LAWRENCE ANTHONY EARTH ORG., NEW JERSEY CHAPTER

This World Oceans Day, the theme “REIMAGINE: Beyond the world we know, a new relationship with our ocean” invites us to rethink how we understand, value, and care for the ocean. Science remains one of our most powerful tools for moving from awareness to stewardship and from commitment to action. The ocean has no boundaries. Its future depends on our collective action.

Biodiversity in gardening creates a resilient, self-sustaining ecosystem by fostering a variety of native plants, insects, and wildlife, rather than a manicured monoculture. It improves soil health, provides natural pest control, and supports pollinators.

Hawksbill sea turtles inhabit the tropical and sub-tropical waters of all of the world’s major oceans. Hawksbills get their name from their unique beak-like mouth, which resembles that of a hawk and is perfect for finding food sources in hard-to-reach cracks and crevices. They are the only species of sea turtle that can survive on a diet consisting mainly of sponges. Hawksbill turtles play a key role in the function of marine ecosystems.

Sandpipers’ by Julia Berman

In 2026, World Migratory Bird Day will be celebrated on May 9 in the spring and on October 10 in the fall. The conservation theme this year is Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter. It highlights the role of public participation in collecting data on migratory bird populations, their habitats, and the factors that impact them, contributing to our knowledge of how to protect them. 

Basalt Columns at the Black Sand Beach, South Coast of Iceland. The basalt columns here are formed from columnar jointing in cooled lava flows that once reached the sea. As the lava cooled, it cracked into hexagonal or polygonal prisms, creating the towering walls and caves that define the beach’s landscape. The black sand comes from volcanic rock fragments that were eroded by Atlantic waves.

World Tapir Day didn’t start with a big‑budget media campaign. In 2008 a loose network of zookeepers, biologists, and online wildlife forums noticed that tapirs rarely featured in global conversations about conservation. Determined to change that, they chose April 27—the birthday of conservationist Sir Adrian Lister, whose fossil research clarified tapir evolution—and launched a grassroots digital event.

Isla Guadalupe, off the Western coast of Mexico, is famous for its massive colonies of petrels, shearwaters, and Laysan Albatrosses. Now, conservationists hope it can become a safe haven for Black-footed Albatrosses, too.

Ugandan wildlife authorities have reintroduced southern white rhinos into the Kidepo Valley National Park, a remote protected area where they were once poached into extinction.

What exists today is not just growth, it is recovery built slowly across generations. Protection efforts, careful management, and long stretches of restraint allowed numbers to rebuild without forcing the process. Now those once-separated groups are overlapping again. Seasonal movements are aligning, and older migration patterns are beginning to reappear, almost like something remembered rather than learned. When bison move together at this scale, they reshape the land itself. Their hooves carve paths, their grazing patterns shift plant life, and entire ecosystems begin to reorganize around their presence.

Today is a quiet celebration for those of us who have ever opened our hearts to a cat. A day to honor Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, and the gentle bond between humans and the small, soft lives we choose to care for.

Bird Losses Are Accelerating, New Study Finds - The New York Times

In 2026, World Wildlife Day (WWD2026) will shine a spotlight on the critical role of medicinal and aromatic plants. Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) are essential for both human health and ecological balance. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes their significance, particularly in developing countries, where 70-95 per cent of the population relies on traditional medicine for primary healthcare. These plants form the foundation of many healthcare systems and remain vital to modern pharmaceuticals, as numerous active drug compounds are derived directly or indirectly from natural sources, despite advancements in synthetic chemistry.