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

(Image Credit: Екатерина Васягина/ Wikipedia )

1. Restoration is possible: the hunt for Scotland’s ancient wild pinewoods

” Trees for Life and Woodland Trust Scotland have become aware of up to 50 other hitherto uncharted wild pinewoods, both from historical documents and anecdotal contemporary reports. The charities have turned tree detectives as they embark on the painstaking process of mapping – and hopefully reviving – these remote pockets of forgotten forest before they vanish for ever.”

2. Saving Ukraine’s old-growth forests

” A significant milestone in environmental conservation in Ukraine is set to been reached with over 200 hectares of old-growth forests in the Arshytsia mountainous massif, located on the northeastern slopes of the Arshytsia ridge in the Ukrainian Carpathians, slated to be designated as a state-level forest reserve.”

3. ‘We need to accept the weeds’: the Dutch ‘tile whipping’ contest seeking to restore greenery

” Two weeks ago, the starting gun fired for the NK Tegelwippen, a lighthearted competition where, up to October, municipalities compete to get rid of the most paved infrastructure.”

4. From land mines to lifelines, Lebanon’s Shouf is a rare restoration success story

” Previous conservation efforts in the area involved using land mines and armed guards to stem illegal logging and reduce fire risk. Today, the reserve builds local skills and creates jobs in a bid to help the local community through Lebanon’s severe economic crisis. Managers are also employing adaptive techniques to build resilience in this climate change-hit landscape. “

5. Cinereous vulture comeback in the Iberian Highlands

” A reintroduction project promoted by the Castilla-La Mancha regional government and Alto Tajo Nature Park, and developed by the Terra Naturalis association and Rewilding Spain, is working to bring the cinereous vulture back to the Iberian Highlands restoration landscape. ”

6. Prague and Berlin zoos to reintroduce endangered horses to Kazakhstan

” Prague Zoo said on Tuesday, March 5, it would transport eight endangered wild horses to a Kazakhstan steppe in June in a joint project with the Tierpark Berlin Zoo. The zoos are planning to take at least 40 Przewalski’s horses to roam free in the Altyn Dala (Golden Steppe) area in central Kazakhstan in the next five years. ”

7. Marine protected areas can benefit fishing, tourism with profits in the billions, study reveals

” This study offers the strongest evidence yet that protecting the ocean replenishes it with abundant fish, protects it from climate change, but also boosts local and national economies “

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