Celebrate the Lungs of the Earth on 21st March, the International Day of Forests
Our species took its first steps in a world covered in trees. Today, forests offer us sustenance, shelter, and clean the air that we breathe.
The Earth defenders awarded the 2020 Goldman Environmental Prize
Six tales of courage. Six examples to follow. These are the winners of the 2020 Goldman Environmental Prize, the “Nobel Prize for the environment”.
HS2, the high-speed railway will cost the UK many of its ancient woodlands
HS2 is a high-speed railway designed to boost low carbon travel in the UK. However, its construction is causing major destruction to ancient woodlands.
Tree goddess Tulasi Gowda, the barefoot Indian activist protecting the forest
Tulasi Gowda is known as the goddess or encyclopaedia of the forest for her ability to extract seeds from mother trees and regenerate plant species.
Tulasi Gowda, the barefoot Indian activist who takes care of the forest
Tulasi Gowda, walking barefoot through the plantations, can discern the state of budding plants by just touching them lightly.
Sundarbans mangrove forest protects Bangladesh from the worse of Cyclone Amphan
Bangladesh suffered widespread damage as a result of Cyclone Amphan. Yet the Sundarbans mangrove forest acted as a natural barrier protecting the country from further destruction, as it has done countless times before.
A historic win for the Ashaninka of Brazil as they receive compensation for deforestation on their land
On top of a 2.4 million dollar compensation, the indigenous Ashaninka people will receive an official apology from the companies who deforested their lands in the 1980s.
Brazil, a tapir is born in the Atlantic Forest for the first time in over a century
The tapir was reintroduced into Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, the country’s most at-risk ecosystem. The species can play a key role in the forest’s recovery.
Forests have always sustained our lives. It’s time for us to return the favour
Forests are home to 80 per cent of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity. This year’s International Day of Forests highlights the urgent changes needed to save them.
Animal and plant species declared extinct between 2010 and 2019, the full list
The disappearance of 160 species has been declared by the IUCN over the last decade: most had been gone for a long time and their demise can be traced in large part to human impact. The full list of extinct species.