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CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORIES
In 1963, officials counted just 417 nesting pairs of bald eagles as DDT drove them toward extinction. 44 years later, 9,789 pairs helped secure national symbol delistingThe bald eagle, once near extinction, has made a remarkable recovery. Habitat protection and the banning of DDT significantly aided their p...- 1,300-year-old Viking dress found in Denmark: Archaeologists uncover buried fragments offering rare clues to how Viking women dressedArchaeologists have discovered 1,300-year-old textile fragments from a Viking woman’s burial in Skonager, Denmark. Preserved around metal b...
- In 2014, East Bay Regional Park District began restoring Dotson Family Marsh, creating channels that reconnected it to the San Francisco Bay. 6 years later, tidal wetlands had returnedHistory of Dotson Family Marsh helps explain why its recovery matters. The broader 150-acre property was acquired by the East Bay Regional ...
- In 1995, North Dakota's Richland County SCD began monitoring Antelope Creek for bacteria. 10 years later, a watershed project tackled septic, livestock and farm sources to cut bacteriaAntelope Creek and Wild Rice River saw reduced bacteria levels after conservation efforts. Best management practices addressed animal feedi...
- In 2008, Virginia listed Grease Creek as impaired for swimming. 16 years later, DEQ cleared it from the impaired list after watershed BMPs restored water quality in 2024Grease Creek in Virginia has finally escaped a problem that followed it for 16 years. The creek was listed as impaired for swimming in 2008...
- In 1994, only a few hundred swift foxes remained. 30 years later, reintroduction campaigns restored populations to thousands across the Great PlainsConservationists have successfully reversed dramatic wildlife declines through dedicated efforts. Bold partnerships and investments have br...
- In 2015, California EPMT discovered Japanese knotweed along Lagunitas Creek. 2 years later, treatment cut knotweed by 93% on National Park Service land, a major gain nowJapanese knotweed can spread quietly along waterways, making an early discovery especially valuable. In 2015, California’s Early Detection ...
- In 2008, Colorado's Curecanti National Recreation Area started screening watercraft for invasive mussels at Blue Mesa. 10 years later, the reservoir remained completely mussel-freeIn 2008, Colorado’s Curecanti National Recreation Area began screening boats and watercraft for invasive mussels at Blue Mesa Reservoir. Th...
- In 2014, Arizona used fish poison to clear an invasive fish from Virgin River after mechanical removal methods failed. Then the red shiner came backFor years, conservationists waged a relentless battle against the invasive red shiner in the Virgin River. Initial rotenone treatments show...
- In 2012, Maryland's Greensboro launched 2 projects to curb stormwater flooding. 9 years later, its firehouse gained permeable pavers and step pools, helping reduce pollutants reaching the riverGreensboro, Maryland, has successfully implemented modern stormwater control practices, improving water quality. These projects, funded by ...
- In 2006, Delaware listed the Broadkill watershed for nitrogen and phosphorus impairment. 18 years later, BMPs restored 7.6 miles of Ingrams Branch, ending the phosphorusThe restoration of Ingrams Branch is a powerful example of how best management practices can produce measurable improvements in water quali...
- In 1994, Idaho listed Rapid Creek for sediment impairment. 18 years later, restoration improved habitat scores and Lower Rapid Creek was removed from the 2012 impaired waters listRapid Creek in southeastern Idaho offers a compelling example of how long-term watershed restoration can transform water quality and aquati...
- In 2002, Idaho listed the South Fork Palouse River as bacteria-impaired after livestock grazing. 14 years later, restoration helped remove it from the 2016 impaired listThe South Fork Palouse River restoration began with a problem Idaho could not ignore. In 2002, the river was listed as bacteria-impaired, w...
- King Oyo of Tooro death reason: Uganda’s world-record youngest monarch dies at 34; crowned at age 3, successor remains unknownThe Tooro Kingdom mourns the loss of King Oyo, the youngest reigning monarch who passed away at the age of thirty-four. Ascending the thron...
- In 2002, Albany buried 1,500 feet of Patroon Creek underground. 18 years later, daylighting restored the stream and improved flood resilience across the project area tooAccording to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's success story, U.S. Geological Survey streamflow data showed that three of the five...
- In 2018, New York's Cortland County funded 3 culvert and stream projects. 5 years later, all 3 sites improved from severe barriers to insignificant barriers for better fish passageCortland County projects fit into a broader New York effort to identify and address barriers to aquatic organism passage. New York's Depart...
- An Idaho game warden in 1948 put a male beaver named ‘Geronimo’ in a parachute box and dropped it from a plane; 76 beavers later faced the same fate and eventually transformed a landscapeIdaho's game wardens introduced an innovative approach in the late 1940s, using parachutes to relocate beavers. They engineered unique boxe...
- In 1970, a scientist released an album of whale songs that became a global hit and helped change public views on whalingAn album of humpback whale songs released in 1970 became a significant environmental work. These structured whale sounds were identified as...
- A Massachusetts turtle vanished for 10 years after its 2011 release, then returned as an adult to the same wild habitat; 15 years later, two of its captive-raised offspring were released there to continue the storyA Blanding’s turtle vanished into the wild for more than a decade. Ivy was released in Massachusetts in 2011 after being raised at Stone Zo...
- The tamarin on Brazil’s R$20 note once had only around 200 left in the wild; Smithsonian zoologist Devra Kleiman helped build the breeding program behind its recoveryOnce on the brink of extinction, the golden lion tamarin saw its population dwindle to a mere 200 individuals. Thanks to Devra Kleiman's pi...
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