Read the latest positive news, breakthroughs, and inspiring stories about forests, curated daily by BrightWire.
Nature holds an incredible secret weapon against extreme weather when diverse trees stand together. A landmark study of 88,000 forest plots shows that species variety actively shields woodlands from heat and drought while speeding up their recovery.
Forest soils in Germany are getting better at removing methane from the atmosphere, absorbing 3% more of the powerful greenhouse gas each year. The surprising 24-year study challenges what scientists thought they knew about climate change and forests.
Emissions from deforestation and land-use change have plummeted by nearly a third this century, offering a rare bright spot in the climate fight. While fossil fuel emissions continue climbing, forests are making a comeback worldwide.
Hair salons across France, Belgium, and Luxembourg are turning their daily clippings into biodegradable mulch that protects young trees from deer. What started as waste is now helping forests thrive while giving back nutrients to the soil.
A team of scientists, climbers, and hundreds of citizen volunteers discovered East Asia's tallest tree—an 84-meter giant fir hidden in Taiwan's remote mountains. The ancient forests they found rank among Earth's most powerful natural carbon vaults.
Maryland is reorganizing its 80-year-old forestry volunteer program to help communities work together across county lines. The new regional structure makes it easier for neighbors to protect shared forests and watersheds.
France just safeguarded nearly 400,000 acres of forest in a major step toward protecting 10% of its land by 2030. The move creates seven new nature reserves and expands two others across the country.
France just added 157,000 hectares of forest to its protected lands, moving closer to its goal of safeguarding 10% of the country by 2030. The announcement comes as nations worldwide race to meet conservation targets.
Our planet is home to three trillion trees, far outnumbering the 100 to 400 billion stars in our galaxy. New research methods revealed we had drastically undercounted Earth's forests, finding seven times more trees than stars in the Milky Way.
European hair salons are sending their clippings to forests instead of landfills. A French company turns the discarded hair into biodegradable mulch that protects baby trees from hungry deer.
A federal judge blocked logging companies from cutting ancient trees in Alaska's Tongass National Forest, protecting critical habitat for bald eagles, bears, and endangered species. The case was dismissed with prejudice, meaning the logging industry can never sue on these grounds again.
After centuries of cutting down ancient forests, something remarkable is happening: the trees are coming back. New satellite data shows forests are regrowing across much of the developed world, covering areas the size of entire countries.