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In 1980s, scientists moved 140 sea otters to a California island as an insurance policy; most disappeared, but the population eventually reboundedIn the late 1980s, wildlife officials initiated a relocation effort by moving southern sea otters to San Nicolas Island. Initially, many of...
In the 1830s, America imported autumn olives from eastern Asia to stop erosion and reclaim mines; now the plant infests much of the United StatesAutumn olive, introduced from Asia, was used for erosion control and land restoration. This shrub's nitrogen-fixing ability and rapid growt...
In 1905, William Kent bought 611 acres of California redwoods; he later donated 298 acres, helping protect the forest and create Muir Woods National MonumentIn 1905, William Kent bought redwood forest land to safeguard it from loggers. However, when a water company proposed constructing a reserv...
In 2009, Montana's Big Hole staff began monitoring an invasive plant threatening native habitat. 17 years later, spotted knapweed estimates stood at just 8% of its 2012 peak, showing strong controlLong-term monitoring and control efforts have significantly reduced spotted knapweed at Big Hole National Battlefield in Montana. Monitorin...
America introduced Chinese Privet as an ornamental plant in 1852. It later spread across millions of acres of forestFirst spotted in 1852, Chinese privet has spread relentlessly across the American Southeast, wreaking havoc on local ecosystems. This invas...
"God saved us all": 36-member Malayali group caught in Nepal flash floods returns to KeralamA 36-member Malayali group narrowly escaped Nepal's flash floods and returned home. They travelled approximately 100 kilometers from the Ne...
In 2018, Natasha Whetzel helped burn 20 acres at Delaware’s Hurley Tract to restore habitat. 10 weeks later, native purple love grass had spread extensively, transforming the site into habitats for birds and pollinatorsConservation work in southern Delaware is helping restore and protect important habitats within the Nanticoke River watershed. At Middlefor...
In 1990, a rural Idaho community of 17 homes made one final phone call. It marked the end of America's last known hand-cranked telephone systemIn July 1990, a small community in Idaho’s remote Salmon River Canyon said goodbye to a telephone system that had survived for decades. Sev...
Beginning in the 1900s, U.S. hunters imported Eurasian wild boar for sport; today’s feral swine threaten firefly larvae and turtle nests across the SoutheastWild pigs are destroying firefly larvae and turtle eggs in southeastern parks. These invasive animals root up the soil, disrupting delicate...
In 2022, researchers began work on a 3/4-mile Cherry Creek restoration in Pennsylvania. 4 years later, the stream has better habitat, cleaner water and healthier floodplains nowA restoration project along a three-quarter-mile section of Cherry Creek at TNC’s Blakeslee Preserve in northeastern Pennsylvania began in ...
Great Smoky Mountains National Park: In 1929, farmer said no to an offer for his 375-acre farm. Years later he lost the case and the landIn 1929, Tennessee farmer John W. Oliver refused to sell his 375-acre Cades Cove farm for $20 an acre to make way for Great Smoky Mountains...
Beginning in the 1930s, America built 29 giant locks and dams across the Mississippi River and they turned a wild river into a massive water staircaseThe Upper Mississippi River's navigation was transformed by America's construction of locks and dams in the 1930s. While these aging struct...
In 1831, Swedish Navy planted 300,000 oak trees on Visingsö for future warships; when they were ready in 1975, Navy rejected the timber as ships had switched to steel, leaving a forest behindSweden's Navy undertook an intriguing initiative by planting oak trees on Visingsö to secure timber for future warships. Decades later, as ...
In 1959, Vermont bought Snake Mountain land but not the timber rights. Seven decades later, the state wants to reunite themVermont's initiative to acquire timber rights will lead to the expansion of the Snake Mountain Wildlife Management Area. By adding 256 acre...
In 1772, Benjamin Franklin sent Chinese tallow seeds to Savannah, Georgia; the government planted more along the Gulf in 1900, and the tree now covers 185,000 hectaresIn the late 1700s, a shipment of 1772 seeds sparked a significant invasion of non-native trees across southern U.S. forests. The federal pl...
In 1971, Apollo 14 carried roughly 500 tree seeds around the Moon. 55 years later, a NASA scientist has tracked down dozens of the surviving “Moon trees” still growing across AmericaIn 1971, Apollo 14 carried roughly 500 tree seeds around the Moon. The seeds were planted across America after returning to Earth, but NASA...
Australian couple bought a cattle farm and planted 34,000 trees. Years later, koalas and wildlife are returningIn 2020, Australian couple Brett and Lisa Vercoe bought a 30-hectare former cattle property near Coffs Harbour in New South Wales and began...
In the 1990s, a predatory flatworm was released in Samoa to control giant African snails; it later drove native island snails toward extinctionBiological control efforts introduced the New Guinea flatworm to Pacific islands. This predator began hunting native land snails, pushing t...
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...
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 ...