Wondering what went right this week in the conservation world? We’ve got you covered with our Conservation Optimism Round-Up! Each week we are collating stories of optimism from around the globe so that you never miss your dose of Monday Motivation.

1. The return of the wolf in Europe

“Thanks to increased conservation efforts, wolf numbers are recovering—there are now around 12,000 individuals across the European continent—which is important to help restore natural processes that keep prey species like deer and wild boars at healthy numbers.”

2. Kerala government abandons controversial Athirappilly hydroelectric project amid widespread protests

 “The decision came amid mounting opposition from environmentalists and tribal organisations against the construction in the biodiverse and state’s only riverine forest.”

3. Access to a healthy environment, declared a human right by UN rights council

“In resolution 48/13, the Council called on States around the world to work together, and with other partners, to implement this newly recognised right. The text, proposed by Costa Rica, the Maldives, Morocco, Slovenia and Switzerland, was passed with 43 votes in favour and 4 abstentions – from Russia, India, China and Japan.”

4. A bridge of trees reunites gibbons separated by a railway line in India

“ In 2006, conservationists, the local forest department and communities began planting thousands of trees along the tracks in an effort to create a natural canopy bridge. The tree-planting effort finally bore fruit in 2019, when the first gibbons were observed crossing over the tracks.“

5. Bearded Vultures in the Alps break their record once again, producing the highest-ever known number of fledglings

“In this year’s breeding season, 61 territories have been reported to the IBM-network, with 53 chicks hatching. This year, a record number of 44 fledglings took off for their first flight, 7 more fledglings than in 2020. Switzerland alone welcomed almost half (21) of these fledglings!”

6. Boost for UK’s rarest lizard as over 140 are released back into the wild

“A group of the UK’s rarest lizard – the sand lizard – have been released back into the wild in Dorset. Over 140 of these endangered species, bred at several locations including Marwell Zoo and Forestry England’s New Forest Reptile Centre, were released in a partnership project led by Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) to return these species from near extinction.

7. A new conservation grants programme has been created in North America for ‘marginalised groups’

“The goal of the Confluence Program is to intentionally connect to historically racially marginalized people for the protection of natural places. By the end of this year, The Conservation Alliance will award four multi-year grants to groups led by Asian, Black, Brown, Indigenous, Latinx, and other People of Colour working to protect a natural place.”

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