On San Clemente Island, off the coast of Southern California, an unlikely conservation story unfolded after one of the island's most damaging pressures was finally removed. Feral goats had grazed across the island for generations, stripping vegetation, trampling the ground, and causing erosion. Among the plants affected was the San Clemente Island paintbrush (Castilleja grisea), a small perennial found nowhere else.
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!