At 86, a Pennsylvania farmer turned down more than $15 million from data-center developers and accepted $1.9 million instead, sending his land down a very different path: keeping the farm alive rather than turning it into a server campusAn 86-year-old farmer turned down a staggering $15 million for his Pennsylvania farms, choosing instead to accept $1.9 million via a conser...
19 Aug, 2026, 09.40 PM IST
In 1998, over 1,000 truckloads of orange peels were dumped in a barren Costa Rica pasture, 15 years later it turned into a dense forestIn a groundbreaking initiative in Costa Rica, researchers turned orange waste into a remarkable tool for land restoration. This organic byp...
19 Aug, 2026, 03.33 PM IST
Over 2 years, across Miami-Dade, more than 9,000 trees reveal a hidden journey of heat: Mature canopies can pull temperatures down by 10°F, turning scorching streets into cooler urban spaces for residentsTrees offer significant cooling benefits to urban areas. FIU researchers found that tree canopy coverage can reduce temperatures by ten deg...
18 Aug, 2026, 10.23 PM IST
In 1804, Americans introduced "sacred bamboo" as a garden ornament; it spread across an estimated 22,400 forest acres, and its berries have been linked to bird deathsSacred bamboo, a popular ornamental shrub, has spread extensively into southern forests across America. Birds consuming its berries are vul...
18 Aug, 2026, 07.00 PM IST
After someone planted golden bamboo beside an Oʻahu road, the single ornamental planting escaped and grew into a 1-acre patch, crowding out native plantsGolden bamboo, once a beloved addition to gardens, is now recognized as an invasive menace. Its rapid growth through underground rhizomes t...
18 Aug, 2026, 06.50 PM IST
In 1917, botanist Joseph Rock introduced albizia to Hawai‘i for reforestation. Now it has infested thousands of acres in O‘ahu and eastern Hawai‘i IslandIntroduced to Hawaii in 1917 as a solution for reforestation, the Albizia tree quickly established itself as an invasive species. By 2018, ...
17 Aug, 2026, 07.56 PM IST
India set for record soyoil imports as Russia-Ukraine war disrupts sunflower shipmentsIndia's soyoil imports are expected to reach a record 620,000 metric tons in August, about 46% above the current marketing year's monthly a...
17 Aug, 2026, 05.15 PM IST
In 1976, a Pulitzer-winning poet moved from New York to Maui; he helped turn 19 degraded acres into a rare palm forestPoet W.S. Merwin dedicated over forty years to transforming degraded land in Maui into a thriving palm forest alongside his wife Paula. Tog...
15 Aug, 2026, 02.50 PM IST
Since 2022, Alaska crews have placed more than 1,000 whole trees in a creek damaged by gold mining, helping restore 2.3 miles of salmon habitatResurrection Creek in Alaska has been revitalized into a thriving river thanks to comprehensive restoration efforts. By introducing entire ...
14 Aug, 2026, 04.10 PM IST
In 2017, California cattle ate an estimated 11.6 billion pounds of grass that could become wildfire fuel; researchers say grazing can reduce fire hazards in some rangelandsIn 2017, California's cattle devoured billions of pounds of vegetation, significantly aiding in wildfire intensity reduction. By efficientl...
14 Aug, 2026, 03.00 PM IST
In 1929, a Tennessee farmer refuses to sell his 375-acre farm for Great Smoky Mountains National Park for $20 an acre. After years in court, he lost the farm but got more than double the amountDespite his refusal to sell, John W. Oliver's fight against the government's eminent domain claim for his cherished farm lasted years. Ulti...
13 Aug, 2026, 08.25 PM IST
In 1920, Washington planted 507 Norway maples along 16th Street to honor its war dead; the invasive species later spread into Rock Creek ParkIn 1920, Washington DC planted Norway maples as a tribute to World War I veterans. Initially seen as a living memorial, these trees became ...
13 Aug, 2026, 04.00 PM IST
In the early 1970s, Maui planted miconia for its spectacular purple leaves; its descendants spread across East Maui and threatened native forest watershedsIntroduced to Maui in the 1970s, Miconia calvescens, known as the velvet tree, has emerged as a significant invasive species. Its swift spr...
13 Aug, 2026, 03.50 PM IST
In 2001, a scientist began rebuilding a rainforest on about 5,000 acres of burned Borneo grassland; the restored habitat became a refuge for orangutansA Dutch researcher regrew a rainforest on 5,000 acres of scorched land in Borneo. Willie Smits began restoring degraded land near Samboja i...
13 Aug, 2026, 02.30 PM IST
Malaysia built a $100 billion city just 2 km from Singapore for 700,000 people; only 9,000 came, now scammers are moving into the ghost townGhost town: Malaysia's grand Forest City venture is struggling, left eerily vacant and dubbed a ghost town due to a lack of residents. In t...
13 Aug, 2026, 12.58 PM IST
In 2021, an 88,307-acre wildfire reached California's sequoias; decades of fuel-clearing burns helped limit damage in Giant Forest to 1.2%, versus 40% nearbyGiant sequoia groves faced severe wildfire threats during a recent event. Prescribed burns, conducted decades earlier, played a crucial rol...
12 Aug, 2026, 08.20 PM IST
In 1922, forester Aldo Leopold proposed protecting roadless country in New Mexico; in 1924, the Gila became America’s first designated wilderness areaAmerica's Gila Wilderness marked its centennial as the world's first designated wilderness area. Aldo Leopold championed preserving this va...
10 Aug, 2026, 05.12 PM IST