Luke, whose farm is near Plymouth, Devon.
"The Westcountry Rivers Trust said #ponds and #wetlands were insurance for 'times of need' including droughts, and it was now leading a €8m (£6.95m) project on how the so-called 'water batteries' could be used to create a 'smart water grid' across Europe."
Read more:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg7p9en90ro
#SolarPunkSunday #Ponds #Wetlands #Rainbarrels #Cisterns #WaterBatteries #ClimateChangeFarming #ClimateChangeAdaptation #WaterIsLife
Can ' #WaterBatteries' help farmers tackle #drought?
Kirk England, 21 October 2025
" #Rainwater used to surge through Will Luke's dairy farm whenever there was a downpour.
"He used to watch it flow away but concerns over 'drier and drier' summers led him to build a storage pond allowing him to put that water to use - particularly for livestock.
" 'Once it leaves the farm, it's no good to me. If we capture the water we can get more use out of it. We're much more resilient,' said Mr Luke, whose farm is near Plymouth, Devon.
"The Westcountry Rivers Trust said #ponds and #wetlands were insurance for 'times of need' including droughts, and it was now leading a €8m (£6.95m) project on how the so-called 'water batteries' could be used to create a 'smart water grid' across Europe."
Read more:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg7p9en90ro
#SolarPunkSunday #Ponds #Wetlands #Rainbarrels #Cisterns #WaterBatteries #ClimateChangeFarming #ClimateChangeAdaptation #WaterIsLife
Both belted kingfishers I saw yesterday appeared to be adult females. And by their behavior, calling to each other before joining up for some aerobatic frolics, I would say they were definitely related! I love the inversion one of the birds is pulling in the first photo. In the second photo, there's a big splash from a frightened duck diving in alarm as one of the ladies buzzes too near it. No idea if she meant to do that!
Both belted kingfishers I saw yesterday appeared to be adult females. And by their behavior, calling to each other before joining up for some aerobatic frolics, I would say they were definitely related! I love the inversion one of the birds is pulling in the first photo. In the second photo, there's a big splash from a frightened duck diving in alarm as one of the ladies buzzes too near it. No idea if she meant to do that!
RESTORE WETLANDS
#WetlandRestoration can tackle #WaterPollution and help our #Reef 🪸
#Wetlands are very effective at reducing water pollution. #Research shows that restoring wetlands in 5% of land can slash nitrogen pollution by up to half.
Coastal wetlands have unique superpowers to help tackle the biggest threats to the #GreatBarrierReef like #ClimateChange and water pollution.
"From Kyiv to the Suwałki Gap, bogs return as Europe’s defensive shield"
"Some European governments are now wondering if reviving ailing bogs can solve several problems at once. Finland and Poland told POLITICO they were actively exploring bog restoration as a multipurpose measure to defend their borders and fight climate change."
https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-defense-kyiv-ukraine-nato-eu-bogs-poland-war-germany/