POLL: Can ‘Bear-moving’ be a better way to reduce conflict in the Himalayas?

POLL: Can ‘Bear-moving’ be a better way to reduce conflict in the Himalayas?

In the Indian Himalayas, threatened Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) are frequently drawn to energy-rich human food sources such as apple orchards and other crops. This resource-driven movement frequently brings bears and humans into close contact, increasing potential risks for either side that can end in retaliatory killings of bears by local people. Because of […]

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Helping orangutans survive: new project aims to connect habitat fragments in Kalimantan (Part II)

Helping orangutans survive: new project aims to connect habitat fragments in Kalimantan (Part II)

Two decades ago, a project to convert one million hectares of forest to rice paddies was undertaken by the Indonesian government in southern Kalimantan. As predicted by experts, this Mega Rice Project (MRP) was a massive failure and was eventually abandoned, but not before it destroyed critical orangutan habitat. Now a new project is trying […]

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When forests aren’t really forests: the high cost of Chile’s tree plantations

When forests aren’t really forests: the high cost of Chile’s tree plantations

At first glance, the statistics tell a hopeful story: Chile’s forests are expanding. According to Global Forest Watch, overall forest cover changes show approximately 300,000 hectares were gained between 2000 and 2013 in Chile’s central and southern regions. Specifically, 1.4 million hectares of forest cover were gained, while about 1.1 million hectares were lost. On […]

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