New Paper Shows Invasive Species Removal is a Nature-Based Solution for Climate Resilience
Island Conservation and partners have published a new paper quantifying ecosystem resilience on restored islands!
Restoring islands for nature and people worldwide.
Published on
March 14, 2019
Written by
Emily Heber
Photo credit
Emily Heber
Innovation and creative solutions are a vital part of conservation. That is why Conservation X Labs and Island Conservation are calling on all innovators to find solutions to one of the world’s greatest environmental problems—invasive species.
Conservation X Labs believes in radical collaboration between fields to move from merely monitoring changing landscapes and species populations, to developing tangible solutions and creating real-life impact. This year, Conservation X Labs is awarding $90,000 across 20 teams by granting $3,500 to each team to take your idea from blueprint to reality.
The question is: what will you build to help solve the invasive species problem? Island Conservation’s GIS and Data Program Manager, David Will, recently participated in a webinar for the Con X Tech Prize to answer questions about invasive species and inspire innovative ideas.
Invasive species are one of the leading threats to wildlife especially on islands where 80% of known extinctions have occurred since the 1500. If a non-native species becomes established in a new ecosystem they can quickly cause harm to native wildlife and the environment through predation, competition for resources, and ecosystem degradation to name a few.
Luckily, the isolated nature of islands often makes it possible to remove these species and allow the ecosystem to recover on its own. Over 1100 islands around the world have been rid of invasive species allowing species to bounce back. On Palmyra Atoll, researchers found that five years after the removal of invasive rats, seedlings of the Pisonia
These are just a few stories of success, but the reality is that current methods are not feasible for every island that needs help. Invasive rodents are present on 80% of the world’s islands and are the single greatest threat to island species. However, the feasibility of projects is currently limited by the size of an island, human population, and a number of other factors. To save species, we need to find new methods and increase the scale, scope, and pace of this work.
On islands, if 100% of an invasive species population is removed, then native species can thrive. The trouble is, confirming that zero invasive species are left is harder than it sounds. Currently, after a project to remove invasive rats from an island is completed, conservationists have to
These are just a few of the potential pathways of innovation but we need you to think of innovative solutions to help prevent extinctions.
Deadline to submit your idea is March 20, 2019.
Watch the Conservation X Labs and Island Conservation presentation below.
Feature photo: Northern Giant Petrel. Credit: Jason Zito/Island Conservation
Check out other journal entries we think you might be interested in.
Island Conservation and partners have published a new paper quantifying ecosystem resilience on restored islands!
Climate Week NYC: what is it and why is it important? Read on to find out why Island Conservation is attending this amazing event!
With sea levels on the rise, how are the coastlines of islands transforming? Read on to find out how dynamic islands really are!
Join us in celebrating the most amazing sights from around the world by checking out these fantastic conservation photos!
Rare will support the effort to restore island-ocean ecosystems by engaging the Coastal 500 network of local leaders in safeguarding biodiversity (Arlington, VA, USA) Today, international conservation organization Rare announced it has joined the Island-Ocean Connection Challenge (IOCC), a global effort to…
Island Conservation accepts cryptocurrency donations. Make an impact using your digital wallet today!
For Immediate Release Conservation powerhouse BirdLife South Africa has joined the Island-Ocean Connection Challenge (IOCC) – a global initiative aiming to restore, rewild and protect islands, oceans and communities – to support its work to save internationally significant albatross populations…
Video captures insights and hopes from the partners who are working to restore Lehua Island, Hawai’i. In 2021, Lehua Island officially became free from the threat of invasive rodents. This is a huge accomplishment that has enriched the region’s biodiversity…
Carolina Torres describes how the project to restore and rewild Floreana Island signals hope for a future where people and nature can thrive together in the Galápagos.
A new plan to restore seabird habitats in areas affected by the Deepwater Horizon disaster includes invasive species removal.