Like many of the places where The Nature Conservancy works, Chiapas, Mexico, is a biodiversity hotspot under threat: as the fertility of existing agricultural lands decreases, the agricultural sector expands into bordering forests. TNC’s program in Chiapas, led by Alejandro Hernandez, runs on the belief that improving soil health through “ecological intensification” is key to … Read more
Farms might not be the first place you think to go birding, but some farms can house a wide variety of wildlife and be important areas for conservation. The perception that going to your local farm isn’t going to lead to any lifers or even a list worth posting to eBird is in part correct: … Read more
Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from A Cowgirl’s Conservation Journey by Heidi Redd with Larisa Bowen, published by The Nature Conservancy. After she graduated college, Redd joined her then-husband Robert Redd in owning the iconic Dugout Ranch in Utah’s canyon country. She would go on to run the ranch by herself for nearly … Read more
Around the world, natural climate solutions, including agroforests, can help protect biodiversity and contribute to a third of the emissions reductions needed to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The primary cause of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon might not be what most people think. It’s not deforestation for crops; it’s land clearing to … Read more
A spider monkey swings between leafy branches with a mouthful of ripe fruit. Nearby, cows graze in a pasture shaded by caimito de montaña (Chrysophyllum sp) and other broadleaf trees and separated from food crops by a living green fence of mainly madrecacao (Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Kunth) and piñon (Jatropha curcas L.) trees. Somewhere in … Read more
A new global study finds that the benefits of diversified agriculture are abundantly clear, whether for food security, biodiversity or the bottom line. The Gist Agricultural diversification—those that intentionally diversify crop and noncrop, and livestock species—is often presented as being good for biodiversity. But it’s also commonly perceived as having negative consequences like reduced yields. … Read more
When someone asks me that most routine of questions – “Where are you from?” – I can predict what comes next. “Idaho potatoes!” I’ve experienced this automatic reaction to my Idaho residency all around the world. It’s reflective of some incredibly effective and enduring agricultural brand marketing. It’s also true: Idaho is the leading potato-producing … Read more
Tree cover restoration provides an opportunity to combine climate change mitigation with the pursuit of other sustainable development goals. Unfortunately, most forest restoration studies at global or tropical scales have not distinguished and evaluated the potential importance of restoration by small land holders. The Gist Restoring tree cover in tropical countries could impact millions of small … Read more
We crouched down, watching the little owls from a couple feet away. They seemed slightly perturbed but made no move to fly away or disappear down a hole. Burrowing owls. I suffered a bit of that disorientation that can come when you’re traveling and witness the familiar in the wrong place. I have spent some … Read more
Ohio farmer takes a whole-farm approach to conservation During heavy spring rains, Allen Dean watched a 60-foot tree float down the creek that crosses through one of his farms in Williams County, Ohio. Dean doesn’t usually see such immense objects float by, but he is accustomed to finding large wood chunks in his fields after … Read more