Land & Conservation

Why the region’s secret—and imperiled—freshwater ecoweapons deserve your respect

In flooded fields amid a waterfowler’s paradise, the Isbells are reimagining how to use the land—and gaining the attention of sake brewers worldwide

The prehistoric fish with a toothy grin is fueling floodplain restoration efforts on the Mississippi River

In homage to a forgotten Texas landscape, artist James Prosek covered 5,000 square feet of panels with depictions of native grasses and blooms

Three inspiring ways Groveland residents got on board with starry night skies

An Alabama expert shares how to add wild garlic to soup, steep pine needles for tea, and make an easy maple syrup substitute from shagbark hickory

The cherished Florida harvesting grounds reopened after a five-year moratorium, but the future is still murky

A farmer’s daughter gets awakened to one scientist’s genius and passion

Why ancient woods matter for our health and the world’s—and where to seek them out for a restorative stroll

Captain Mike Ostrander leads river tours into one of the densest bald eagle populations in the Lower 48

The long-legged, brightly colored orb weavers are growing more common across the South. Here’s what to do—and what not to do—when you cross paths with one.

A Southern foraging staple cracks open a lifetime of memories

Generations apart, a shared devotion rises

After a multi-decade restoration effort, the charismatic herbivores roam Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Virginias—and fall is the best time to spot them

Binoculars up! These destinations celebrate the best in birdwatching when temps (finally) dip

A banner year for hatchlings, thanks in large part to an unlikely ally

An unlikely coalition helps the striking raptors soar again

The Port Royal Cypress Wetlands and Rookery is a stunning ecological success story

Safeguarding Helene-threatened salamanders, cultivating gulf oysters, boosting mallard habitat, and spreading native grasslands—the work of this year’s under-the-radar Southern eco-heroes is more important than ever

Venus flytraps are native to a tiny corner of the globe: the Coastal Plain of the Carolinas. As development threatens, one town—spurred on by one tireless botanist—has taken up the shovel to save the world’s most fascinating plant.