trees

In 2021, a North Yorkshire estate began restoring 2,500 acres of intensively farmed land; four years later, 330,000 trees and 1,700+ species mark its comeback

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In 2021, a North Yorkshire estate began restoring 2,500 acres of intensively farmed land; four years later, 330,000 trees and 1,700+ species mark its comeback

Nature recovery at Broughton Sanctuary Four years after moving 2,500 acres of North Yorkshire farmland away from intensive farming, conservation teams at Broughton Sanctuary have recorded more than 1,700 species and planted 330,000 trees across the estate. According to the Broughton Sanctuary State of Nature Recovery Report, published in December 2025, 80 per cent of … Read more

Did Trump cut down trees at the White House? Here’s why dozens of trees are being removed across Washington, DC

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President Donald Trump’s effort to reshape Washington, DC, has expanded to the removal of dozens of mature trees across federal properties. The work includes tree removals at the White House grounds and the historic East Potomac Golf Links. The latest controversy centers on reports that more than 60 trees have been cut down at the … Read more

In 2013, a UK beach began planting discarded Christmas trees to trap blowing sand; by 2026, the project had created 90 metres of new dunes that help defend homes from flooding

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In 2013, a UK beach began planting discarded Christmas trees to trap blowing sand; by 2026, the project had created 90 metres of new dunes that help defend homes from flooding

More than 2,000 Christmas trees were planted at St Annes beach in February 2026. (Photo: .visitstannes.info) Discarded Christmas trees are being used to help protect homes and businesses along the Fylde Coast in Lancashire, UK. Since the project began in 2013, old Christmas trees have been placed on St Annes beach to trap wind-blown sand … Read more

A huge forested island appeared in a British Columbia reservoir, vanished, then resurfaced 30 km away 15 days later with trees, birds and other animals still aboard

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A huge forested island appeared in a British Columbia reservoir, vanished, then resurfaced 30 km away 15 days later with trees, birds and other animals still aboard

British Columbia reservoirRepresentative image from Canva In the summer of 2026, workers and residents around the Williston Reservoir in northern British Columbia witnessed something that sounded like folklore: a large, forested island broke free from the shoreline, drifted across the lake, disappeared from view, and then turned up again about 30 kilometres away, still carrying … Read more

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

Trees have their own version of muscles: Scientists discover how they sense a tilt and straighten themselves, a lesson in how nature finds its balance

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Trees have their own version of muscles: Scientists discover how they sense a tilt and straighten themselves, a lesson in how nature finds its balance

To study proprioception alone, the researchers had to remove other cues that normally affect a tree’s growth. A tree might look like it’s stuck in place, quietly suffering whatever weather comes. But below that stillness is a remarkable system for sensing, responding and correcting its own posture. But new research suggests that trees can sense … 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

60 years after Dutch elm disease devastated America’s 100 million iconic trees, now scientists have infected 6,000 young elms in a radical bid to bring them back

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60 years after Dutch elm disease devastated America’s 100 million iconic trees, now scientists have infected 6,000 young elms in a radical bid to bring them back

Six decades ago, Dutch elm disease swept across the United States, killing an estimated 100 million American elms that once shaded streets, parks and college campuses from coast to coast. The fungus, carried by bark beetles, turned majestic, vase-shaped trees into dead standing skeletons and changed the look of countless towns. Now, in a bold … 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

How many of DC’s Japanese cherry trees did Trump chop down? Inside East Potomac Park golf course overhaul

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President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Aug. 31. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

The overhaul of the East Potomac Golf Links at East Potomac Park in Washington D.C. is a dream project of President Donald Trump. As the project takes shape, the felling of 100-year-old cherry blossom trees has raised concerns. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Aug. 31. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn … Read more