Hyacinthus orientalis

Plant of the Month: Hyacinth

A 2021 shortage of hyacinth bulbs brings to mind the long and storied history of its botanical and economic import.
Site of Thoreau's Hut, Concord, Mass

Using Thoreau’s Notebooks to Understand Climate Change

Thoreau's time at Walden Pond has provided substantial data for scientists monitoring the effects of a warming climate on the area's plant life.
Heck cows

Cows Gone Wild: The Cattle of Heck

Returning large, wild herbivores to Europe could help maintain soil health and discourage invasive species, but these cows have some political baggage...
A forest in Maine

Forests as Fuel: Is Bioenergy Carbon Neutral?

Can using forest harvests for biofuel be carbon neutral? A case study of the Northern Forest appears to say "no."
Polar bear and cubs

Are Polar Bears Altruistic or Just Bad At Math?

Polar bear mothers are known to adopt and raise cubs from non-related litters. Why do they make a multi-year commitment to do it?
Cretan rockrose

Plant of the Month: Cretan Rockrose

Cretan rockrose has been used as a medicine for millennia. Its unusual harvesting methods were documented by the ancient historian Herodotus.
Canopy gaps in a forest

Canopy Gaps Define Growth in the Forest

Gaps in the forest canopy can reveal important information, and result in regeneration.
Usambara Mountains, Tanzania

Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities

Deforestation in areas where residents hunt and gather food can lead to malnutrition, food insecurity, and greater forest loss.
A hand feeding a bird on the road

The One Health Framework

A policy framework proposal seeks to elevate the needs and rights of all living organisms in the environment.
Alpine Chickweed

How Does the Warming Arctic Impact Plants?

For flowering plants in the Arctic, cold temperatures don't mean death. But warmer temperatures might.