Category: ARTICLES

Sex Sizzles In The Summer

“The earth laughs in flowers.”–Ralph Waldo Emerson An idyllic summer evening in nature evokes a smorgasbord of sights, smells, and sounds—golden sunsets, chirping crickets, light

Read More »

Life in the lab

In her new book, Lab Girl, Hope Jahren transforms the sedentary, slow-growing lives of plants into a vibrant series of stories that are interwoven with

Read More »
Meg Lowman, currently Chief of Science and Sustainability at the California Academy of Sciences, pioneered the science of canopy ecology.

Gross National Happiness — Bhutan’s Innovative Metric for Good Governance

The leadership of Bhutan recognizes that one way to ensure the future of GNH — along with its unique value system — is prioritizing access to the natural world for all citizens. Green plants and healthy ecosystems are inextricably linked to human health, a vital part of gross national happiness, and are protected in Bhutan’s environmentally conscious constitution. (Of note, a key drawback to America’s GDP is that it does not measure the value of healthy ecosystems, known as natural capital.) Recently, the King of Bhutan launched a program to protect natural areas, especially national parks. Royal Manas National Park will feature an innovative construction called BATS (Bhutan Aerial Trail System) that entails a massive canopy walkway complex that includes a treetop scientific research station. An international team will work together to develop one of the world’s largest canopy walkway systems to jumpstart research on Bhutan’s biodiversity, but also to infuse a big dose of gross happiness into the fabric of Bhutan’s landscape.

Read More »