Delegates from 195 countries celebrated a landmark climate deal in Paris — a moment of success after years of failure. The agreement lays out a number of goals and timelines, including keeping the global temperature rise well below 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit. While President Obama chimed in with praise, it has also met with criticism from protesters, as well as GOP lawmakers. Read more…
Over a year ago I wrote an article about a proposed orchid reserve where a number of species of the Dracula Orchid could be found. The land has been purchased and additional acres are under negotiation. Rainforest Trust is a partner in this venture. I am honored to be a supporter of this organization, and am very excited that the project is moving forward.
Which companies are the biggest culprits in using palm oil which causes widespread deforestation, loss of habitat, loss of livelihood for indigenous people, and unbreathable air for hundreds of square miles in rainforest areas? Find out who they are and what you can do to help.
“Saving Indonesia’s forests isn’t just something that should be done by Indonesian people. We, the people of Indonesia, hope that every person in this world, including the people in the United States, gather with us, the people of Indonesia to … Continue reading →
It is estimated that 68 per cent of the world’s flowering plants are threatened or endangered. So writes Stephen L. Buchmann in the New York Times. Why is this happening? Read the article here.
So, why is palm oil use such a problem? It is a problem because hundreds of acres of rainforest are lost every hour and being replaced by palm oil plantations. Want to know how your favorite products and stores stack … Continue reading →
Palm oil production is a major factor in loss of tropical rainforests. Hundreds of acres of natural habitats are lost around the world every single hour. Palm oil is used in many commercially prepared foods, as well as in large … Continue reading →
Nature has an amazing ability to restore balance and order after a catastrophe. When fire rages and forests burn, gradually new trees grow from scattered seeds. But not always. This year’s fires in the western U.S are more widespread and … Continue reading →
Scientists recently determined that the world has a lot more trees than originally thought. That’s the good news. The bad the earth is losing trees at in increasing and alarming rate. Trees are vital to the survival of life on this planet. Among the many benefits they provide is their ability to serve as a carbon sink. Chris Mooney of the Washington Post explains what we have recently learned about the loss of the earth’s trees and what it means to us. Continue reading.
WWF & Eyes on the Forest are using Google Maps Engine to visualize troves of map data and tell stories to the world about the issues facing Sumatra. Tigers, elephants, orangutans and rhinos face diminishing habitat in which to roam, and forests are being cleared at an alarming rate. The short video below explains how this works.
Learn more about how the Google Maps Engine can help with environmental efforts.
View maps of Sumatra.
One day about eight years ago a postdoctoral scholar and her father were on a field trip in a mountainous area in central Panama when they stumbled upon an orchid they had never seen before. Unable to identify it, … Continue reading →
For years, there was only one formally recognized species of orchid on the Azores, a cluster of volcanic islands west of Portugal, though some claimed there were two species. However, a recent, three-year study to describe these Azorean flowers … Continue reading →