Conservation

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    ‘A Geography of Arks’: Extending Park Networks Across 1% of Earth Could Save More Than 1,000 at-Risk Species

    ‘A Geography of Arks’: Extending Park Networks Across 1% of Earth Could Save More Than 1,000 at-Risk Species

    A new study by scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS), Durham University and Princeton University asserts that bolstering the protections of current conservation areas is as important for keeping biodiversity intact as establishing new protected areas, a press release from Durham University said. The researchers found that, of the approximately 5,000 species studied, […]

    Low-Water Landscape and Garden Designs for Water-Wise Yards

    Low-Water Landscape and Garden Designs for Water-Wise Yards

    Since the beginning of the 21st century, the western United States has been experiencing some of the driest conditions on record, and according to the UN, more than 75% of the world could be facing drought conditions by 2050. Bottom line: as climate change continues to cause water stress, we need to find ways to […]

    Amazon Deforestation Drops 33% in Lula’s First Six Months

    Amazon Deforestation Drops 33% in Lula’s First Six Months

    From January to June of this year — the first six months of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s presidential term — deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon has fallen 33.6 percent, new government satellite data shows, as The Associated Press reported. Lula’s stricter environmental rules led to 1,023 square miles of cleared rainforest during that time frame, […]

    Plastic-Eating Fungi Thriving in Human-Made ‘Plastisphere’ May Help Tackle Waste Globally

    Plastic-Eating Fungi Thriving in Human-Made ‘Plastisphere’ May Help Tackle Waste Globally

    A diverse microbiome of bacteria and plastic-degrading fungi lives in salt marshes on the coast of Jiangsu, China. It was identified by an international team of scientists who counted 55 bacterial and 184 fungal strains that are able to break down a biodegradable polyester called polycaprolactone (PCL), often used in polyurethane production, a press release […]

    Los Angeles to Initiate Car-Free Park Block Pilot Program

    Los Angeles to Initiate Car-Free Park Block Pilot Program

    Los Angeles is taking inspiration from the success of Barcelona’s Superblock program with its own Park Block Pilot program. The initiative aims to open up city blocks for pedestrians, creating shaded recreational and green public spaces and stormwater capture systems while restricting cars. The Los Angeles City Council recently greenlit the pilot program, which was […]

    Deep-Sea Mining Could Cause 25x the Biodiversity Loss of Land-Based Mining, Report Warns

    Deep-Sea Mining Could Cause 25x the Biodiversity Loss of Land-Based Mining, Report Warns

    Rising demand for metals like nickel, cobalt, copper and manganese to make batteries used in smartphones and electric vehicles, along with depleting land-based deposits, has led to increased interest in deep-sea mining. But research suggests that the process of extracting mineral deposits from the ocean floor could destroy habitats and decimate species. According to a […]