planted

Canada planted a pine forest where a rare savanna once stood; removing the trees later brought back a richer ecosystem

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Canada planted a pine forest where a rare savanna once stood; removing the trees later brought back a richer ecosystem

​Representative Image of a thriving savanna ecosystem flourishing after pine forest removal, with diverse native plants and insects (AI-generated image) A patch of rare savanna habitat in the Ottawa Valley has recovered remarkably well after decades under a planted pine forest, according to a study examining restoration efforts at a site called The Sandhills near … Read more

Bette Midler started cleaning a neglected New York park in 1995; 30 years later, her group has planted 200,000 trees and built an artificial oyster reef

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Bette Midler started cleaning a neglected New York park in 1995; 30 years later, her group has planted 200,000 trees and built an artificial oyster reef

Bette Midler once spent her mornings clearing parks in Northern Manhattan that the city had all but abandoned. Thirty years later, that early effort has grown into the New York Restoration Project, a charity credited with reshaping green space across all five boroughs. The organisation has planted more than 200,000 trees since 1995, alongside removing … Read more

Australia planted eucalyptus trees to fight rising soil salinity; decades later scientists found the plantations were changing groundwater but not the soil nature

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Australia planted eucalyptus trees to fight rising soil salinity; decades later scientists found the plantations were changing groundwater but not the soil nature

Eucalyptus cladocalyx ‘nana’. Image Credit: ERA Nurseries Australia planted eucalyptus trees to fight rising soil salinity, hoping that thirsty, deep-rooted vegetation could help control the groundwater processes behind the problem. A long-running experiment in south-western Australia later showed that the effects of such plantations were more complicated than simply planting trees and waiting for the … Read more

Maine students and residents planted 12,000 dune-grass stalks after two 2024 storms washed away dunes; in 2026, volunteers returned with 20,000 more to rebuild the beach

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Maine students and residents planted 12,000 dune-grass stalks after two 2024 storms washed away dunes; in 2026, volunteers returned with 20,000 more to rebuild the beach

University of New England students plant dune grass at Biddeford Pool beach in Maine. A beach in Biddeford Pool, Maine, is being rebuilt with the help of dune grass. In March 2026, University of New England students and local volunteers planted 20,000 stalks across about 20,000 square feet, continuing a restoration effort that began after … Read more

In 1999, an American teacher donated $5,000 to a Chinese woman fighting desertification; with his support, she planted a 50,000-tree forest, and 27 years later, they reunited in tears

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In 1999, an American teacher donated $5,000 to a Chinese woman fighting desertification; with his support, she planted a 50,000-tree forest, and 27 years later, they reunited in tears

In 1999, American teacher Ronald Sakolsky was teaching English in Luoyang, China, when a television report about Yin Yuzhen, a woman battling desertification in Inner Mongolia’s Mu Us Sandy Land, moved him deeply. He decided to help and spent about two months raising $5,000 through a US-based charity to support Yin’s tree-planting work. The money … Read more

Ireland’s ancient rainforest vanished after thousands of years of human activity. Now nearly 30,000 trees are being planted to bring it back

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Ireland’s ancient rainforest vanished after thousands of years of human activity. Now nearly 30,000 trees are being planted to bring it back

Almost 30,000 young native trees have been planted at Lenamore Wood in Northern Ireland, marking the beginning of a restoration project that could take a century to mature. Oak, alder and rowan now cover parts of the 41-acre site near Gortin, though the future woodland is still difficult to picture. The trees remain small, sheltered … Read more

China planted trees the Taklamakan Desert for nearly 50 years. Satellites now show the landscape is capturing more carbon than it releases

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China planted trees the Taklamakan Desert for nearly 50 years. Satellites now show the landscape is capturing more carbon than it releases

China’s shelterbelt initiative has made remarkable strides, turning arid desert borders into thriving carbon sinks. Through strategic vegetation choices, this project now captures more carbon dioxide than it expels. This achievement is anchored in mountain meltwater, vital for its irrigation systems. The initiative showcases the powerful impact of ecological restoration given optimal environmental conditions, though … Read more