US: Indigenous fire practice returns to Minnesota Point after 180 years
17 October 2026 - Good fire returned to Minnesota Point in Duluth on Thursday, when the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and its partners set a culturally prescribed burn on the narrow strip of land between Lake Superior and the bay. The day began with a ceremony led by Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa elder Ricky DeFoe. DeFoe began by making a small fire from cedar and birch bark gathered at the point. ''The objective is to connect, reconnect to our Mother Earth,'' DeFoe told project leaders along with two dozen tribal and state fire managers gathered for the ceremony. (more)

The Greek island rewriting marine protection
17 October 2026 - Gyaros Island, an abandoned prison once linked with exile, has become a thriving sanctuary, home to iconic seals and seabirds. An historic Presidential Decree, given in April 2026, has locked a once-hidden gem of ecological beauty, history, and even myth into law. And it's shaping conservation efforts far beyond Greece. (more)

Women in Mexico step up to protect the island farms traditionally inherited by men
16 October 2026 - In Mexico, traditionally women did not inherit chinampas, island farms first built by the Aztecs thousands of years ago. The farming on such islands, which sit in Mexico City, has also traditionally been done by men. Today, women are buying up chinampas and doing sustainable farming, along the way helping to maintain ecosystems that are threatened by urbanization and water pollution. (more)

The solar boom is rapidly transforming emerging economies
16 October 2026 - As emerging economies and global living standards rise, is the world in for another fossil fuel boom? The data says not. Countries from Southeast Asia to Sub-Saharan Africa aren't investing in fossil fuels as the West did; they're investing in renewable-powered electricity. Lower-income countries already use less fossil fuels and more renewables than higher-income ones. (more)

Taiwan's tea revival blends ancient terraces with new climate adaptations
15 October 2026 - A government-backed effort in Taiwan's Shenkeng region is now restoring tea production and its cultural heritage, using the region's historic stone terraces alongside drip irrigation, soil sensors, and more resilient tea varieties. Li Chao-shiang has joined Preserving Legacies, an initiative funded by the National Geographic Society focused on helping culturally significant sites create locally led climate impact and adaptation assessments. Researchers in Li's design department have studied the stone terrace walls built by earlier generations of farmers and found them remarkably effective at channeling water away from slopes while holding soil in place. (more)

Wildlife photographer of the year 2026, the winning images
15 October 2026 - Celebrating the complexity of the natural world and the importance of protecting it, this year's competition has attracted a record-breaking number of entries. Run by London's Natural History Museum, the annual competition received a record-breaking 65,403 entries from 121 countries and territories this year. Now in its 62nd year, the competition continues to use photography to deepen our understanding of the natural world, capturing its beauty and complexity and the importance of protecting it. (more)

Fatima Zahra El Mansouri is appointed as Morocco's first female Prime Minister in historic election
14 October 2026 - Morocco has appointed its first female prime minister following a parliamentary election victory by the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM). King Mohammed VI selected Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, a lawyer and longtime Marrakesh politician, to lead the country's next government. Her appointment marks a milestone for women's political representation. (more)

UK: Putting a ring on it: the plan to green London's beloved edges
14 October 2026 - Ten million people stand to benefit from a cooler and more biodiverse capital, say the organizers of an ambitious project to reconnect its wilder spaces. The project, from the charity CPRE London, is designed to safeguard the greenbelt, boost biodiversity in neglected pockets of woodland, and return all-but-vanished species to London's treescapes. (more)

Fitness influencers make the case for plant-based protein
13 October 2026 - Emilie Fitch, founder of the nonprofit People For Better Food, says that eating too much meat and dairy can harm people's health. And it's also bad for the climate because animal agriculture is responsible for a lot of carbon pollution. So her group launched a campaign called Plants for the Win. (more)

Saudi Arabia adds 7 GW of solar and wind, 14 GWh of BESS in 2026
13 October 2026 - Saudi Arabia has connected 7 GW of solar and wind capacity and 3.5 GW/14 GWh of battery energy storage systems (BESS) to the grid so far in 2026 as the Kingdom aims to generate half of its power from renewable energy by 2030. (more)

A tale of African innovations in food and well-being
12 October 2026 - The African continent is rich in history, culture, diversity and most of all, innovation and capacity. However, the picture that is often painted of the beautiful continent is one of hunger, corruption and a general state of brokenness. We typically do not hear of the successes Africa is driving. For example, several African countries have reduced malnutrition over the last 15 years. Some by as much as 50%. (more)

Phoenix Species Project launches global effort to bring 100 of the world's most threatened species back from the brink
12 October 2026 - Nature is full of comeback stories when people invest in protecting and restoring the planet. Species once feared lost have returned. Populations reduced to just a handful of individuals have rebounded. Entire ecosystems have recovered. The Phoenix Species Project builds on that possibility. More than 100 local and international partners around the world -- including Indigenous Peoples, local communities, conservationists, and governments -- will lead the work, tailoring recovery efforts to each species and place. (more)

Indigenous Peoples' Day is October 12, 2026
11 October 2026 - Indigenous Peoples' Day arrives every second Monday of October, honoring the vibrant cultures, rich histories, and enduring resilience of Native American people. This day encourages reflection on tribal roots, tragic stories, and the strength that has empowered communities for generations. Take time to learn, listen, and support indigenous voices and initiatives. (more)

Local opinion and involvement found as key determinant in world's conservation success stories
11 October 2026 - Scientists seeking to understand why some endangered animals or ecosystems thrive while others decline have reached an encouraging conclusion. Across a worldwide, cross-section of conservation success stories, they found it wasn't a question of money, but of the actions of the locals, that determined whether nature flourished or foundered. (more)

US: After more than 170 years, Siletz Tribe to reclaim ceded land
10 October 2026 - The largest Dungeness crab ever caught in Oregon was rumored to be from a stretch of coastal land south of Yachats back around the 1930s, according to historian and tribal council member Robert Kentta. Like many members of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians (CTSI), Kentta hopes the notoriety of a record-breaking crab brings as much fame and attention to the Rocky Shores as the tribe prepares to become stewards of the land once again. (more)

Africa: The women putting community at the heart of elephant conservation
10 October 2026 - When Dorothy Lowakutuk became one of Africa's first female elephant keepers, she joined a movement challenging old assumptions about who conservation is for -- and who gets to lead it. (more)

Scientists unearthed 57 new species from waters in Argentina nearly twice as deep as the Grand Canyon
9 October 2026 - In August 2025, scientists from the Schmidt Ocean Institute sent an underwater robot on a 21-day expedition to explore the Mar Del Plata submarine canyon in Argentina. Over a year later, on October 1, the Schmidt Ocean Institute released a report confirming that 57 new species had been unearthed from the depths of the Mar Del Plata Canyon. (more)

South Africa's Navanethem ''Navi'' Pillay wins 2026 Nobel Peace Prize
9 October 2026 - South African judge Navanethem ''Navi'' Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday ''for her efforts to promote peace and international law,'' the Norwegian Nobel Committee said. ''A common thread runs from her early work defending Nelson Mandela and others who stood up against apartheid to her service as a judge in some of the key international court cases of our time,'' the committee said. (more)

US: Colorado Parks and Wildlife reaches agreement with Ute Mountain Ute Tribe over wolves
9 October 2026 - Colorado Parks and Wildlife has reached an agreement with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe over the restoration and management of gray wolves on tribal lands in the state. ''Ute are the oldest continuous inhabitants of Colorado,'' reads the agreement. ''The geographic focus of the state's wolf restoration efforts in western Colorado impacts a region that is of current, historical and cultural importance to the Tribe.'' (more)

UN: The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026
8 October 2026 - The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026 shows that since their adoption in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have delivered results at scale -- expanding access to clean water, electricity, health care and digital connectivity for billions of people. With less than five years remaining to achieve the Goals, the report provides a candid assessment of progress. (more)

UN Goal of the Month - Life on Land
8 October 2026 - Earth's ecosystems are vital for sustaining human life. Forests regulate water cycles, store carbon, protect communities from climate extremes and provide livelihoods for hundreds of millions of people. Healthy ecosystems underpin food security, health, and economic prosperity. This October, the UN Biodiversity Conference, COP17, will bring countries together in Yerevan, Armenia, for the first global review of progress on Goal 15 -- Life on Land. (more)

Chinese study: Solar panels have (another) surprising side effect: Stopping dust storms in their tracks
7 October 2026 - Solar farms in desert areas could reduce dust pollution in cities downwind, according to a new Chinese study. The findings reveal unexpected synergies between renewable energy development and cleaner air, suggesting that solar's air quality benefits go beyond reduced pollution from fossil fuel burning. China aims to reach net-zero carbon emissions by the 2060, a target that would require increasing the area covered by solar farms in the Gobi Desert by eleven-fold. (more)

Science, Indigenous knowledge team up to restore Canada's kelp. (Sea otters help, too.)
7 October 2026 - In Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia, a partnership between the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, Redd Fish Restoration Society, and West Coast Kelp grows kelp at scale to support an ecosystem in decline. Touted by its organizers as the largest kelp restoration project on the West Coast of North America, the nursery has planted more than 4,200 square meters (45,200 square feet) of new kelp habitat since launching in early 2026. That's the footprint of three and a half Olympic-size swimming pools. (more)

US: California is building two wildlife crossings for mountain lions in Joshua Tree. The first phase is now underway
6 October 2026 - Investments in wildlife crossings continue to increase nationwide, and states continue to see success reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions through these projects. Now, wildlife crossings are coming to Joshua Tree National Park. (more)