The Scottish Government’s plan to introduce highly protected marine areas covering a tenth of the country’s waters is dead – and that’s official.
The government has today confirmed that, following an extensive consultation on the proposal, the plan for highly protected marine areas (HPMAs) will not be taken forward.
https://www.fishfarmermagazine.com/news/scottish-government-confirms-it-is-scrapping-hpma-plan/
Two plants that live on California’s Channel Islands and nowhere else on earth —the Santa Cruz Island Dudleya and island bedstraw— have been declared fully recovered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service due to the collaborative efforts of conservation partners and no longer require Endangered Species Act protections. The delisting of the two species arrives as the Endangered Species Act celebrates 50 years of conservation in 2023.
The successful recovery of two plants adds to the list of species that have now successfully recovered on the islands, including the island fox, peregrine falcon, bald eagle, California brown pelican, and island night lizard. Recently, the Service also announced the delisting of five species on San Clemente Island: San Clemente Island paintbrush, lotus, larkspur and bush-mallow plants and San Clemente Bell’s sparrow.
https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2023/11/channel-islands-national-park-notches-another-endangered-species-success-story
Acadia National Park in Maine has been given the go-ahead to move forward with restoration work on Great Meadow, a 116-acre wetland impacted by culverts, abandoned railbeds, and invasive species.
Great Meadow, the largest freshwater wetland complex in the park, is one of the most-visited sites in the park. However, historic uses of the area and current uses impact its functioning, the National Park Service noted last spring in an environmental assessment that examined the problems and proposed solutions.
https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2023/11/acadia-national-park-gains-approval-move-ahead-restoring-great-meadow