The Latest Breaking News from The Nature Conservancy

Texas family’s 1938 ranch deal helps protect 202 acres of Barton Creek watershed landscape

Fred and Vera Shield's family has protected their Shield Ranch through multiple conservation easements since 1998. The recent 202-acre easement, announced in 2026, furthers efforts to secure water quality in the Barton Creek watershed. The ranch consists of 6,600 acres and plays a vital role in maintaining regional biodiversity. Additionally,…

The Times of India · Oct 3

New map exposes dire state of American rivers as only six percent are healthy amid climate emergency

Three-quarters of rivers could lose their biodiversity due to climate change, conservationists say

The Independent UK · Oct 2

More than 1 million bats emerge from lava tubes on Ted Turner's ranch

Every summer evening, more than 1 million Mexican free-tailed bats can emerge from ancient lava tubes on a New Mexico ranch, streaming into the desert sky as they begin their nightly search for insects. The spectacle takes place at Armendaris Ranch, a 362,885-acre property in south-central New Mexico along the…

The Times of India · Oct 2

Sheep Evolve On Santa Cruz: Feral flock shrinks and hardens over 150 years; scientists document distinct breed

Introduced in 1851, the Santa Cruz Island sheep underwent remarkable adaptations over time. These resilient creatures became smaller to thrive in their harsh home environment, while their wool transformed, becoming lighter and less dense. Conservation initiatives launched in the late twentieth century aimed to protect this unique breed, and today,…

The Times of India · Sep 9

Camp Wilkes replaced a failed 150-foot wooden bulkhead with a living shoreline; a 60-year analysis found the switch would save the Biloxi camp about $73,000

Camp Wilkes replaced a failed wooden bulkhead with a living shoreline. This ecologically friendly solution is projected to save the camp seventy-three thousand dollars over sixty years. The initial living shoreline project cost fourteen thousand five hundred fourteen dollars. This approach absorbs wave impact and anchors the bank using plants…

The Economic Times · Sep 4

In 2021, Washington's Skagit River System Cooperative installed an 80-foot bridge over the Lucas channel. 5 years later, the project has helped reconnect fish habitat across the floodplain

A restoration project in Washington’s Barnaby Reach has focused on improving floodplain connectivity and fish passage by removing infrastructure at Barnaby Slough. The first phase included extensive dike and flow control structure removal, demolition of unused hatchery facilities, removal of five wells, decommissioning of a culvert, installation of an 80-foot…

The Economic Times · Sep 3

Jackie Chan became the face of a campaign to save one of the world's most trafficked mammals; his Kung Fu Pangolin campaign urged China to stop buying their scales

Jackie Chan, one of China's best-known film stars, became the face of a high-profile campaign in 2017 aimed at reducing demand for pangolin products and helping protect one of the world's most trafficked mammals. The campaign, called “Kung Fu Pangolin”, used Chan's martial-arts image to deliver a simple message to…

The Times of India · Sep 3

A 5,000-acre Wyoming ranch was bought by conservationists in the 1990s; instead of ending ranching, they kept cattle grazing to protect the ecosystem

A Wyoming ranch proved cattle grazing can protect ecosystems. Conservationists bought Red Canyon Ranch and kept cattle grazing to test coexistence. Managed grazing mimics historical patterns, supporting grasslands and diverse plant communities. This approach informs conservation strategies across the American West today. The ranch serves as a model for balancing…

The Times of India · Sep 3

India's Mangroves Store More Carbon Than Rainforests, And Coastal Deforestation Is Erasing Them Fast

The numbers that should change how you think about mangrovesA single hectare of mangrove forest stores up to 1,000 tonnes of carbon in its soil, roughly four to five times more than a comparable patch of tropical rainforest. The reason is structural. Mangroves grow at the edge of land and…

Times Life · Sep 1

James Cagney and brother bought California grassland in the 1940s; after parts were sold, six decades later the remaining 417 acres became a wildlife haven

Hollywood actor James Cagney and his brother William once owned hundreds of acres near Ramona, California. Decades later, 417 acres of the former Cagney Ranch became a conservation priority because of its rare grasslands, vernal pools and threatened wildlife. The Nature Conservancy purchased the property for $2.7 million in 2003,…

The Economic Times · Aug 31