How To Bring Back the Prairie, a Tiny Bit at a Time
In the southeastern corner of Minnesota, fields of corn and soy stretch seemingly endlessly—a far cry from the area’s native grasslands. Past surveys estimated just 1% of the state’s native…
Restoration
Trapping Tiny Pocket Mice in the Nebraska Prairie
“Trapping small mammals is a lot like fishing,” says Mike Schrad, bending down to pick up a small, metal box tucked beneath the grass. “Some days you catch a lot,…
Coconut Palms Dominate Over Half of Pacific Atoll Forests
First study of its kind shows that decades of coconut palm agriculture have led to deforestation on over 80 percent of Pacific atolls, and coconut palms now cover more than…
Atolls are Globally Important for Seabirds
New science from Indo-Pacific atolls, including TNC’s Palmyra Preserve, reveals that global conservation efforts largely overlook the important contributions of atolls to the protection, restoration potential, and long-term survival of…
Can Listening to Oyster Reefs Help Us Assess Their Health?
Can Listening to Oyster Reefs Help Us Assess Their Health?
Saltmarsh Sparrow: The “Canary” of Sea-Level Rise
The saltmarsh sparrow is a small puff of a bird that is uniquely adapted to living (and nesting) within a habitat that floods regularly. Endemic to the east coast of…
Restoring River Oxbows Benefits Endangered Fish
Mark Twain once wrote that, in a period of 176 years, the lower Mississippi River was shortened by 242 miles. While the famous author used this in service to his…
Want to Suppress Coral Disease? Bring Back Sea Cucumbers
Research from French Polynesia and TNC’s Palmyra Atoll Preserve shows that, by feeding on microbial pathogens in marine sediment, the weird and wonderful sea cucumber can enhance reef resilience by…
Peatlands Are One of Earth’s Most Underrated Ecosystems
A conservation team walks by hummocks of sphagnum moss, mist hanging in the scattered black spruce. They step onto soft, springy ground that squelches under their rubber boots, and a…
Overlooked ‘Albedo’ Effect Should Be Factored into Tree Cover Restoration Decisions for Climate
Albedo changes can cause large reductions to the climate benefit of tree planting. New research helps identify areas around the world with the greatest climate-cooling potential. The Gist Planting trees…