Nature's Triumph: Eco Initiatives and Coastal Youth Engagement - Seacology's Impactful Conservation Efforts this Month
On World Environment Day, we aimed to contribute to the global celebration by highlighting the endeavors of some of our esteemed partners from the Cisco Foundation Climate Impact and Regeneration Portfolio. These partners are actively engaged in Nature-based Solutions (NbS) projects. According to the experts at Capital for Climate, NbS plays a vital role in achieving our shared climate objectives. When effectively implemented, these solutions not only address climate mitigation but also safeguard biodiversity, improve food security, promote healthier diets, and foster more inclusive and resilient rural economies.
The stories we are about to share exemplify the practical and thoughtful implementation of nature-based solutions. They vividly demonstrate that by adopting well-structured approaches, we can indeed achieve multiple social benefits, as outlined by Capital for Climate. We encourage you to embrace and disseminate these stories of active co-creation, as we collectively work towards a regenerative and inclusive future.
One of the remarkable climate solutions is Coastal Carbon Capture (CCC) by Vesta. This nature-based process enhances the ocean's natural capacity to sequester and securely store CO2. By introducing carbon-removing sand to coastal areas and marshlands, CCC generates new alkalinity as the sand dissolves in seawater. This process effectively converts carbon dioxide into a safe and permanent form for ocean storage. Vesta's progress has been impressive, moving decades of promising academic research from the lab to real-world applications within just three years.
In 2022, Vesta successfully implemented the world's first Coastal Carbon Capture field pilots in a salt marsh in Massachusetts and on a coastline in New York state. The outcomes have been consistently positive, answering crucial scientific questions and paving the way for large-scale impacts in gigatonnes. The role of the Cisco Foundation in facilitating the field trials has been pivotal, marking a crucial step forward in unlocking the full potential of Coastal Carbon Capture.
In the realm of climate change solutions, Coastal Carbon Capture (CCC) holds tremendous potential as a billion-tonne-per-year carbon removal strategy. Alongside its climate-saving capabilities, CCC offers co-benefits such as reducing ocean acidity and safeguarding vulnerable coastal communities from rising sea levels and erosion. Thanks to the support from the Cisco Foundation, Vesta can continue to advance this process and its positive impact.
PlantVillage has been making impressive strides in its mission to improve food production and support farmers in Africa. By implementing a climate change mitigation strategy through tree planting, PlantVillage, with the backing of various partners, including a $300,000 grant from the Cisco Foundation, managed to plant 1.5 million trees in Kenya within a year. This initiative not only created green job opportunities for 20 young individuals in PlantVillage's 'Dream Team' and involved 275 youths from local communities in managing nurseries, but it also brought about numerous environmental benefits. The trees, strategically planted along the borders of 12,756 farms, help reduce water loss and enhance nutrient uptake in the soils, while also contributing to farmers' income through carbon capture initiatives. With plans to scale up, PlantVillage aims to benefit 200 million farmers, resulting in an impressive 1 gigatonne of carbon dioxide removal annually.
The Andes Amazon Conservancy (AAC) is engaged in a vital conservation effort, collaborating with four Indigenous Nations in Ecuador. This Indigenous-led program ensures the preservation of connectivity between the Andes and the Amazon, safeguarding ancient wildlife migration corridors. By maintaining contiguous habitats that support wildlife migration, AAC plays a crucial role in protecting the region's endangered biological diversity. The organization's effectiveness stems from the strong relationships it has built with over 70 Indigenous communities. Integrating traditional knowledge and modern conservation technology, AAC promotes sovereign Indigenous land stewardship and sustainable land conservation while planning for the region's future growth. The generous support from the Cisco Foundation further enhances AAC's capacity-building work for ecological connectivity and restoration, benefiting more than 135 Indigenous individuals leading the conservation project. The ultimate result will be the establishment of a 175-mile long, 6-million acre Indigenous-planned and implemented eco-cultural corridor, setting an inspiring model for conservation efforts in an era where the majority of the world's remaining biodiversity resides in Indigenous territories.
Seacology employs a unique approach to connect communities with conservation efforts. By offering villages a special arrangement, they protect island habitats and assist local communities. The deal involves supporting villages in creating a forest or marine reserve, and in return, Seacology provides essential resources that the village needs, such as schools, health clinics, and water systems. Since 1991, Seacology has successfully launched 392 projects in collaboration with villages across 68 countries, leading to the protection of approximately 1.4 million acres of some of the world's most vulnerable ecosystems.
One of their significant recent endeavors is the Dominican Republic National Mangrove Initiative, launched in 2021. This ambitious project aims to safeguard the country's critical mangrove forests through a nationwide mangrove pride campaign while also supporting economically vulnerable coastal residents by establishing mangrove-related eco-businesses. Moreover, Seacology is actively engaging coastal youth through the Play for the Mangroves initiative. Through this program, under-resourced Dominican youth receive free sports equipment in exchange for participating in mangrove education and hands-on conservation activities.
The support from the Cisco Foundation has been instrumental in facilitating Seacology's initiatives. With Cisco's assistance, Seacology and their local partner, Grupo Jaragua, have organized various activities, including talks, webinars, a mangrove-themed mural project, and a photography exhibit. They have also visited schools and universities, established five new businesses, and distributed baseball and volleyball equipment, along with mangrove-branded uniforms, to youth across the country. As a result, mangroves, which play a critical role in climate change mitigation and adaptation, have become a source of pride throughout the Dominican Republic, ensuring their continued protection for the future.
The stories we are about to share exemplify the practical and thoughtful implementation of nature-based solutions. They vividly demonstrate that by adopting well-structured approaches, we can indeed achieve multiple social benefits, as outlined by Capital for Climate. We encourage you to embrace and disseminate these stories of active co-creation, as we collectively work towards a regenerative and inclusive future.
One of the remarkable climate solutions is Coastal Carbon Capture (CCC) by Vesta. This nature-based process enhances the ocean's natural capacity to sequester and securely store CO2. By introducing carbon-removing sand to coastal areas and marshlands, CCC generates new alkalinity as the sand dissolves in seawater. This process effectively converts carbon dioxide into a safe and permanent form for ocean storage. Vesta's progress has been impressive, moving decades of promising academic research from the lab to real-world applications within just three years.
In 2022, Vesta successfully implemented the world's first Coastal Carbon Capture field pilots in a salt marsh in Massachusetts and on a coastline in New York state. The outcomes have been consistently positive, answering crucial scientific questions and paving the way for large-scale impacts in gigatonnes. The role of the Cisco Foundation in facilitating the field trials has been pivotal, marking a crucial step forward in unlocking the full potential of Coastal Carbon Capture.
In the realm of climate change solutions, Coastal Carbon Capture (CCC) holds tremendous potential as a billion-tonne-per-year carbon removal strategy. Alongside its climate-saving capabilities, CCC offers co-benefits such as reducing ocean acidity and safeguarding vulnerable coastal communities from rising sea levels and erosion. Thanks to the support from the Cisco Foundation, Vesta can continue to advance this process and its positive impact.
PlantVillage has been making impressive strides in its mission to improve food production and support farmers in Africa. By implementing a climate change mitigation strategy through tree planting, PlantVillage, with the backing of various partners, including a $300,000 grant from the Cisco Foundation, managed to plant 1.5 million trees in Kenya within a year. This initiative not only created green job opportunities for 20 young individuals in PlantVillage's 'Dream Team' and involved 275 youths from local communities in managing nurseries, but it also brought about numerous environmental benefits. The trees, strategically planted along the borders of 12,756 farms, help reduce water loss and enhance nutrient uptake in the soils, while also contributing to farmers' income through carbon capture initiatives. With plans to scale up, PlantVillage aims to benefit 200 million farmers, resulting in an impressive 1 gigatonne of carbon dioxide removal annually.
The Andes Amazon Conservancy (AAC) is engaged in a vital conservation effort, collaborating with four Indigenous Nations in Ecuador. This Indigenous-led program ensures the preservation of connectivity between the Andes and the Amazon, safeguarding ancient wildlife migration corridors. By maintaining contiguous habitats that support wildlife migration, AAC plays a crucial role in protecting the region's endangered biological diversity. The organization's effectiveness stems from the strong relationships it has built with over 70 Indigenous communities. Integrating traditional knowledge and modern conservation technology, AAC promotes sovereign Indigenous land stewardship and sustainable land conservation while planning for the region's future growth. The generous support from the Cisco Foundation further enhances AAC's capacity-building work for ecological connectivity and restoration, benefiting more than 135 Indigenous individuals leading the conservation project. The ultimate result will be the establishment of a 175-mile long, 6-million acre Indigenous-planned and implemented eco-cultural corridor, setting an inspiring model for conservation efforts in an era where the majority of the world's remaining biodiversity resides in Indigenous territories.
Seacology employs a unique approach to connect communities with conservation efforts. By offering villages a special arrangement, they protect island habitats and assist local communities. The deal involves supporting villages in creating a forest or marine reserve, and in return, Seacology provides essential resources that the village needs, such as schools, health clinics, and water systems. Since 1991, Seacology has successfully launched 392 projects in collaboration with villages across 68 countries, leading to the protection of approximately 1.4 million acres of some of the world's most vulnerable ecosystems.
One of their significant recent endeavors is the Dominican Republic National Mangrove Initiative, launched in 2021. This ambitious project aims to safeguard the country's critical mangrove forests through a nationwide mangrove pride campaign while also supporting economically vulnerable coastal residents by establishing mangrove-related eco-businesses. Moreover, Seacology is actively engaging coastal youth through the Play for the Mangroves initiative. Through this program, under-resourced Dominican youth receive free sports equipment in exchange for participating in mangrove education and hands-on conservation activities.
The support from the Cisco Foundation has been instrumental in facilitating Seacology's initiatives. With Cisco's assistance, Seacology and their local partner, Grupo Jaragua, have organized various activities, including talks, webinars, a mangrove-themed mural project, and a photography exhibit. They have also visited schools and universities, established five new businesses, and distributed baseball and volleyball equipment, along with mangrove-branded uniforms, to youth across the country. As a result, mangroves, which play a critical role in climate change mitigation and adaptation, have become a source of pride throughout the Dominican Republic, ensuring their continued protection for the future.
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