7 stories of optimism this week (13.01.26-19.01.26)

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. (Featured image credit: Chrysaora fuscescens by DestinationFearFan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

1. Game-changing international ocean treaty comes into force

On Saturday, a landmark new treaty to protect and sustainably use marine life in international waters came into effect. The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement is now legally-binding for the 81 nations that have ratified it so far, including major economies like China, Germany, Japan, France and Brazil.

This marks a major step in the protection of international waters, which cover almost 60% of the ocean. The Agreement provides for new processes to create marine protected areas in the high seas, establishes regulation on environmental impact assessments for planned activity, and creates a framework for benefit-sharing of marine genetic resources. While implementation and wider adoption are remaining challenges, there are hopes for ratification by other nations in the future.

“Developing countries and small island countries need support,” says Tanzanian diplomat Mzee Ali Haji. “We expect that, in the future, they will accept this agreement, because it will help them. The protection of the high seas is the responsibility of all of us.”

2. Inside a 25-year effort to restore a rare Ontario ecosystem

Before colonisation, Southern Ontario was home to thriving grasslands and tallgrass prairies. ‘In 1999, Alderville First Nation set about bringing back the savanna, and the foods, medicines and species it supports. Now, a team works year-round to manage the Black Oak Savanna and conservation projects that stem from it, including a native plant nursery and a turtle protection program.’

‘The Alderville prairie is the “antithesis of that narrative that people are bad for the environment,” Radek Odolczyk, stewardship and restoration coordinator at the Alderville Black Oak Savanna, says. “It’s a cultural legacy on the land that’s telling you that we can actually improve biodiversity and resilience.”’

Read The Narwhal’s feature on the Savanna and the Alderville First Nation’s work to protect and expand it here.

3. Three Andean condor chicks hatch in Colombia as species nears local extinction

An artificial incubation programme in Colombia has hatched three Andean condor chicks, bringing new hope for the critically endangered birds. The chicks are expected to be released into the wild near Cerrito, a high-altitude town in northeastern Colombia where nearly half of the nation’s condor population survives today.

‘The chicks, named Rafiki, Wayra and Ámbar, hatched in July 2024, September 2025 and October 2025, respectively. “They are the salvation of the species,” Fernando Castro, director of biodiversity at the at the Jaime Duque Park Foundation, told Mongabay.’ This comes alongside work with local communities to raise awareness about the condor’s ecological role and reduce the conflicts that contributed to their decline.

“The condor used to be our enemy,” sheepherder Torres said. “Now it’s a great ally for development.”

4. Water vole population ‘explosion’ follows large-scale mink eradication

A long-term project to control mink in the East of England has led to an “explosion” in wildlife, including the endangered European water vole. The species was once widespread in Britain but numbers are thought to have fallen by 97% since 1950 due to the introduction of mink — but populations are now increasing thanks to landscape-scale conservation efforts in the region.

Conservationists took the difficult decision to eliminate the mink population to allow natural wildlife to recover, and deployed ‘smart traps’ that can exclude other species like voles and birds. Their success demonstrates that recovery is possible at scale — a culmination of 25 years of work to revive one of Europe’s most threatened mammals.

5. Colombia poised for another drop in deforestation in 2025, data show

Recent data appears to show a drop in deforestation across Colombia, with some of the largest decreases in departments that historically struggled with forest loss. Over half of Colombia’s land is covered by forest, including the Amazon Rainforest and savanna ecosystems like the Orinoquía.

Government officials attribute the reduction to plans that include increased collaboration with Indigenous communities and environmental zoning in rural areas, as well as ecotourism and a program providing financial incentives for communities involved in forest conservation. Other organisations have suggested criminal groups’ enforcement of illegal logging has made the biggest difference.

While it is not the only environmental threat in Colombia, this indicates progress in addressing some of the long-standing drivers of deforestation. “When the figures are low, we should take advantage and strengthen actions to reduce threats, thus ensuring that deforestation rates continue to decline.”

6. Victory for public access: American Prairie unlocks another 70,000 acres in Montana

The conservation nonprofit American Prairie aims to create one of the largest nature reserves in the USA, and has added 70,000 acres of shortgrass prairie on Anchor Ranch in Montana to its 600,000 acre holdings. The Ranch borders the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, and was listed for sale for $35 million.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to secure an important piece of ecologically and culturally significant land,” said American Prairie CEO Alison Fox in a press release. “But this acquisition is equally important as a way to return public access to the people so they can explore, hunt, and recreate on land that’s been off-limits for many years.”