yet, lubbock, texas and the surrounding areas are known as the largest cotton patch in the country, and the lone star state proudly produces 42% of the country’s cotton. a crop used primarily for textile products like blue jeans, cotton is responsible for clothing people worldwide while also providing livelihoods millions of agriculturists.

jeremy brown has been in this industry his entire life. he has seen the impacts of climate change all around him and implemented the six principles of soil health to improve his crop from the ground up. 

wetlands are important for a host of reasons, such as improving water quality, providing wildlife habitat, producing food and medicines for people, and especially, providing flood protection. the effects of this court ruling may be felt particularly hard in places like vermont, where only 5% of the land is wetland, annual average precipitation has increased nearly 6 inches since the 1960s to over 40 inches, and most extreme weather events involve intense rain or snow and flooding. 

during tropical storm irene in 2011, a study found that the wetlands surrounding otter creek in central vermont diminished the damages to the town of middlebury by 84-95%, saving potentially $1.8 million. vermont has some of the more robust wetland protections in the country, but following the supreme court ruling, the obligation of wetland conservation now lies with smaller-scale conservation. the necessity of wetland protection is evident for the health and benefit of ecosystems and people. what exactly can this conservation look like? 

holding back the water

nature centers like the north branch nature center (nbnc) in montpelier, vermont increasingly stand at the fore-front of conservation efforts that not only protect the surrounding infrastructure of wetlands, but also provide visitors with an important connection to nature and a place to process the effects of recent floods. catherine griset, the community engagement coordinator, described nbnc as “montpelier’s backyard, a place for people all over central vermont to connect with nature, either through our programming, or just through the lands and the space that we have here.” 

this past summer and fall have been especially rainy in vermont. in central vermont, where montpelier is, rainfall broke records and areas suffered the worst flood damage in almost 100 years. a key part of flood protection is wetlands as they are essential in holding and slowing down water. nbnc’s 28 acres of land are alongside or within the floodplain of the north branch of the winooski river, with a majority being open meadow and then a corridor of forest along the river. griset described the floodplain land as “a natural space that, through history and historical trend of water and flooding, is a place where the river is used to overflowing its banks in some ways.” 

willows and other plants that have adapted to live alongside rivers and have deep roots to pull up a lot of water are stewarded to thrive at nbnc. the rest of the nature center is open field with trail networks and plants like cattails and alders that are used to inundation and holding the water. 

in early july, montpelier received over 5 inches of rain in one day. for a town that surrounds the north branch and winooski rivers at that confluence, the result was flooded basements and up to four feet of water on first floors in downtown montpelier. nbnc is a couple miles upriver from the town of montpelier and the impacts of the land being stewarded as wetlands and as part of the floodplain, were evident during this great flood. the presence of the wetlands not only protected infrastructure downriver, but also served as a community place for people to process their experiences and have space. 

providing space, growing community

nbnc offers children’s day camps during the summers and this year, within a day or two after the flooding, children and staff members were still able to safely be out on the land and connecting with the environment. 

this gave caretakers and parents peace of mind about childcare, despite the impacts of the flooding on their homes, businesses, and community members. nbnc staff reported kids processing the flooding through play, as well as talking and asking about what had happened. according to griset, kids did “pretend play of building towns and rivers and flooding the river and watching the impact on the town or figuring out small-scale ways that they could route the river around town.” young children were able to have more agency through playing and find a way to process what was happening to their community. 

nbnc did close down their trails to the public for a couple of weeks as they were full of standing water and they wanted to be cautious in terms of safety and trail degradation. but once trails were open again to not just campers, they hoped people would be “reapproaching the land, reapproaching the river.” 

looking ahead

griset shared that she personally felt “really negative feelings toward the river… like scared and mad and angry at it,” even though she knew that “all of those emotions didn’t actually need to be put on the river.” but through walking the trails and spending time at nbnc, she was able to reapproach the river and land, and start processing those feelings because of the space available. she hoped other “folks were able to come here and help heal some of that [and] start practicing thinking about the river in different ways, at least even just like noticing how it had changed.”  

while the supreme court has ruled in favor of exploitation and degradation of wetlands, the importance of wetlands to communities in vermont is unwavering. wetlands are able to buffer against catastrophic flooding while also serving as places of community gathering. in line with north branch nature center’s mission, protection looks like connecting people with the natural world and building community for the benefit of the ecosystem of which people are a part of. 

senators expressed bipartisan support tuesday for developing wildlife crossings to encourage migration and conserve wildlife populations. this came on the same day as the release of the fifth national climate assessment detailing the negative impacts of climate change on wildlife in america.

“across the united states, we face a challenge where wildlife is losing the ability to navigate,” said witness chuck bonham, director of california’s department of fish and wildlife. “the reality is that all wildlife needs the ability to move.”

according to the fifth national climate assessment, the effects of climate change and economic development disrupt ecosystems, making wildlife bridges and tunnels even more important as they allow animals greater ability to migrate safely. the report says these connecting corridors help limit collisions between drivers and wildlife, connect wildlife populations, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

“in a scrambled world because of climate disruption, animals and plants face three basic choices. they can adapt, they can die, or they can move,” bonham said. “we as people have the opportunity to give them that movement through our decisions.”

according to the center for large landscape conservation, wildlife crossings can take many forms, including naturalistic bridges and tunnels that allow animals to cross roads and other human infrastructure.

the first large federal movement on wildlife corridors was a 2018 secretarial order by interior secretary ryan zinke, who led the department of interior from 2017-2019. the order directed the department of interior to work with state level agencies to develop wildlife corridors.

when congress passed the bipartisan infrastructure law in 2021, $350 million in federal aid was allocated for projects to build, improve, and research wildlife crossings.

the full senate environment and public works committee will conduct oversight on how the funding has been spent at a future meeting.

at tuesday’s hearing, bonham and sen. alex padilla, d-calif., discussed how wildlife migration issues were put in the national spotlight last year when a mountain lion called p-22, who made his home in griffith park, los angeles, was hit by a commuter. p-22’s story drove the effort to build the $100 million wallis annenberg wildlife crossing over 10 lanes of highway, the largest wildlife crossing project in the world.

that project relied upon private donations to come to fruition, though the state of california also contributed funding in a public-private partnership.

the director of the center for public lands madeleine west and chief game warden of the wyoming game and fish department richard king also gave testimony at the hearing on tuesday.

in their expert testimony, all three witnesses emphasized that wildlife corridors are good for commuters and wildlife. but according to west, the greatest barrier to the success of developing corridors was funding.

“it is mostly a money problem,” west said. “we have the foundation of strong leadership at the local and state level, and if they had more resources more good work could be done.” she said that permanent funding should be set to develop wildlife corridor projects, so that agencies do not have to pull from their general funding to fund these wildlife crossings.

sen. cynthia lummis, r-wyo., the ranking republican member in the hearing, and other republican senators in the hearing did not say if they would support permanent funding for wildlife corridors, though lummis praised wildlife corridors and held up the work wyoming has done as a model for success. 

after the hearing, sen. padilla, who chaired the committee, said he was hopeful that congress would allocate more funding for wildlife corridor projects.

“congress can also take a major step forward in improving habitat connectivity by providing authorized funding streams, rather than to force federal agencies to pull funding from their general funds,” padilla said at the end of the hearing. 

“my hope is that after the hearing today, we can take some of the bipartisan momentum around habitat connectivity and come together to move a bipartisan bill that supports voluntary conservation efforts throughout the country,” padilla said.

as the family stared up the steep, dry canyon walls, arens’ 7-year-old daughter pointed at a little cottonwood tree poking up from the desert ground. “​​at that moment, this light went off in my head,” arens said. “i was looking at that landscape through a lens of scarcity, of how much this landscape had been devastated. and i switched, and started looking at this landscape through a lens of the possibility of renewal.”

water levels in lake powell first began to drop in the year 2000. this trend has continued almost uninterrupted since then, and the reservoir is currently only one-third full. the land is drying up as questions on how to deliver water to millions of people across the region remain unanswered. 

but with every foot the lake drops, the potential for a new beginning gets stronger. native habitats are returning to the colorado river’s tributary canyons, and the resurgence of these riparian ecosystems could impact the coming decisions that will change how the river is managed. 

the regrowth of glen canyon

when the u.s. bureau of reclamation completed construction of glen canyon dam in 1966, glen canyon became a giant bathtub as the colorado river slowly flooded hundreds of thousands of acres to form lake powell. it also drowned the desert oases that made their homes along this massive river system. this riparian ecosystem is now returning as the megadrought in the southwest has made it impossible to keep lake powell full. 

arens has spent the last two years observing, cataloging, and analyzing this rebirth, conducting what he calls “usable science.” the idea is that his research will help government agencies in making land and water management decisions for the colorado river basin. 

these changes are happening without direct human interference, in a process that ecologists call ecological succession. essentially, this means the development of an ecosystem over time, where the growth of a few colonizing species slowly gives way for new species to “succeed” the initial species, eventually creating biodiversity. 

in the case of glen canyon, arens observes a change at varying elevations, which indicate how long the land has been out of the water: the higher the elevation, the more robust and diverse ecosystems he sees. “it’s like walking back in successional time,” arens said. “as i’m walking upstream in the tributary canyon, i’m getting to older and older landscapes, and landscapes that have been exposed to natural, spontaneous ecological succession for longer and longer periods of time.”

one of the key observations so far is the fast resurgence of cottonwood trees, a keystone species in glen canyon. “cottonwood groves in the desert are, just from a human standpoint, lovely environments to be in. they’re these little oases of shade, and diversity, for that matter,” arens said.

the presence of cottonwoods is early evidence that the system is moving towards a “climax community” of peak biodiversity. as such, cottonwood canopies provide essential habitats for nesting birds, cast havens of shade for desert creatures, and their roots and fallen branches create secure habitats for native fish. 

typically, arens observes cottonwoods first in areas that have been out of the water for 3-5 years. as he walks towards higher elevations, where the land first emerged from the lake a decade ago, the trees are taller and thicker. 

right now, the bureau sees invasive species, like tamarisk and russian thistle, as the dominant vegetation in glen canyon. arens’ research is proving this assumption wrong. so far, he’s found that native species are slowly replacing the invasives as the ecosystem recovers. “they’re out competing tamarisk at almost every level,” arens said.

a closer look at cottonwoods

in a lab in fort collins, co, peter brown, a dendrochronologist for rocky mountain tree ring research, has been working closely with arens. by looking at the tree rings present in cottonwood samples that arens has collected, brown can determine the age of each tree. 

inside a tree trunk, concentric rings show the growth of a tree year to year.  each ring also contains climate data dating back hundreds of years before humans began keeping records.

using tree ring data from the colorado river basin, scientists like brown are able to reconstruct periods of drought and high stream flow over the last millennium. this data tells us the southwest is currently the driest it has been in over 1,200 years. it also exposes a critical error in the logic behind glen canyon dam’s construction.  

informed by 22 years of human recorded stream flow data, states in the colorado river basin drew up the colorado river compact in 1922, which paved the way for the construction of the dam. it also turns out this period was the wettest 20 year period in measurable history, “just by pure coincidence,” brown said.

today, data from the resurging cottonwoods is evident of a rapidly recovering ecosystem. while arens’ and brown’s research is still in progress, they’ve found that cottonwoods and other native trees popped up almost immediately after lake powell’s water levels started dropping two decades ago.

where the lake once painted the landscape blue, patches of green now dot the desert canvas. but these brush strokes aren’t science, and arens’ research provides evidence that goes beyond the anecdotes of recovery. “lake powell is no longer a slick rock container for water,” arens said. “there is a cost to refilling that, now (that) there will be a loss of ecological resources.”

who gives a dam?

the u.s. bureau of reclamation is in process of drafting its supplemental environmental impact statement (seis), which will update the current guidelines for managing the colorado river. the seis provides an interim solution, while the bureau begins the process of determining the post-2026 operations for the colorado river.

the process involves years of planning for a drier future brought on by human caused climate change. mainly, it will make changes to the operations of lake powell, and its sister reservoir lake mead, that sits further down river. 

from the ecological resurgence of the area’s riparian habitats, to tribal water rights, impacts on agriculture, and the massive recreational economy generated by visitors to the lake; the post-2026 plan will create a tidal wave of impacts on the stakeholders in the basin.   

right now, water storage is shared between lake powell and lake mead. powell provides water to a few thousand people in nearby page, ut and the lechee chapter of the navajo nation, and largely acts as a way to capture surplus water and later release it downstream to mead. nearly 25 million people rely on water from this reservoir. as water levels in both reservoirs continue to decline, a movement to store all of the water in lake mead is gaining steam.

“you can’t fill (lake powell) back up,” said eric balken, executive director of the glen canyon institute (gci), a non-profit with a mission to restore glen canyon. in 2009, gci released their fill mead first proposal, an approach that would consolidate all the reservoirs’ water into mead. this would involve reengineering glen canyon dam, an approach that balken said is getting support from farmers and water authorities in the basin. it would also help avoid the worst case scenario: deadpool. if water levels in lake powell drop low enough, glen canyon dam will no longer be able to send water downstream at a sustainable rate. “it turns from an asset into a liability,” balken said.

this could be a good thing

what’s happening in glen canyon is unique. it’s not just cottonwoods returning, it’s the revival of an entirely new ecosystem. at lake powell’s lowest level in april 2023, over 100,000 acres of land, from tributary canyons to the shores of the colorado river, were no longer under water. “it’s not just drought, not just climate change, not just water use, it’s all three of those things acting in concert together,” that have caused water levels to plummet, arens said. 

usually, this spells doom, but it could be a chance for a new start in glen canyon. glen canyon dam changed the landscape indefinitely, but the unintended consequences of native ecosystems returning to this iconic canyon could spur a change in perspective. “we want people to realize the potential for glen canyon and show the world that what’s happening there is a good thing,” balken said.

there is no simple solution to managing the future of the colorado river. arens just hopes that this resurgence will be a factor. “it is one of dozens, hundreds of management issues in the colorado river basin that… should be considered in that process.”

click on the presentation below to meet the water stewards protecting the charles river!

in the face of such rich biodiversity, activities such as deep-sea mining in the high seas threaten these unique species and ecosystems. as the green transition ramps up to achieve the paris agreement goal of keeping climate change below 2 degrees celsius, demand for critical minerals such as lithium, nickel and cobalt are also rapidly increasing. the ocean floor below 650-foot depth, also known as the deep seabed, contains mineral deposits of increasing commercial interest that are distributed widely throughout the world’s oceans. this puts deep-sea species like the sea angel, chambered nautilus and highly migratory species like humpback whales and deep-sea ecosystems at risk as emerging scientific data hints at the long-term damage from seabed mining.

area-based management tools, as set up by international law frameworks, offer a strong solution to disruptive activities in the high seas. these tools include the use of marine protected areas (mpas) to regulate such activities in designated areas of the ocean. for example, mpas can regulate fishing and development for oil extraction and set up a regime to monitor and enforce these regulations through a management plan.

currently, most of the world’s mpas are within the national jurisdiction of countries, but the high seas treaty, also known as biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (bbnj) treaty, opens the opportunity for mpas to be established internationally in the high seas. the bbnj was formally adopted by the u.n. in june 2023 and signed by the united states two months later.

this sets in motion a whole new challenge of co-governance in the high seas global commons. who will propose mpas, take the lead on monitoring and enforcement and be responsible for sustained funding? these are just some from the slew of questions experts are starting to ask.

marine protected area research

this past summer, i set out to research how mpas could be successful in the high seas. by talking with experts from three different case study areas, i evaluated what is needed for mpas to be effectively implemented. as there are no current mpas established under the bbnj treaty, my case studies were comprised of large-scale mpas around the world: the papahānaumokuākea marine national monument of hawaii, great barrier reef marine park in australia and the ross sea regional marine protected area off the antarctic coast. i spoke with current and previous directors, superintendents and other staff of these mpas to glean the lessons learned about the implementation of protected areas in our oceans. these lessons include relationship building, adapting to scale and identifying key leadership.

relationship building and cooperation across agencies

papahānaumokuākea, meaning “a sacred area from which all life springs” in hawaiian, is a treasured marine national monument. encompassing the northwestern hawaiian islands, the 1.5 million square kilometers of protected ocean is made up of the islands and water stretching from nihoa to beyond midway atoll.  

lauren wenzel, the director of the noaa national marine protected areas center, illuminated that not only is it a unesco world heritage site for its natural value, but also for its cultural value to the hawaiian people. “culture is not just one piece of the pie, but looking holistically on how to bring it into everything,” wenzel affirmed about their commitment to co-management. the cultural management plan for the monument is extensive and includes bringing culture into every part of decision making.  

papahānaumokuākea marine national monument (pmnm) is an interesting model for the high seas because it is a large and remote area, many different agencies have interest in it and its management has a formal structure for bringing agencies together to work on decisions. after talking with experts like wenzel about the monument, the key lesson from its implementation emerged: relationship building between all stakeholders is of utmost importance to build cohesion and cooperation among all the different agencies and groups involved.

adaptive management with slow scale-up

the great barrier reef marine park (gbrmp) protects much of the largest living structure on earth — the great barrier reef. it expands a massive length of 2,300 kilometers long, about the same length of the u.s. west coast from the canadian to the mexican border. 

jon day, ph.d., a former gbrmp director, highlighted the threats that the marine park is currently facing, emphasizing climate change, water quality and unsustainable fishing in the area. the gbrmp is a fascinating model for the high seas because, through day’s guidance, it has adopted an intensive zoning plan to help curate management plans to specific areas, such as areas of high tourism or high vulnerability. 

for implementation to be successful, day called attention to the lessons of starting small, proving it can work, and then leveling up slowly but surely. he advocated for the case of high seas mpas, that “you don’t jump straight to what you think is ideal management. you start off slowly, you show how it can work, and then you build on that and improve it.” any progress on the high seas on an international timeframe will move gradually, so adopting an adaptive management framework of building on successes and changing when things fail will be key.

identifying key leadership

last but not least, the ross sea regional marine protected area (rsrmpa) in the southern ocean was most recently adopted as an mpa in 2016. as the largest mpa in the world, the rsrmpa covers a surface area of 1.55 million square kilometers, more than three times the size of california.  

this protected area is an imperative case study for the high seas because it is the only large-scale mpa governed internationally. cassandra brooks, ph.d, an expert on the ross sea who helped push for mpa status, expanded upon the importance of needing strong diplomatic relationships between countries for an international mpa.

brooks observed that the key lesson from implementation of the rsrmpa is that “specific countries have to take leadership for dumping resources into [the mpa].” both countries and organizations alike will need to step up into these leadership roles and clearly state who will put forward the resources, such as enforcement vessels and long-term sustainable funding into high seas protected areas.

implications for the high seas

the bbnj treaty lays out a framework for establishing mpas in the high seas.  but this is new territory, entering into new waters. looking toward already established case studies of large-scale mpas provides key lessons for the future implementation of high seas mpas. in june 2023, governments around the world formally adopted the bbnj treaty by consensus.

but this is just the first step. the next and most crucial step is ratification of the treaty. the agreement is currently out for signature, with the high seas alliance’s treaty ratification tracker showing the current number at 82 signatures from un member countries. signing only signifies willingness to proceed with ratification. in order for the treaty to enter force, at least 60 countries need to both sign and ratify the agreement for it to become law.

once it enters force, countries can jointly begin proposing and designating protected areas in the high seas. there are already areas in the high seas identified for protection, including the salas y gómez and nazca ridges far off the chilean and peruvian coasts. this region of connected submarine mountain ranges is made up of about 40% of all seamounts in the southeastern pacific ocean, which is home to both migratory endangered species like leatherback sea turtles and some of the world’s highest levels of endemic marine biodiversity. providing sanctuary through mpas for these homes to vulnerable animals and biodiverse ecosystems is imperative. this is how we protect the migratory whales and turtles, the deep-sea sea angels and nautiluses and all of the two million other species in our ocean yet to be discovered.

in the heart of cameroon’s wild expanse, a chorus of life echoes through the trees of mefou park, located south of the country’s center region, bearing witness to an extraordinary tale of compassion and resilience. at the helm of this story stands ape action africa, an organization that is at the frontline of forest and biodiversity conservation, working to rewrite the fate of endangered primates orphaned by the sinister illegal bushmeat and pet trades. with a steadfast commitment to conservation, they’re not only saving lives, but changing the narrative of biodiversity preservation.

as the sun rises over the horizon, the sanctuary comes to life with a symphony of sounds, resounding tales of resilience, and second chances. sights and trails greet visitors fortunate enough to step into this haven. among the towering trees and lush foliage reside the voices of survival, the beating hearts of almost 300 rescued primates. chimpanzees, gorillas, and small monkeys are given a new chance on life, nestled within the protective embrace of ape action africa, a stark contrast to the horrors they’ve endured. 

“for every individual who is found, rescued and brought here, it is estimated that up to 10 adults died in the wild, with whole families being wiped out to supply the illegal bushmeat trade. and this is not just a cameroonian problem. it is an international problem,” communications coordinator at ape action africa, jo gaweda said.

she stressed the need to protect gorillas, which are classified as an endangered species by the international union for conservation of nature.

growing challenges in ape conservation

gaweda spoke of their close collaboration with the cameroonian government through the ministry of forestry and wildlife, where the ministry confiscates the orphans and hands them over to ape action africa to bond with a new family. 

“this is our 27th year of operation,” she said, a testament to their enduring commitment. however, she expressed a deep concern that “we do not want to be growing, but every year we receive more orphans, meaning we have to build more forest enclosures for individuals who have been taken from their natural home – the wild.” she suggested that their growth is not by design, rather necessity as each year ushers in a new wave of orphans and drives them to build more enclosures and secure additional funding to ensure these innocent lives are safeguarded.

powered by community and solar energy

amidst the heartwarming tales of rescue, the innovative use of solar-powered electric fences shines through as visitors tour the sanctuary. ape action africa’s embrace of sustainable technology underscores their commitment to preserving both the lives of primates and the planet. these solar powered fences portray cutting-edge solutions to energy challenges such as access to electricity. 

ape action africa’s impact extends beyond enclosures and energy sources. their reach is felt through the hearts and minds of local communities. the organization’s dedication to empowering locals and alleviating poverty is revealed in gaweda’s words. 

“we employ over 50 local cameroonian staff members and much of the food we provide for the primates is purchased from local farmers,” gaweda said. the international union of forest research organizations has recommended that in an effort to alleviate poverty, governmental policies should not only focus on agriculture, infrastructure, and cash transfers, among others, but also take into consideration the role of forests.

ape action africa also amplifies their conservation efforts through educational programs where their staff members visit local schools and teach the children about conservation, igniting the flames of awareness on the invaluable role these species (primates) play as the “gardeners of the forests,” gaweda stated. she further explains that by educating the younger generation to preserve forests, we preserve biodiversity.   

this transformative education sets the cornerstone for building a future where humanity and nature coexist in harmony. forests are not only home to more than three-quarters of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity and a force in tackling climate change, they also intersect with livelihoods by providing food and medicine to more than 1 billion people.

a hopeful future for cameroon’s apes

as the sun sets over the sanctuary, it casts a warm glow of hope for primates as they see the engraving on ape action africa’s wall. 

“for those who made it to mefou, you are safe now. for those who sit, waiting, imprisoned, we will find you. for those who live wild and free, we will keep you there.” 

despite all the conservation efforts, gaweda still strongly believes that “in an ideal world, we wouldn’t need sanctuaries. i’d be happier if the animals we rescue had been able to stay in the wild. at ape action africa, we try to create a semi-wild space where our rescued primates can live in new family groups in a forested environment as close to their natural habitat as possible.”

the organization doesn’t just rescue and care for primates, they nurture a legacy of compassion and resilience that connects different worlds. according to gaweda, “we receive a good number of both national and international visitors at the sanctuary every day,” inviting everyone to play a part in primate conservation. 

after spending a few years in cameroon, gaweda, a british national, affirmed that “cameroon has an incredible natural heritage worthy of protection.”

at a time when conservation and climate are topical as the world struggles to reach zero carbon emissions, ape action africa emerges as a beacon of hope. through their efforts, they are not just saving primates, they are sowing the seeds of future harmony with nature. the sanctuary acts as a living classroom, where generations learn to coexist with wildlife.

“if the world cannot protect and save primates from extinction when they are so similar to us, then i don’t think there is much hope for other species,” gaweda said.

if you are interested in adopting one of the orphan primates, or want to help sustain the conservation efforts of ape action africa, visit www.apeactionafrica.org/donate to make a donation. 

as hit artist björk stood behind a dj booth, her music filled a busy square as whale bones and roses scattered the ground. dozens of roses were placed around the space representing the 148 fin whales killed off the coast of iceland the previous season. the crowd was filled with young and old, natives and tourists gathered to make their sentiments about whaling known. 

ida harris, a 17-year-old icelander, stood proudly in a bustling crowd in downtown reykjavík, the capital city of iceland, wielding a sign at a protest. her light, curly hair framed her young face and pale skin while her eyes were alive with passion for a cause she has dedicated years of activism efforts toward. 

“[whales] decrease the amount of greenhouse gas emissions,” she said. “on the animal cruelty front, it’s completely inhumane.”

whales are the only carbon-sequestering organisms in the ocean comparable to the role of large trees on land. studies find that the natural death of a great whale sequesters significant amounts of co2. as a whale falls to the bottom of the ocean, approximately 33 tons of co2 is captured and not resealed back into the atmosphere, while a tree only absorbs an average of 48 pounds of co2 annually. furthermore, phytoplankton, which contribute 50 percent of oxygen to the atmosphere, feed on whale waste and cultivate a cycle of fostering phytoplankton growth. 

the 2022 whaling season was the first to be officially documented and audited by the icelandic government. despite explosive harpoons being used to hunt these whales, results showed 41% of whales were not killed in an immediate and painless manner as required by current whaling regulations. 

according to the professional council on animal welfare, “when hunting large whales, it is not possible to meet the conditions necessary to ensure the welfare of animals during killing.” therefore, the hunting of whales does not align with the provisions outlined in the animal welfare act.

a report on the economic impact of whaling showed that hvalur hf., the last remaining whaling company operating in icelandic waters, has not turned a profit in years. this is largely in part to a widespread decrease in demand for whale meat and byproducts. in fact, this disinterest is coupled with restrictions across 183 countries on the transportation and trade of whale products by the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (cites). 

harris encourages visitors to iceland to boycott restaurants serving whale meat. she says it does not represent the culture of a modern iceland. 

“whaling in iceland has no cultural significance. it is not a historic thing like people like to say it is. icelanders have been very recently modernized,” harris said. “old icelanders have never eaten whales, caught whales, done anything with whales. just us now.” 

a board member of the youth environmental association of iceland and an active participant in the fridays for future protests, harris has advocated for environmental justice and change since she was just 13 years old. now she and other environmental organizations in iceland have resumed protests against whaling after the ban was lifted on sept. 1, 2023. 

“we demand a revocation of the whaling license and that these brutal killings be stopped and banned once and for all,” the organization hvalavinir stop whaling in iceland stated, accompanying a global petition.

local icelanders are not the only activists working against the whaling industry. 26-year-old american lillian seibert spent her fourth time visiting the land of fire and ice at a whaling boycott. after she knelt down to sign her neat signature, denoting her defiance to the industry, she took photos and videos to share with her thousands of instagram followers. 

“culture evolves, and some things go out of fashion when they go out of necessity,” seibert said, glancing around the crowd of tourists and icelanders. “i think that that’s just part of the growth of culture that becomes part of your history.”

while not native to iceland, seibert said she has dedicated her travels to sustainable tourism practices. a petition to ban whaling in iceland that was shared in reykjavik and online has now garnered over half a million signatures from all over the world. much of this initiative was led by young activists fighting for the rights of animals and for their right to a healthy world. 

hvalur hf.’s permit to hunt fin whales will expire in december of 2023. activists are hopeful that their work to stop whaling once and for all will take root in 2024. a bill has been proposed in the icelandic parliament to shut down whaling operations. 

“it is proposed to make whaling illegal by repealing the act on whaling, no. 26/1949, and bring whales under the law on the protection, preservation, and hunting of wild birds and wild mammals, no. 64/1994,” according to the bill. 

anti-whaling groups like hvalavinir-stop whaling in iceland have continued to organize gatherings in recent weeks, mobilizing followers on social media to continue protesting the whaling permits and speak in support of the proposed bill.

“i’ve always been really passionate about the health of this planet and how intertwined it is with human existence. any species that we share this planet with has just as much of a right to be here as we do. so, i’m for stopping whaling. i think everyone else here can agree with that too,” seibert said with a nod, grinning as she scanned the crowd of passionate environmentalists. 

but, by the time i saw surtsey from the deck of the resolution, the story behind this diminutive island had already captured my attention. in 1963, the island erupted into existence and claimed the title of the youngest landmass on earth. i imagined the clouds of smoke and ash that bloomed from this exact stretch of ocean 50 years ago.  

the story of surtsey is incredibly brief in geologic time, yet a full account of its evolution could fill volumes. in this article, i chose to focus on exactly that — the stories that researchers, journalists, fishermen and passersby tell about this place.

click on the presentation below to see the full story.

editor’s note: lindblad expeditions, our planet forward storyfest competition partner, made this series possible by providing winners with an experiential learning opportunity aboard one of their ships. all editorial content is created independently. we thank lindblad expeditions for their continued support of our project.

sligo creek, which partially runs through silver spring, maryland, is situated within a densely populated and urbanized region and as a result has experienced a deterioration in water quality. rebecca hale, ph.d., director of the watershed science lab at the smithsonian environmental research center, discusses her upcoming research endeavors pertaining to urban streams and water quality. according to hale, the key to keeping these streams as clean as possible is the equitable distribution of best management practices regardless of the stream’s community.