Tag: forests
See Earth’s Forests as Never Before in Biomass Satellite’s First Images
See Earth’s Forests as Never Before in Biomass Satellite’s First Images New images from the European Space Agency’s Biomass mission show how the satellite uses advanced radar to map flows of carbon through our planet’s most precious and remote ecosystems By Emma R. Hasson edited by Lee Billings Just two months after its launch, the…
Fires drove record loss of world’s forests last year, ‘frightening’ data shows
The destruction of the world’s forests reached the highest level ever recorded in 2024, driven by a surge in fires caused by global heating, according to “frightening” new data. In tropical regions, home to the most biodiverse and carbon-dense forests on the planet, fire became the leading driver of loss for the first time since…
As Oceans Warm, Scientists Fight to Save Lush Kelp Forests
See the Lush Kelp Forests Scientists Are Fighting for as Oceans Warm New research helps the “ocean’s veins” thrive under heat stress By Avery Schuyler Nunn edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier Join Our Community of Science Lovers! While free diving to photograph kelp forests along the California coastline, I’ve viscerally felt the consequences of finiteness…
What on Earth is ‘HFLD’? (Hint: It’s about forests)
Editor’s note: From “blue carbon” to “ecosystem services,” environmental jargon is everywhere these days. Conservation International looks to make sense of it in an occasional explainer series we’re calling “What on Earth?” In this installment, we explore the role “HFLDs” play in storing climate-warming carbon. You climate people and your acronyms. Yes, we really do…
Study: Protected forests are a climate powerhouse
Protected forests keep significantly more climate-warming carbon out of the atmosphere than unprotected forests, according to a new study. The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, illustrates just how important protected areas are in the fight to curb climate change. Like a lot of research about earthly ecosystems, this analysis started in outer space. The…
Notes from the field: Protecting forests to benefit people
It’s easy to feel discouraged about the state of the planet. Though the headlines seem bleak, the fight to protect nature and the climate is being won in the field — through small triumphs that don’t make the news. Here are three conservation successes you should know about. In the Indonesian province of West Java,…
How cool are forests? A hot new study has answers
A new study from a Conservation International scientist measures the cooling effects of forests against extreme heat — with eye-opening results. The shade of a tree can offer instant relief from the heat. But how much can forests buffer scorching temperatures during an extreme heat wave? A lot, according to a new study. During the…