Good News!
7 Positive Environmental
Stories from March 2022
Kaylee Brzezinski | March 29, 2022 | 6 min read
7 Good Environmental News Stories from the Past Month that will Make You Smile
March sure came in like a lion and went out like a lamb! The past month was full of positive environmental news thats sure to thaw your chilly winter heart and put a "spring" in your step (see what we did there?). From fruit trees that will change lives to fish honing their communication skills, March was full of GOOD NEWS! Let's dig in.
1.5 Million Fruit Trees Planted Across India for Sustainable Agroforestry
Despite ongoing challenges like local lockdowns and restrictions on movement, our amazing on-ground partner planted a total of 1,533,930 fruit trees to restore 1,553 hectares of land in India last year. The plantings were distributed across the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, India. We also built nurseries in strategic areas of Haryana to reduce transportation costs and improve seedling acclimatization. As the trees grow, they'll help alleviate hunger and poverty while fighting pollution and climate change across rural India.
Marvel Superhero Takes On Climate Change, Environmental Justice
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Marisol Rios de la Luz taking on climate change! Actress, Rosario Dawson, leading lady behind the super hero, shared that “Although the character is fictional, I see myself in her,” Dawson said in a statement provided to Earther. “I’m Afro-Latina with Puerto Rican and Cuban heritage, and I believe like La Borinqueña that Puerto Rico can be a model for a transition to renewable cleaner energy". This project is in collaboration with NRDC and its La Borinqueña Grants Program, which will benefit local organizations to expand solar energy and prepare the islands for future storms.
Flamingo that fled US zoo 17 years ago spotted alive and well after 700-mile trip
17 years ago, a brave flamingo known as Pink Floyd fled a zoo in Kansas! Nearly 2 decades later, the African Flamingo has been found 700 miles to the south, in Texas. The bird initially escaped in 2005 when zookeepers failed to clip their wings, allowing Pink Floyd to take flight. It was incredibly unlikely that the flamingo to be able to survive in the wild, so it was a wonderful surprise to learn that Pink Floyd was founding living their best life!
Conservationists rediscover a species of bat
Welcome back to the Hill’s horseshoe bat! This bat species has been rediscovered by conservationists after not being seen for over 40 years. They were spotted during an expedition in Nyungwe National Park, when experts noticed the bat's unique horseshoe-shaped nose. This is great news for Rwandan biodiversity!
Reforestation Update #16
It's time for more Reforestation Updates! This month, Nicole and Sierra dig into a 60,000 tree planting project that began last September in Brazil, a 100,000 tree project using an agroforestry based model in Haiti, a 370,000 tree project that is restoring the southwest coast, and a 20,000 tree project to reforest over 200 burned forests in Lake Tahoe! We're always so pleased to share these incredible initiatives with you each month.
Fish Communicate With Sound More Than Previously Believed, Study Finds
A new study found that ocean fish communicate through a variety of sounds emitted in unusual ways. These communication methods vary from grinding their jaws to vibrating their bodies and even snapping their tendons! It was already known among researchers that fish communicated through sound but it was thought to be a rare phenomenon. Incredible!
European mink found refuge on an Estonian island
At one time, the European mink (Mustela lutreola), could be found almost everywhere in Europe. However, populations dwindled over time, and scientists have found it difficult to pin down exactly what caused their disappearance. In an effort to re-populate, captive minks were bred on Hiimuaa island, separated from other species of mink. It took a while for the reintroduction to become successful but the numbers have stabilized to around 160-250 minks populating Hiiumaa in autumn!
Hungry for more positivity? We've got plenty more good news stories from the past year. And if you're feeling really inspired, consider planting a tree today! Just want to take action? Join us at an Earth Month event!
