Islands

Tag: Islands

Invasive Species Have Massive Costs for Economies, Biodiversity, Health, and Food Supply New Report Shows 

The global economy loses more than $423 billion every year to invasive species which threaten nature, food security, and human health. A new report by the International Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) shows that invasive species pose a major threat to biodiversity, healthy ecosystems, and sustainable communities. Aimed at policymakers around the world, […]

Written by on September 8, 2023

Listening and Learning from Indigenous Stewards

Nature is not a place to visit. It is home. Gary Snyder, American poet, essayist, lecturer, and environmental activist  Have you ever been in awe of a sunset?  How about a dawning sunrise?  What about a full moon, waxing glow across a starry night sky?  Once considered sacred and meaningful by indigenous cultures around the world, these […]

Written by on June 12, 2023

Rising Sea Level: More Complicated than Sinking Islands

Sea level rise as a result of climate change is much more complicated than receding coastlines and disappearing islands, especially for the South Pacific. A big fear of climate change is sea level rise, leaving low-lying islands at risk of disappearing. This is not a new phenomenon, historically sediments have been moved by tides, waves, […]

Written by on May 22, 2019

7 Island Species and the Race Against Extinction

Islands are biodiversity hotspots, yet the decline of island species is more rapid than anywhere else in the world. Island species have evolved over thousands of years in isolation, leading to a high proportion of island-endemic (found nowhere else in the world) species. These animals have often evolved without predators and therefore without defensive mechanisms […]

Written by on May 17, 2018

Alone in the Middle of the Ocean, Islands are Havens of Life

The future is uncertain for Earth’s incredible island worlds. By: Dr. Vivien Cumming The Earth is a blue planet with oceans covering over 70 percent of Earth’s surface. Out there alone, in the middle of these vast oceans, stand islands – havens for life on Earth. Standing alone in the middle of the ocean, there is […]

Written by on December 6, 2017

Seabirds: The Ecological Connectors in Need of Conservation

Research highlights the value of island restoration and the importance of long-term monitoring for the prevention of seabird extinctions. Though seabirds are named and well-known for the ample time they spend in and above the ocean, they also depend on the land, with islands being especially significant. Through migration, foraging, and nesting, seabirds bring sky, […]

Written by on July 18, 2017

Measuring Biodiversity Loss & its Consequences

Biodiversity loss is a serious concern for our planet. Conservation intervention is more critical than ever before. A recent study published in Science found that biodiversity (the diversity of all lifeforms on the planet) has dropped below a “safe” level on nearly two thirds of Earth’s lands. That same area is home to 71% of all humans. […]

Written by on July 21, 2016

Endangered Seabirds Receive Protection from Predators

New Zealand’s Department of Conservation aims to protect the Black-fronted Tern, an endangered migratory seabird that depends on safe island nesting sites. The Black-fronted Tern is an endangered seabird native to New Zealand. Its population has been steadily decreasing over the past several decades due to invasive predators that prowl their nesting sites. After three years of careful […]

Written by on June 17, 2016

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