Society for Ecological Restoration and Microsoft support local communities in six countries one year into collaboration

A family of White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) in a nesting site in southern Sweden.

Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) in wetland habitat in Loudoun County, Virginia, USA. Photo by Jenny Erickson.

Wetland Ecosystem of Cyberjaya Lake Gardens in Malaysia.

The Society for Ecological Restoration and Microsoft are enhancing biodiversity & resilience across four continents with standards-based ecological restoration.

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UNITED STATES, February 21, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — In early 2023, the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) announced a new collaboration with Microsoft to implement standards-based ecological restoration projects in communities hosting data centers globally. Just one year later, SER is thrilled to have supported 14 projects in six countries, with even more in development. This unique collaboration recognizes the additive value of standards-based restoration to deliver high impact solutions that help address the biodiversity, desertification, and climate crises.

The collaboration leverages SER’s Standards-based Ecological Restoration in Action program, and SER’s global network of practitioners and researchers, to build community-driven, evidence-based restoration projects that benefit people and nature. These small-scale, locally designed and implemented projects are restoring more than 200 hectares of land across the globe. A selection of projects include:

– Restoring ecologically significant forests and globally rare wetlands in Loudoun County, Virginia, USA

– Establishing floating wetland cells as part of a lake restoration program in Cyberjaya, Sepang District, Selangor in Malaysia

– Restoring a former landfill into a future nature reserve in Québec City, Canada

– Reviving the White Stork population by restoring wetland habitat in southern Sweden

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“The success of SER’s first year marks a milestone for standards-based ecological restoration, having launched 14 projects across 4 continents” said Bethanie Walder, Executive Director at SER. “This program is helping provide educational, skill-building, and networking opportunities for local partners in addition to increased ecosystem services to local communities. SER’s 35-year strong global member network and knowledge base, along with our Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioners provide the foundation for the program’s success.”

SER, a global leader with 35 years of experience in ecological restoration and the developer of the International Principles and Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration, is providing expertise, resources, and guidance to local communities funded by the collaboration. By integrating SER standards into their projects, the collaboration aims to increase the capacity of local partners to deliver high quality, effective restoration now and in the future. Each project adheres to SER’s Principles and Standards, prioritizing diverse knowledge and capacity, inclusivity and participation, identification and mitigation of degradation causes, biodiversity enhancement, and environmental and social equity. These principles ensure that restoration efforts deliver comprehensive environmental and community benefits while minimizing negative impacts.

“Microsoft is proud to partner with SER to deliver standards-based ecological restoration in the communities where we operate. By collaborating with SER, we have been able to expand restoration projects globally and grow the network of sustainability-focused non-profits that Microsoft supports,” said Gaby DelaGarza, Senior Director of Global Datacenter Community Affairs.

SER’s Standards-based Restoration in Action program aims to elevate and formalize a standards-based approach to ecological restoration globally. By accelerating the adoption of standards-based ecological restoration, the program seeks to establish a robust foundation for the ecological restoration field, aligning with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

For more information about SER’s Standards-based Restoration in Action program, visit: https://www.ser.org/page/Standards-based-restoration-in-action

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About SER:

The Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) advances the science, practice and policy of ecological restoration to sustain biodiversity, improve resilience in a changing climate, and re-establish an ecologically healthy relationship between nature and culture. An international non-profit organization with over 5,000 members and partners in more than 110 countries, we actively promote participatory, knowledge-based approaches to restoration. Learn more about our work at www.ser.org.

Bethanie Walder, Executive Director
Society for Ecological Restoration
[email protected]