A Georgia biologist built artificial trees in a flooded pond; the wood stork colony expanded from 18 nests to a record 484

For years, a wildlife refuge on the Georgia coast hid one of America’s quietest conservation victories. According to a profile published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service , biologist John Robinette spent 20 years at Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge developing unusual ways to save a struggling bird. His biggest idea sounds almost too simple: if the trees keep dying, then make new ones out of wood and metal.

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