Ecosystems are often described using functional language, implying they have purposes they can fail to perform. This essay argues that ecosystems lack intrinsic ends and cannot truly "break down," challenging the "ecosystem services" framework and advocating for clearer thinking about environmental crises.
The Trump administration has transferred all immigrant detainees out of the 'Alligator Alcatraz' facility in Florida, effectively closing the controversial site due to hurricane season concerns. The remote facility faced criticism for cost, inhumane conditions, and environmental impact.
Environmentalists transformed a former potato farm near Denmark, Western Australia, into the Eungedup Wetlands sanctuary. The 104-hectare property, purchased in 2023, now aims to protect rare and migratory birds, including the elusive Australasian bittern, and will open to the public by year-end.
Despite the 2026 FIFA World Cup's proximity, hotels in New Jersey are struggling with low occupancy due to exorbitant prices for rooms and parking. Analysts cite astronomical ticket and airfare costs, and a lack of affordable lodging as key factors deterring fans.
Environmentalists refute Albanian PM Edi Rama's claims of fake news regarding the destruction of the Vjosa-Narta ecosystem for a real estate project. Experts witnessed construction in a protected area, leading to protests and a corruption investigation.
Oriental storks, a national first-class protected animal, have successfully bred in Wuhan's wetlands for the first time, with 15 chicks hatched. This marks a significant achievement in wetland ecological restoration.
The Mease River in the UK has won the River Restoration Centre's UK River Prize 2026 for its 13-year restoration campaign. The project, led by Trent Rivers Trust and funded by the Environment Agency, involves farmers, volunteers, and water companies to combat pollution and habitat degradation.
Three endemic salamander species, Lissotriton kosswigi, Triturus anatolicus, and Ommatotriton nesterovi, have been identified in the wetlands of Ormanya Nature Park in Kocaeli, Turkey. These findings highlight the park's rich amphibian population and underscore the importance of protecting these species and their habitats.
The Stillaguamish Tribe has completed restoration of a 230-acre wetland in Washington state by removing a two-mile earthen levee, welcoming tidewater onto former farmland for the first time in over 140 years. The project aims to restore critical habitat for Chinook salmon, a federally threatened species that returned in such low numbers in 2025 that the tribe was only allowed to catch 26 fish. The tribe has purchased 2,000 acres over 15 years to restore fish and wildlife habitat.
More than half a century ago, lush wetlands along the Queensland coastline were cut off from the ocean as farmers built physical barriers to stop salt water flowing into their land. Now, conservation groups and traditional owners are restoring tidal flows and bringing life back to the land.
Researchers in north-west NSW are wading through thick mud in an attempt to save hundreds of turtles after the NSW government decided to stop supplying water to the protected wetland.
