[Commentary] Forests, ecosystem services and humans
It was the month of November, last year. One could feel the chill in the air. Dal Bahadur, a beekeeper from Turuk, Sikkim was harvesting honey from his traditional hive.…
[Commentary] The changing priority of ecosystem services research in the Hindu Kush Himalayas
It is increasingly clear today that the economic prosperity of the world has come at a huge cost to its natural capital. The consequences of unsustainable resource use and environmental…
Your Environment This Week: Yak exchange, flowers climbing up Himalayas, noise pollution fines
This week’s environment and conservation news stories rolled into one. To receive a weekly email with a roundup of our stories, please sign-up for our newsletter. Hope for healthy yak…
Urbanisation and climate change sting bees. What can cities do for them?
“Everyone wants honey. But no one wants the bees near them,” says 34-year-old Pune city resident Amit Godse of Bee Basket, who runs a business extricating beehives from neighborhoods that…
Indian government proposes a 10-year plan to protect birds
On February 4, 2020, images of a rare oriental darter struggling to free its beak from a piece of plastic went viral. The incident was reported from Palwal in Haryana…
New species remain hidden in the myristica swamps of the Western Ghats
It was a bright afternoon after two days of heavy rain in Kerala and Professor P. Manimohan’s two Ph.D. students K. P. Deepna Latha and K. N. Anil Raj were…
Save tiger reserves and reap trillions in economic benefits, says report
Making a case for the conservation of tiger reserves in India, a study has worked out the monetary value of the reserves and deduced that for every rupee invested, the…
Insects are disappearing in India, and we don’t even have data
When was the last time an insect fell in your soup? Or down your collar under a bright street lamp? Insects rarely land on window panes on a rainy night…
Marine plastic pollution has increased tenfold since 1980, says biodiversity report
Around one million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction, many within decades and more than ever before in human history, according to a recent report. The unsustainable…
[Commentary] The vanishing forests of the river
It was around noon when I crossed the mud path and entered the little strip of forest that led to the stream, gingerly picking my way down through the vegetation.…
IPCC report warns that impacts can get severe if global warming is not limited
At the December 2015 Paris Climate Summit (COP 21), India championed the cause of sustainable lifestyle and sustainable consumption and production to address climate change. Now, a recent report released…
[Interview] Land degradation is affecting two-fifths of humanity
Land use change is one of those terms that we read about frequently and gloss over it. We read about lakes being converted to high rises, forests being turned farmland…
Is the new forest policy draft missing the wood for the trees?
The national government has initiated the process of revamping the National Forest Policy. The policy that is in place currently was announced 30 years ago and is known as the…
New mayfly find in Meghalaya signifies good river health
When mayflies come to a riverine system, it is an indication that it is not polluted. Being sensitive to pollution, they are mostly seen in the upper end of streams,…
Special series
Wetland Champions
- [Commentary] India establishes the largest network of Ramsar Sites in South Asia
- [Commentary] Wetland champions: Promise from the grassroots
- The story of Jakkur lake sets an example for inclusive rejuvenation projects
- Welcome to Tsomgo lake: Please don’t litter
Environment And Health
- In a Himachal village, people accuse a waste management plant for contaminating water
- [Commentary] Worsening water quality in Ganga’s lower stretches and what it means for us
- Human disturbance alters parasite communities, increases infectious disease: study
- Lower species richness in deforested landscapes tied to high Kyasanur forest disease risk: study
Almost Famous Species
- Sea snakes along Konkan coast imperilled by bycatch, lack of enforcement of fishery regulations
- Newly declared dugong conservation reserve will help protect marine biodiversity
- [Commentary] Tracing the history, portrait and uses of the panneer rose
- Butterfly records at the forefront of Arunachal’s biodiversity sightings
India's Iconic Landscapes
- Climate mitigation should not come at cost of biodiversity conservation, warns tropical savannah ecologist
- Tracking rivers, the highways of plastic waste
- Snug in Kashmir’s meadows, ox-eye daisy worries scientists
- Assam to destroy nearly 2500 seized rhino horns in anti-poaching message
Beyond Protected Areas
- Using citizen science to track illegal wildlife trade in the Himalayas
- Snakes in Bengaluru city
- Sea snakes along Konkan coast imperilled by bycatch, lack of enforcement of fishery regulations
- Return of the tiger at West Bengal’s Buxa tiger reserve
Conserving Agro-biodiversity
- [Video Explainer] What is the significance of the Biological Diversity Amendment Bill and why did it face opposition?
- Tackling agrobiodiversity loss in Odisha’s Similipal protected area
- An indigenous community in Meghalaya offers lessons in climate resilience
- Sweet pineapples and a variety of trees nurture each other in this patchwork plantation
