Open Newswire

This story originally appeared on Underscore Native News. In the shadow of Mt. Hood on the weekend of Aug. 8 to 10, a group of tents formed a circle underneath the towering trees of the Mt. Hood National Forest with sunlight shining down on the faces of campers laughing, as they ate a dinner of […]

The U.S. Forest Service did not violate federal law in its plans to log near Piermont and Gorham in the 800,000-acre White Mountain National Forest, a judge has ruled.

Yes. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ downtown Sarasota campus is falling short of the city’s tree canopy coverage goal of 40%, according to American Forests. Tree coverage, which is the footprint of tree crowns when viewed from above, is just 30% at the 15-acre botanical gardens hugging Sarasota Bay, data from the conservation nonprofit shows. Sarasota [...] The post Is Sarasota Selby Gardens falling short of the city’s tree canopy cover goal? appeared first on Suncoast Searchlight.

This week in forest news: pine transitions, fire debates, canopy tech, and why community control makes all the difference.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is in Bogotá, Colombia, where he will participate this Friday (Aug. 22) in the 5th Summit of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO). The meeting is expected to update the commitments of the countries sharing the planet’s largest tropical forest to protect the biome. It will also provide an opportunity to engage neighboring nations in preparations for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Pará, the first to be held in the Amazon. One of the Brazilian government’s initiatives is to approve a joint declaration supporting the Tropical Forests Forever Fund (TFFF), which will be launched at COP30. Notícias relacionadas: Belém city has 53,000 beds guaranteed for COP30 period. COP30 president urges countries to submit updated climate targets. Amazon countries to stand up for new fund to protect tropical forests. The fund, estimated at $125 billion, will serve as a financing mechanism to preserve these forest biomes - found in about 70 countries - that are crucial for regulating rainfall patterns and capturing atmospheric carbon. Lula arrived in the Colombian capital on Thursday evening (21). His first official engagement today, before the summit, will be a meeting between representatives of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty member countries, civil society organizations, and indigenous communities. This dialogue initiative with civil society organizations follows the methodology adopted two years ago at the previous ACTO summit in Belém. Lula and Colombian President Gustavo Petro are the only heads of state confirmed for the summit, while the other countries are represented by their foreign ministers. In addition to the declaration supporting the TFFF, the ACTO summit is expected to approve the Bogotá Charter, reinforcing the countries’ goals and commitments to actions such as combating deforestation and promoting sustainable development in the Amazon.

Abra - The Cordillera administrative region in the north of Luzon island, known for its exceptional natural beauty, is at risk of devastation and could lose a priceless natural resource due to large-scale mining projects, which the indigenous population, particularly in the province of Abra, is protesting against. This is the complaint of the local Catholic community after the multinational company "Yamang Mineral Corporation" obtained authorization to explore the subsoil and begin mining without obtaining the consent of the local indigenous peoples. In the Diocese of Bangued, to which the province of Abra belongs, there is deep concern as the local population witnesses increasingly serious threats to the environment, the lives of the indigenous population, the health, and the livelihoods of the communities. The clergy, religious, and catechists have mobilized and expressed their solidarity, demanding a review of the licensing process, which "violates the fundamental principle of human dignity." "The Diocese of Bangued is united in defending the sanctity of God's creation," reads a statement read during Sunday Masses in the parishes and signed by Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian and other ecclesiastical authorities representing the community. "The disregard for the law and the parishes raises deep concerns about credibility, respect, and justice," reads the letter sent to Fides, because the mining will also endanger the Abra River, whose flow is vital for the livelihood of local communities. The mining, it states, is expected to cause "pollution, flooding, and destruction," with repercussions for the entire province. Citing the Gospel of Mark, the teachings of Saint John Paul II, and Pope Francis's encyclical "Laudato Si'," the Catholic community emphasizes that "the protection of creation is a moral duty that cannot be exchanged for short-term profit." This "can never surpass the lasting value of clean rivers, fertile soils, healthy communities, and a vibrant culture," the statement reads, reaffirming that the Church condemns "any action that destroys our environment." The local Church's statement also cites the Supreme Court ruling in Oposa v. Factoran , which affirms the responsibility of each generation to protect the environment for future generations. "If we remain silent, our children and their children will suffer and hold us accountable for our actions," the text reads, urging believers to "remain united in the protection of creation." "Let us choose life, justice, and preservation," the letter reads, calling the community to "witness the beauty of God's creation." The Abra Province in the Cordillera region of Luzon island is known for its rich biodiversity, its watersheds, and extensive forests inhabited by indigenous groups, primarily the Tinguiann, who had settled in these areas more than 500 years ago before Spanish colonization. In the 1970s, the first conflict began over the use of these peoples' resources and livelihoods. Private companies, promoted by then-President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., sought to maximize the use of the Cordillera's virgin forests for the country's economic development and carried out massive deforestation for timber. These projects had a significant impact on the local indigenous groups, who relied on subsistence farming, hunting in the forests, and fishing in lakes and rivers. These tribal groups have their own dialect, cultural traditions, and social systems: nature and the ecosystem are an integral part of their lives, which would have been completely destroyed if they had done so. At that time, an "active resistance" of the local community began to defend "the rights to the land of their ancestors," which also took the form of armed struggle. Catholic priests also sided with the Tinguiann and other tribal groups, denouncing the oppression and corruption of the state. In 1986—after the end of the Marcos era—these projects were abandoned. In the following years, the issue of deforestation remained a constant concern for the Cordillera region. Thus, the "Cordillera Peoples Alliance" was formed, a network of actors and organizations, including Catholic communities and their representatives, to protect the forest in the region, which is considered a valuable heritage and "common home," to small or large projects to convert the area for agricultural, residential, and commercial purposes. In this context, the local Church has consistently emphasized that Christian action includes prayer and concrete actions rooted in compassion and respect for life.

A camera trap in an Indonesian mountain forest has recorded a rare Javan leopard, sparking renewed conservation monitoring efforts in the area. The Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas) was captured on a camera installed in the Mount Lawu forest area of Central Java province, according to a July 29 post by the KGPAA Mangkunagoro I […]

Given the moment's urgency, the Forest Conservancy is seeing record levels of staffing, recruitment, total hours and in-kind value. Through Aug. 17, volunteers with Forest Conservancy have worked more than 8,800 service hours, which Johnson said represents an in-kind contribution value of more than $340,000, or the equivalent of 10 to 12 seasonal employees. The post Volunteers report uptick in illegal campfire rings appeared first on Aspen Journalism.

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Mexico, Guatemala and Belize have announced plans to create a huge reserve of tropical forest spanning across the three countries. Protecting it from ranchers, miners and loggers, and pushing out criminal gangs, won’t be easy. Environment ministers from Mexico and Guatemala have emphasized the need for security to combat organized crime […]

Climate change is already reshaping the towering mountain ash forests of southeastern Australia, new research shows.

OPINION - The climate crisis demands urgency and creativity. Let’s invest in the lands that sustain us—on our farms, in our forests, and our cities—and build a healthier, more resilient California for all.

The Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) is a leading global biomass certification scheme offering assurances to end users (especially nations in the EU and Asia) that biomass (especially wood pellets for energy) is “sourced both legally and sustainably.” But a recent report by a group of environmental NGOs alleges SBP is approving biomass fuel projects linked […]

Our weekly feature, Community Notebook, is filled with snippets of information, conversations, and reporting about the communities where we work. The post Forest Park: the future of the Park at Fort Gillem appeared first on Canopy Atlanta.

Two legal scholars argue that public education helps the US maintain the nation’s fundamental values of equality and fairness – and recent attacks put them at risk.

Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Indonesia is defying the global trend in tropical deforestation. While forest loss in much of the tropics reached record highs in 2024, Indonesia’s rate fell by 14% compared with the previous year. Yet beneath this apparent success lies […]

The Lodhas are among the most marginalised communities in West Bengal and Odisha. Their lives have been shaped by colonial repression, social stigma, and continuing neglect. Once forest-dwelling hunter-gatherers, their livelihoods were dismantled during the British era, when restrictions on hunting and access to forests left them with little means of survival. Their resistance was […] The post Forgotten in the forest: The struggles of the Lodhas of West Bengal appeared first on Village Square.

Tom Schultz, who was appointed to lead the Forest Service by President Donald Trump in February, addressed policymakers at the Congressional Western Caucus meeting in Whitefish on Aug. 19, 2025. The post USFS chief Tom Schultz outlines vision for more logging, mining and grazing and less wildfire in America’s national forests appeared first on Montana Free Press.

(The Center Square) – Insurance industry leaders are advising Illinois lawmakers that state regulation of rates will lead to higher costs and fewer options for consumers. The Illinois Senate Insurance Committee held a virtual subject matter hearing on homeowners and property insurance rates Wednesday. Former Illinois Director of Insurance Nat Shapo said Illinois has sound regulation and lower rates than the national average. “It’s not an unregulated market. Competition regulates the market. Consumers can protect themselves by comparison shopping. They do it for everything they buy in a competitive market,” Shapo explained. Shapo said rates are higher because people have filed more loss claims. Robert Gordon, senior vice president of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, said Illinois has been a success story with below-average insurance rates, strong competition and market stability. “Property losses are escalating in Illinois, like every other state, because of building inflation and climate change. Illinois homeowners insurers, though, lost money over the decade and particularly high property insurance losses in the last two years,” Gordon said. Gordon said three things have caused increased homeowner losses: Macroeconomic issues, including 40-year high inflation and more severe inflation for building materials and labor, climate issues which include people moving into more expensive buildings in areas prone to severe weather, and costs from state government, including coverage mandates and legal system abuse. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and several state lawmakers have proposed banning insurance companies from using age, credit scores or zip codes from to determine auto premiums. State Sen. Julie Morrison, D-Lake Forest, asked former University of Illinois Office of Risk Management and Insurance Research director Lynne McChristian if people with poor credit scores file more claims. “That’s what the data shows. Typically, people with low credit scores are more likely to file claims. The balance on that is to say that about 70%, close to 72% of Americans have good credit, so those people get the benefit of that when an insurance score is developed,” McChristian said. State Sen. Laura Fine, D-Glenview, suggested more government involvement. “So much of this is clear as mud. We don’t have enough transparency. When we see the rates going up so much, people need to understand and they need to know that the state is looking out for them,” Fine said. State Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Cherry Valley, said homeowners insurers in Illinois have been losing more money on their capitals or percentage than they are in California. “The difference is, insurers have faith in the regulatory system in Illinois. They know, historically, it’s been working. Even though they have been suffering enormous losses over the last decade in Illinois, they believe in the regulatory system, and so they’re staying in the market. You’re not seeing the pullback like you are in the states that are regulating their market,” Syverson explained. Syverson said Illinois has lots of options with over 1,000 insurers. He suggested it might be helpful to inform consumers and make it easier for them to compare rates.

As the forest around them changes, one of Ecuador’s largest Indigenous populations is combining traditional knowledge with modern technology The post How the Shuar of Ecuador are responding to climate change and environmental degradation appeared first on Dialogue Earth.

How rain can reveal what lives in rainforest treetops Perched high above the forest floor, the tropical canopy is a reservoir of biodiversity that has long resisted scrutiny. Its inaccessibility has left many of its inhabitants — orchids, epiphytes, ants, monkeys, frogs — poorly studied and poorly protected. But a new study offers a workaround: […]