Learning from the AncientsOpinionReview 11.22.2022In his latest book, Elderflora, Jared Farmer chronicles a history of exploration and study, destruction and preservation that will keep humans and age-old trees intertwined for the long haul.
What it Means to be WildOpinionReview 07.08.2021Against the backdrop of a world so thoroughly altered by humankind, Emma Marris’s latest book, Wild Souls, challenges our assumptions about nature and how we protect it.
Pandemics of Our Own MakingOpinion 07.21.2020While it’s critical that we devote our scientific ingenuity to beating back the current pandemic, we must also address our broken relationship with nature in a concerted effort to prevent similar outbreaks in the future.
Fulfilling a PromiseOpinion 06.26.2018Creating protected areas is a critical first step, but reaping their benefit requires more than lines on maps.
Betting on ConservationOpinion 12.05.2017As extinction rates climb, we have a responsibility—to our own species and to others—to work toward reversing the trend.
Life StoriesOpinion 11.07.2017In today’s world, solutions-based science and environment stories aren’t just a pleasant diversion—they’re a critical step toward a healthy future for our species.
Embracing Hope—and a Carbon TaxOpinion 06.20.2017To curb climate change, step one is imagining a sustainable future; step two is paying for it.
How to Feed Africa SustainablyOpinion 03.14.2017Renowned sustainability expert shares ideas for addressing food shortages in Africa without compromising ecological health.
The War for ScienceOpinion 02.14.2017It’s more than a skirmish over funding, censorship, and “alternative facts.” It’s a battle for basic decency, the people we love, and the future of our planet.
The Catch with Unreported Fish CatchesOpinion 01.31.2017Millions of tons of fish caught each year go unreported, and that impacts our ability to manage fisheries sustainably—but not in the way you might expect.
The Species We Have Yet to MeetOpinion 11.29.2016What we don’t know may be just as important to setting conservation priorities as what we do know.
American Leadership for a Sustainable FutureOpinion 11.08.2016How the next president responds to the world’s environmental challenges will determine the fate of our world for centuries to come.
An Ecologist’s Guide to Writing ObituariesOpinion 11.01.2016Wielding narrative power in global politics when things are dying… or dead
The Shortfalls of BiodiversityOpinion 10.25.2016Meaningfully assessing the health and value of ecosystems requires far more than simply counting up all the species that live there.
No Lost CauseOpinion 08.30.2016We see so many troubling stories about the environment that the occasional bit of good news usually comes as a surprise. But there’s more to be hopeful about than many people realize.
The Zika ChallengeOpinion 08.17.2016As we look for ways to prevent the world’s latest mosquito-borne disease, our focus on the mosquitoes themselves might be obscuring a more sustainable solution.
Learning the Lessons of the PlanetOpinion 07.19.2016As we continue to recklessly degrade the global environment, and our society starts to feel the sobering consequences, we all need to step back and quickly learn—and live by—the lessons that our living world can teach us.
Curbing an Onslaught of 2 Billion CarsOpinion 06.14.2016Nature could soon be imperiled by twice as many vehicles and enough new roads to encircle the planet more than 600 times.
Remembering the Stories of NatureOpinion 05.17.2016Just when it’s more important than ever to appreciate and understand the wonders of nature, Big Science and mainstream Academia are turning their backs on the living world. It’s time we turn this around, and embrace the lessons that natural history can teach us.
Battling DiseaseOpinion 04.26.2016Elizabeth Hadly weighs in on why bats need our help—now more than ever—and why we need bats.