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More than Carbon Sticks

The concept that planting trees will help mitigate climate change by storing CO2 is too simplistic, ignoring the large effect that plants have on the water cycle. Careful restoration of native plant ecosystems can rebalance that cycle, further mitigating climate change while also reducing flood and drought.

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To Revive a River, Restore Its Hidden Gut

Radical reconstruction in Seattle is bringing nearly dead urban streams
back to life

A flooded farm in California's Central Valley in February 2017. Photo by Erica Gies.

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The Radical Groundwater Storage Test

New tactics for capturing floods and surviving droughts could help communities across California and the world.

Employees of Turenscape in Beijing by the Yongxing River Park project. Photo by Erica Gies.

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Sponge City Revolution

Restoring natural water flows in cities can lessen the impacts of floods and droughts.

The Meaning Of Lichen

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The Meaning of Lichen

How a naturalist’s observations in the wilds of British Columbia inspired a scientist to discover hidden symbioses—overturning 150 years of accepted scientific wisdom.

Patience, Peace And Persian Leopards

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Patience, Peace and Persian Leopards

Despite myriad threats, two Kurdish scientists in Iraq are fighting to create a peace park in the heart of the Middle East.

A traditional Marsh Arab home, built in the same style used by the ancient Sumerians. It floats atop the Mesopotamian Marshes. Photo by Erica Gies.

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Restoring Iraq’s Garden of Eden

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Fortresses of Mud

Rising seas threaten the San Francisco Bay Area, home to one of the largest estuaries in North America. But marsh-restoration efforts could hold back the high water. 

Hawaiis Ancient Aquaculture Revival

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Hawaii’s Ancient Aquaculture Revival

In an ocean state that now imports half of its seafood, a determined group of activists is restoring the age-old aquaculture practices of Native Hawaiians.

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Northern Cyprus Sees Hope in Water Pipeline

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Private Funding Brings a Boom in Hydropower, With High Costs

The Real Cost of Energy

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The Real Cost of Energy

All energy production has environmental and societal effects. But calculating them — and pricing energy accordingly — is no easy task.

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Coca-Cola Leaves It to Beavers to Fight the Drought

The soft-drink giant is deploying the dam-building animals to replenish groundwater supplies.

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First Nations Test the Political Water with Fish Farm Protests

First Nations’ occupations of fish farms are rooted in a deeper conversation about Indigenous land rights.

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