A team of ecologists went out into their own neighbourhood to map the distribution of urban plants in one of the first studies of its kind. Equipped with tape measures and clipboards, they documented trees and shrubs, sometimes getting on all fours to crawl through bushes under the curious watch of local people. We had a lot of fun. Little kids loved our measuring wheel, says Prof Ann Kinzig, from Arizona State University.
Twenty-five years ago, Roque Sevilla (Quito, 78), an economist with a passion for nature, went in search of the last remaining forest in the Andean Choco, in Ecuador. At the time, he sought to conserve life in one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet. It was there, when he visited aged 53, that the Mashpi-Tayra Reserve was born, now a habitat for unique animals, insects, and birds.
Through a range of installations, models, and interactive elements, "Age of Nature" presents speculative yet achievable visions for future living. A tower of live mushrooms grows as a vertical field, freeing ground space for wilderness; facades are reimagined as miniature ecosystems; and filmmaker Liam Young's The Great Endeavor envisions a global workforce collectively removing CO₂ from the atmosphere using existing technologies. Together, these projects question how architecture can move beyond minimizing its impact to actively regenerate the environments it inhabits.
Whether dazzlingly red, deep green or ghostly pale, the richness of a tropical forest provides butterflies with a diversity of habitats in which to communicate, camouflage and reproduce. As humans replace tropical forests with environments such as eucalyptus monocultures, however, those requirements are changing. In a plantation, the ecological backdrop is stripped bare and drab species do better. Being bland like your surroundings becomes an advantage.
Namibia has deployed more than 500 soldiers to help fight a fire that has burned through a third of the vast Etosha National Park, one of Africa's largest wildlife reserves, Prime Minister Tjitunga Ngurare Manongo said in a social media post. Manongo said, starting Sunday, the troops would help firefighters, police, and volunteers who are already fighting the raging fire.
When I first learned about Priyanka Kumar's new book, The Light Between Apple Trees: Rediscovering the Wild Through a Beloved American Fruit, I wondered how the title could work its way into a book-length manuscript. I rapidly discovered how well it did in myriad, fascinating, and unexpected ways. Much of her book reminded me of my own views on the importance of personal rewilding—rewilding our hearts—and every page contained an important inspirational message.
Yes, this big map depicts the realm of the humble mushroom, which "shares the forest with the plants and the animals, but it's not a plant, and it's not an animal." And the mushroom itself, like we're used to seeing sprouting beneath our feet, is only a small part of the organism: the rest "lives hidden, out of sight, below ground. Beneath every mushroom is a fungal network of hair-like strands called the mycelium," which begins as a spore.
The 2025 Audubon Bird Photography Awards expanded internationally to include Chile and Colombia, spotlighting the rich biodiversity and shared responsibility of bird conservation across the Americas.
Snøhetta has unveiled plans for Jesselton Docklands, a tropical waterfront master plan in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. The development reimagines the city's former port as a civic and cultural hub, strengthening its connection to the waterfront and positioning it as a new gateway to Sabah and the wider Southeast Asian region. Situated near Kota Kinabalu International Airport, the development includes a new ferry and cruise terminal, integrating infrastructure with the island's ecological and cultural context.
Since then, soil preservation via conservation programs has come to the fore. With strategies like planting prairie strips, soil nutrient loss is reduced. This is possible for farms with large acreages, and for smaller market farms too. Prairie strips do not need to be installed all at once, and can be introduced to the farm in stages. There are plenty of other reasons for planting prairie strips - soil nutrient loss being one factor.
While Southern California conjures images of endless sunshine and sandy beaches, just two hours from Los Angeles lies a striking contrast: Big Bear, a high-altitude hideaway that offers a true four-season escape. Tucked into the San Bernardino Mountains and wrapped around a namesake lake, this alpine town trades highways and palm trees for snowy slopes in winter, wildflower-strewn trails in spring, colorful foliage in fall, and breezy lakeside afternoons come summer.
The restoration of the salt marsh at Fort Sparrow Marsh, involving the removal of 9,000 tons of dirt and the planting of native flora, aims to improve the health of Jamaica Bay, one of New York City's critical natural areas.
Yunxi Botanical Garden represents a cornerstone initiative for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in Guangzhou, emphasizing integration within the city’s urban-park framework.
The Wilds incorporates a variety of multispecies infrastructure, from beehives and bird nests to duck houses and insect hotels, supporting cohabitation with wildlife.
"When it rains in Indonesia, you see the sap flow through the sculpture in real time. When the air quality shifts, the flows respond. During a heatwave, the tree visibly struggles. This real-time installation reveals just how fragile the cacao supply chain has become."
