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. Turning over a new leaf: the humble hedge stages a remarkable comeback

“One study found that hedgerows provide 21 ecosystem services – more than any other habitat. “My views have changed in the last 10 years. I want to live in a green and pleasant land – not in a [ecological] desert,” he remarks. “It’s starting to look like I remember it as a five-year-old boy.””

2. Once extinct in China, now there are again 274 Przewalski’s horses in the wild

 “But in 1985 China started its efforts to bring them back, successfully so far, going from being once extinct, to having a wild population of 274 Przewalski’s horses nowadays.”

3. Ten years of ground-breaking project helps save spoonies from extinction

“The project, using a technique known as head starting, started a decade ago and has now resulted in an increase of the number of fledglings that survive from 2.5 out of every 20 eggs laid to 15 out of every 20. Since 2011 when the project began, 205 spoon-billed sandpiper chicks had been released into the wild in artic Russian using the head starting method.”

4. What does deforestation sound like? Eavesdropping on the rainforest to detect threats

“The system works this way: A network of sensors mounted high on trees continuously transmit the forest soundscape via a cellular or satellite network to its “brain” – a computer algorithm developed by Rainforest Connection to detect the sounds of threats. “

5. Bangladesh Takes Major Step To Protect Threatened Sharks And Rays

“The new amendments enforce the strict protection of eight genera and 23 shark and ray species, while allowing the sustainable exploitation, consumption, and trade of one genus and 29 species if their catch is found to be non-detrimental to wild populations.”

6. Satellite-tagged seabirds point way to new protected area

“Seabirds fitted with satellite tracking devices have revealed a major feeding site previously unknown to science at the heart of the Atlantic ocean. This month, the site – covering an area as large as France – has become the first high seas Marine Protected Area to be identified by remote tracking data.”

7. With the increased number of Javan rhinos, what is the next conservation goal for these animals?

“It’s incredible that the Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) can still be found on the island of Java, one of the world’s most densely populated islands. It’s even more remarkable that the rhino population in Indonesia has tripled since the 1960s.”

Have a story to share for our weekly round-up? Use #ConservationOptimism on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram!

We are a global community dedicated to sharing stories and resources to empower people from all backgrounds to make a positive impact for wildlife and nature.