Good News #56
Gray Wolves in Michigan, land protection in South America, peatland restoration in Scotland, Great Green Wall in Africa, and seagrass in Florida
Here’s your weekly roundup of environmental good news stories. When fear and conflict dominate the headlines, may these stories bring you hope.
Isle Royale wolves reach highest numbers in nearly 50 years
Michigan’s Isle Royale National Park now has an estimated 37 Gray Wolves — the most since the late 1970s — following a successful translocation effort that began in 2018. The recovering wolf population is bringing the island’s predator-prey dynamics back into balance, with moose numbers declining from overabundant levels.
New Jaguar Rivers Initiative launches across four South American countries
Four major conservation groups — Rewilding Argentina, Onçafari (Brazil), Nativa (Bolivia), and the Moises Bertoni Foundation (Paraguay) — have joined forces to protect jaguars and reconnect fragmented ecosystems across the Paraná River Basin. By 2030, the initiative aims to protect at least 1,200 km² of land and prevent roughly 34 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions from deforestation and land-use change.
Peatland partnership restores 1,000-hectare ecosystem in Scotland’s Affric Highlands
A partnership led by Rewilding Europe, Trees for Life, and Forestry and Land Scotland has restored approximately 1,000 hectares of degraded peatland in the Affric Highlands. By blocking drainage ditches and removing non-native conifers, they allowed blanket bog vegetation to recover naturally. Healthy peatlands store twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests combined, and restoring them locks carbon back into the ground while improving water quality, reducing flood risk, and reviving habitat. The project is part of a broader effort to restore ecological connectivity across 500,000 hectares of the Scottish Highlands, contributing to Scotland’s national target of restoring 250,000 hectares of peatland by 2030.
Great Green Wall shows steady progress across the Sahel
The African Union’s Great Green Wall Initiative has reached approximately 30% of its overall restoration target, with Nigeria achieving about 50%. The project aims to create an 8,000-kilometre-long and 15-kilometre-wide belt of vegetation across Africa and restore 100 million hectares of degraded land. The initiative spans 11 countries, and is already helping improve farming conditions and water security, while protecting homes from damaging winds.
Indian River Lagoon seagrass rebounds 72% in two years
Aerial mapping by the St. Johns River Water Management District shows seagrass coverage in Florida’s 156-mile Indian River Lagoon has increased by approximately 7,000 hectares since 2023. Improved water clarity and reduced nutrient runoff—aided by drought conditions and water diversion projects—are credited for the recovery, which is driven entirely by a natural seed bank.