Conservation
On National Arbor Day—which this year is on April 24—we typically recognize forests and trees for their essential roles in conserving soils, providing oxygen, reducing energy consumption through shade and serving as wildlife habitats.
Nature & Wildlife
Small plants like mosses rarely draw our attention. Many moss species grow close to the ground in damp, shaded environments and are no wider than an eyelash. Despite their modest appearance, however, these plants have some formidable capabilities.
Nature & Wildlife
I believe that we are drawn to certain terrains. We know instinctively what landscape feels most like home when we want to wander, whether it’s mountains, seascapes or wide, open ranges. Our inclination for peregrination is old.
Nature & Wildlife
Trees are some of my favorite beings on Earth. That’s why I look forward to Arbor Day every year, the national holiday that recognizes the beauty and the importance of trees.
Conservation
Drawing on her life as an Indigenous scientist, author Robin Wall Kimmerer in her now iconic 2015 book Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants intertwines the knowledge she gained during her Potawatomi upbringing with the education she later received as a scientist—specifically, a plant biologist.
Nature & Wildlife
Living in a time of almost daily extinction news, we can’t help but feel a little skip in our hearts when we hear of animal species or acres of forests that have newly been found. Anything to tip the scales back to the heavy side of biodiversity is more than fine in my book.
Nature & Wildlife
On November 5, 2023, daylight saving time (DST) will end and standard time will once again reign. While recently there have been many attempts to do away with Americans’ “springing forward” and “falling back” each year, it looks like we’ll be continuing with the practice for some time to come.
Conservation
On the last Friday in April, we will mark the annual National Arbor Day. This year, that date is April 28. Much like Earth Day, Arbor Day celebrates nature. Its main purpose is to encourage people to plant trees. Some communities also take this opportunity to organize litter-collecting events.
Nature & Wildlife
Following New Year’s Day, it’s traditional to look back at the year just passed and reflect on our personal and communal accomplishments and setbacks. Putting our collective disappointments aside for the moment, I think there are several areas where we made major strides in 2022: • Robots are now helping us connect with nature.
Conservation
During this time of year, a lot of us are thinking about trees. For those who celebrate Christmas, a tree is usually the centerpiece for a family gathering around December 25. But that’s not the only time when we honor trees.
Canada & the North
Within a 250-mile stretch of British Columbia’s central and northern coast, some of Earth’s oldest and tallest trees reach for the sky. Covering 21 million acres, the expansive Great Bear Rainforest—which stretches from the Knight Inlet of British Columbia’s Inside Passage to the Alaska Panhandle—is home to thousand-year-old red cedars and towering Sitka spruce trees.
Nature & Wildlife
For decades, it’s been clear that the Earth’s climate is changing, and it’s almost universally agreed that humans have had a role in it.
