7 stories of optimism this week (15.04.25-21.04.25)

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: Curlew, by Ian Francis)

1. Celebrating World Curlew Day: Curlew populations recovering as invasive stoats are removed from Orkney, Scotland

Just in time to celebrate World Curlew Day, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has revealed that, after years of hard work removing invasive predators of the iconic and loveable long-billed wading birds, curlew numbers on the Orkney Islands are recovering!

The Orkney Native Wildlife Project has removed over 7,000 stoats from the area, which has led to higher survival rates for nests and chicks, “a significant success for conservationists, even against the backdrop of declines in the same period across mainland Scotland and adverse weather conditions last year on the islands that will have made it more difficult to raise their young.”

For more information about the project and how you can support the efforts to protect the unique and rare species found on the Orkney islands, visit this page.

2. More than 125,000 wildflowers sown in Cumbria since 2023

“Cumbria Wildlife Trust said more than 1,000 volunteers had “tirelessly worked” on several projects across the region from April 2023 to March 2025.

“Wildflower seeds were sown in places including road verges, farmlands, burial grounds and cycle routes in areas including Eden, the Lake District and South Cumbria. The trust said Cumbria had seen “a real boost in the number of plants for our pollinating insects” with more funding enabling several projects to continue.”

3. New Zealand joins world’s boldest island-ocean recovery project

“Three of New Zealand’s most ecologically-rich islands have joined an ambitious, globe-spanning project to restore and rewild 40 globally significant island-ocean ecosystems by 2030 through a series of initiatives to remove invasive species and safeguard their native wildlife.

“The New Zealand project marks an historically significant moment and a collaborative effort bringing together the New Zealand Department of Conservation, Māori and Moriori Indigenous communities, and local organisations on a mission to remove invasive species – including cats, mice, and wild pigs – from the three islands to safeguard the region’s native wildlife and bolster climate resilience across these vital island ecosystems.”

4. One of Brazil’s rarest parrots downlisted from ‘endangered’ to ‘near threatened’

“Habitat loss and the illegal pet trade drove the red-tailed amazon (Amazona brasiliensis), endemic to the southeastern Brazilian coast, to fewer than 5,000 individuals by the end of the 20th Century.

“Thanks to a project to install artificial nests on an island on the Paraná coast, the number of parrots almost doubled in 20 years, taking the bird from “endangered” to “near threatened” status, the only case of its kind in Brazil.”

5. Endangered sea turtle populations show signs of recovery in more than half the world, survey finds

“Endangered sea turtles show signs of recovery in a majority of places where they’re found worldwide, according to a new global survey released Thursday.

“Many of the turtle populations have come back, though some haven’t,” said Duke ecologist Stuart Pimm, who was not involved with the research. “Overall, the sea turtle story is one of the real conservation success stories.”

The study looked at 48 populations of sea turtles around the world. Scientists measured the impacts of threats such as hunting, pollution, coastal development and climate change to the marine animals. In more than half of the areas studied, threats are declining overall, the study found.

6. New Mexico establishes major wildlife and freshwater protections through new legislation

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has signed three new bills into law last week that “catapult the state to the forefront of freshwater and wildlife conservation efforts,” according to an announcement by the non-profit Pew Charitable Trusts.

“The bills, which were passed by the state Legislature with bipartisan support, are designed to help fund wildlife crossings and safeguard the state’s clean water.”

7. Countries reach historic deal to cut shipping emissions

“After years of intense negotiations, countries on Friday reached a landmark deal to cut greenhouse gas emissions from global shipping, setting mandatory fuel standards and introducing an industry-wide carbon pricing mechanism,” the UN Environment Program shared in the past week.

The new framework introduces a “global fuel standard” to lower greenhouse gas in fuels used in large ocean-crossing ships, as well as a “greenhouse gas pricing mechanism” that requires ships with a large carbon footprint to pay for excess pollution. The collected fees will then go toward “innovation, research, infrastructure and transition initiatives in developing countries.”

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