Society For Ecological Restoration Inc

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.

COMMUNITY-BASED RESTORATION: SER IS PARTNERING WITH THE US BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, THE FORT BELKNAP INDIAN COMMUNITY (MONTANA), AND OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY TO IMPLEMENT A MULTI- YEAR DEMONSTRATION PROJECT REGARDING THE IMPORTANCE OF TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE IN ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION. THIS PROJECT WORKS TO IMPLEMENT THE US- BLM'S SEEDS OF SUCCESS PROGRAM. IT UTILIZES A COMMUNITY FELLOWS PROGRAM TO TRAIN LOCAL AND AT-RISK YOUTH IN BOTANICAL AND TRADITIONAL PRACTICES AND TO INTRODUCE THEM TO THE POTENTIAL FOR A CAREER IN THE NATURAL SCIENCES. THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE EMPLOYED IN THE PROJECT ARE NATIVE AMERICANS, AND THE FOCUS OF THE PROJECT IS NATIVE PLANT DOCUMENTATION AND NATIVE SEED COLLECTION FOR FUTURE GRASSLAND AND BISON RESTORATION PROGRAMS. 2022 WAS THE FINAL FULL YEAR OF THE PROJECT UNDER SER'S MANAGEMENT, WITH THE MAJORITY OF TASKS IMPLEMENTED BY OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY.

POLICY: SER CONTRIBUTES SIGNIFICANTLY TO NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL POLICY ACTIONS THROUGH COLLABORATIONS WITH SUCH BODIES AS THE INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE, UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP ON FOREST AND LANDSCAPE RESTORATION, AND THE UN DECADE ON ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION. THE SER/IUCN BIENNIAL GLOBAL FORA ON RESTORATION, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE HELPING DEFINE AND GUIDE HIGH QUALITY RESTORATION ACROSS THE WORLD. SER MEMBERS AND BOARD MEMBERS SERVE ON A VARIETY OF INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES THAT ALSO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING OF ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION. THROUGH SER'S SCIENCE AND POLICY COMMITTEE, SER CHAPTERS AND GLOBAL CONFERENCES, SER CONTINUES TO BRING INCREASED ATTENTION TO THE IMPORTANCE OF ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION AS A TOOL FOR ADDRESSING SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST PRESSING CHALLENGES - E.G. CLIMATE CHANGE, BIODIVERSITY LOSS, WATER SECURITY, RURAL POVERTY - AND CONTINUES TO GUIDE THESE BODIES IN INCORPORATING RESTORATION AS A SPECIFIC COMPONENT WITHIN THEIR ACTIVITIES AND STRATEGIC PLANS.

MEMBERSHIP: WITH MORE THAN 4,000 MEMBERS IN MORE THAN 100 COUNTRIES, SER'S GLOBAL NETWORK REPRESENTS THE WORLD'S FOREMOST SOURCE OF SCIENTIFIC AND PRACTICAL EXPERTISE ON THE REPAIR OF DEGRADED ECOSYSTEMS. SER MEMBERS INCLUDE SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS, PLANNERS PROGRAM MANAGERS, POLICY MAKERS, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, ARTISTS, ECONOMISTS, VOLUNTEERS, COMMUNITY ADVOCATES, AND OTHERS. SER MEMBERS WORK IN ALL TERRESTRIAL AND AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS AND REPRESENT GOVERNMENTAL AND NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, PRIVATE INDUSTRY, CONSULTANCIES, INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, STUDENTS AND MORE. THROUGH THIS COLLECTIVE EXPERTISE, SER WORKS TO ADVANCE THE FIELD OF ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION BY FACILITATING KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT AND SHARING AMONG PRACTITIONERS, RESEARCHERS, AND DECISION-MAKERS. SER HELPS MEMBERS AND NON- MEMBERS ALIKE SHARE KNOWLEDGE THROUGH TRAININGS AND WORKSHOPS, CONFERENCES, PUBLICATIONS, ON-THE-GROUND DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS, VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON NETWORKING EVENTS, AN ONLINE RESTORATION RESOURCE CENTER, AND THE WORLD'S ONLY CERTIFIED ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION PRACTITIONER (CERP) PROGRAM.