"Don't despair: that's the message of a new paper in Trends in Ecology and Evolution, which argues that decades of conservation actions at multiple scales have had a positive impact for many of the world's endangered species. "

Each Target store will award three Field Trip Grants of up to $700 to K-12 schools, enabling one in 25 schools throughout the US to send a classroom on a field trip. Applications are due by Sept 30.

Downloadable publications include "Checklist of NYS Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds and Mammals, Including Their Legal Status"

"EcoTipping Points are small actions that tip the balance from decline to restoration by tapping the inborn power of nature and human societies to heal themselves." Case studies range from community gardens in NYC to reversing tropical deforestation in Thailand.

This interactive investigation explores these questions: - What evolutionary processes have affected the distribution of Earth's species today and in the past? - How do scientists study past evolutionary processes on Earth? - How do graphs and charts help scientists test their hypotheses?

Animal species all follow the same rule for how common they are in an ecosystem, scientists have discovered. And the rule is simple. Everything from birds to fishes, crabs to snails to worms, and the parasitic animals that live inside or on them, follows it. "You can predict how common something might be just by knowing its body weight--how big an individual is--and how high up the food chain it is," says biologist Ryan Hechinger , lead author of a paper in this week's issue of the journal Science.

"large animals were once ubiquitous across the globe. They shaped the structure and dynamics of ecosystems. Their decline, largely caused by humans through hunting and habitat fragmentation, has far-reaching and often surprising consequences, including changes in vegetation, wildfire frequency, infectious diseases, invasive species, water quality and nutrient cycles."

A cute animated version of Wangari Maathai's story about a hummingbird trying to put out a forest fire. "The hummingbird story reminds us all that however small we are, in the face of hard times, of huge problems we can still do something, we can still make our voices heard, we can still have an impact."

An interactive website for learning about cloud forest ecosystems. Includes videos and lesson plans.

"Forest canopies provide structure that affects weather patterns, contributes to nutrient cycling, and provides habitat for plants and animals, among other things. A lot remains to be discovered...there's room for new scientists to climb up and explore. "

"Bird species in rainforest fragments in Brazil that were isolated by deforestation disappeared then reappeared over a quarter-century, according to research results published today in the journal PLoS (Public Library of Science) ONE. Scientists thought many of the birds had gone extinct."

TSA is dedicated to the needs of students interested in technology. "For Students" includes links to the newsletter, student scholarships, and information about following a STEM career path. "For Adults" contains toolkits & resources that support science and engineering learning.

30+ pictures and maps from the Congo rainforest

Onion video spoof: "Panelists debate whether the U.S. is doing enough to heed the warnings of coal industry scientists who say turbines could blow the Earth right into the sun."

"Explore the signs of global warming on this map or Google Earth. The evidence of climate change includes heat waves, sea-level rise, flooding, melting glaciers, earlier spring arrival, coral reef bleaching, and the spread of disease."

A web-based guide to arthropod identification

Examine a tropical montane cloud forest via this immersive video experience. Click on numbered links to access video clips and facts describing each different forest environment. The site includes background information for teachers and standards-aligned lessons for students in grades 6-8 on such topics as water, weather, soils, ecology, and the science processes.