Healthy forests, wetlands, and soils reduce flood risk, yet they are often missing from disaster planning.
A new review shows research rarely considers the communities who depend on these ecosystems, highlighting why planning must connect nature with community needs. https://nature.ly/4ct7Z4y
Excited to kick off the 2026 Research Fellows Gathering next week! 🌍
Hosted by @nature.org , bringing together fellows from SNAP, Smithsonian, @upenn.edu and @wcs.org to connect, learn, and collaborate across disciplines and geographies.
#ResearchFellows #CollaborativeScience #ScienceForImpact
Salmon still surprise us, despite being some of the best studied animals 🐟 💙
Salmon have complex juvenile migrations and use diverse habitats outside their natal watershed before entering the sea. What we conserve matters for recovery!
@science.nature.org
cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full/10....
Wildfires reshape landscapes and reveal how nature rebuilds.
New research shows that low-cost drones and machine learning can track subtle post fire vegetation changes, helping teams monitor recovery in fire prone South African fynbos.
Read more about this work here https://nature.ly/40IiA4n
Had a great day on the water exploring restored oyster reefs and seagrass meadows with the VCR LTER and @science.nature.org on a field trip Sunday to kick off @benthicsmeeting.bsky.social this week!
New research reveals how wildfires can be leveraged to increase forest resilience. By working with nature, we can create more fire-resistant forests and reduce the impact of high-severity fires. It's time to work with nature, not against it! https://nature.ly/4s3Kofb
Grazing lands cover a third of the U.S. and hold major climate potential. A review shows wetland restoration and pasture planting offer the biggest boosts for carbon storage. With smart management and rancher leadership, these lands can drive real resilience.
🔗 Learn more https://nature.ly/4cIYlLe
Thanks for reading along! Sharing this work matters to me because understanding climate risks is the first step toward protecting people. I’m grateful to be part of a team using science to help communities facing the greatest challenges. @lukeaparsons.bsky.social
TNC has committed to helping 100 million people at severe risk from climate-related emergencies by 2030. My work helps identify which communities face the greatest climate risks, so we can direct limited adaptation and conservation resources to where they're needed most.
Climate science takes many forms - from analyzing decades of temperature data to working with communities experiencing air quality and fire impacts, to understanding heat exposure for outdoor workers globally. These images tell the story of what climate science looks like at TNC.
My work isn’t just about the future; it helps guide where adaptation support is needed now. Limiting warming protects everyone, especially the communities hit hardest. And adaptation must target those most vulnerable. This builds on our global humid heat research.
I study how extreme heat affects vulnerable communities. At very high temps, fans can actually worsen heat stress, they stop helping above 35–39°C. With 3°C of warming, high vulnerability areas may see around 22 more days above safe fan use temps, posing serious risks for those without AC.
In my research, I’ve found that socially vulnerable communities across the U.S. are already living in temperatures about 1.5°C hotter than less vulnerable areas, and this gap has been widening for more than 70 years. agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...
Seeing glaciers retreat in real time changed me. Hearing about warming is one thing, watching the ice disappear is another. Take a look at some glacial retreat photos and maps here glacierchange.blog/2012/10/18/b...
Luke a top a mountain in Nepal
Growing up in the drought stricken Southwest and later watching glaciers shrink while leading NOLS courses set my path. Those moments pushed me to ask how warming will reshape water, ecosystems, and agriculture, and now I’m working to find the answers.
Hello everyone, I’m Luke Parsons, and I’m excited to spend some time sharing a bit about my work, what motivates me, and the experiences that have shaped how I think about our changing world. ⛰️
We’re handing over the Bluesky mic! 🎙️ TNC scientist Luke Parsons @lukeaparsons.bsky.social is taking over our feed to highlight his research and the science driving conservation forward. Feel free to ask questions and follow along to hear more from Luke!
Scientists in Raja Ampat are using simple tools like coolers and pumps to pinpoint corals that can handle rising temps. Their insights are shaping new reef protections and fueling the global efforts to safeguard the world’s toughest, most resilient corals. Learn more here https://nature.ly/4kSGEef
Restorative aquaculture can grow food and heal oceans. A new U.S. study finds broad optimism, but big hurdles too such as policy gaps, weak markets and limited research.
Moving forward will take investment, smart rules, training, and real partnership. Learn more here https://nature.ly/46zzZzG
As I say here, there is no scientific justification to revoke the engagement finding. In fact, over the last 15+ yrs, the evidence of how climate change affects our health has only grown. Higher risk of allergies, dementia, fertility, heart disease, and death: that’s what’s on the line. @nature.org
Check out the latest work from @lukeaparsons.bsky.social!
New in Science 🌳
Forests aren't just carbon sinks, they protect people from climate extremes. In the tropics, intact forests cool by 6°C.
But heat from deforestation could reduce safe work conditions for ~3M people & linked to ~28k deaths/yr.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@science.nature.org
Today is International Day of Women and Girls in Science! Huge congrats to our own Felicity Burrows, featured in GCFI’s Women in Ocean Science campaign. 🥼 🌊
Explore the stories of women leading ocean science here: www.gcfi.org/gcfi-women-in-ocean-science/
Grateful to the @science.nature.org media team—especially Tom Jennings and Robyn Day—for this excellent summary of our new Earth's Future paper on heat inequity in the US. Great to see our science reaching wider audiences! www.nature.org/en-us/newsro...
NEW paper in @agu.org Earth's Future: Vulnerable US communities already face an extra ~2 weeks/yr of heat (>95°F/35°C). With 2°C warming, this gap widens to nearly 3 weeks/yr. Climate inequity in the US grows with warming.
doi.org/10.1029/2025...
@dukeenvironment.bsky.social @science.nature.org
Elephants are powerful forest gardeners, moving large, carbon rich seeds across long distances. But a year-long study in Gabon shows they’re eating fewer seeds than expected, with impacts varying by site.
Their changing role matters, discover why it’s so important here https://nature.ly/46mdApn
Urban trees are vital for cooling, health, and climate resilience. New research shows that rapidly changing neighborhoods often have fewer, less diverse, and more stressed street trees.
A reminder that urban canopy equity matters. Learn more about this work here https://nature.ly/4qnMCoB 🌳
New research shows extreme rainfall could surge 41% by 2100 under high emissions, triple what older models predicted. High resolution simulations reveal stronger moisture fueling storms and more severe floods ahead.
Better modeling is key for climate planning! https://nature.ly/3ZB22e7
Seagrass meadows are vital, yet recovery is tougher than repairing damage. A study shows animals can stall regrowth as stingrays dig up shoots and ghost shrimp churn sand. Simple fixes help, but lasting recovery means working with the ecosystem, not against it. Learn more https://nature.ly/3NUGC9b
Beavers might be nature’s most underrated climate resilience engineers 🦫.
New research shows that restoring beavers or mimicking their dams can cool streams, store more water, boost biodiversity, and help landscapes better handle wildfires and climate extremes. Learn more https://nature.ly/3YWA7oI
