Articles for author: Maria Faith Saligumba

Lesser Prairie-Chicken

How One Prairie Chicken Helped Stall an Entire Pipeline Project

Imagine a single bird, no larger than a football and almost invisible to the untrained eye, bringing an enormous, multi-billion-dollar industrial project to a grinding halt. Sounds like the plot of a modern fable, but it’s a true story unfolding on the wide, windswept plains of the American Midwest. The protagonist? The lesser prairie chicken—a ...

Bronx Zoo

6 Zoos Leading the Charge in Sustainable Design

Imagine wandering through a lush landscape where animals roam in near-natural habitats, all while knowing your visit barely leaves a mark on the planet. This is not a fantasy—thanks to innovative science and passionate visionaries, zoos across the globe are transforming into beacons of sustainability. Their efforts are not just about protecting wildlife but about ...

A butterfly perched on a vibrant thistle in a lush green setting, showcasing nature's beauty.

Butterfly Gardens and the Revival of Singapore’s Pollinators

Imagine stepping into a world where vibrant wings flicker beneath the sunlight, painting the air with a kaleidoscope of colors. This is not a scene from a dream, but a reality taking shape in Singapore’s butterfly gardens—living sanctuaries that are rekindling hope for pollinators in a rapidly urbanizing landscape. As the city’s glass towers reach ...

Indigenous Community

The Ramapough Lenape Nation: New Jersey’s Hidden Indigenous Community

Tucked away in the misty hills and dense forests of northern New Jersey lies a story few have heard—a tale of resilience, mystery, and deep-rooted connection to the land. The Ramapough Lenape Nation, an Indigenous people whose lineage stretches back centuries, has weathered storms of erasure, marginalization, and environmental threat. Their presence is as enduring ...

A group of diverse children engaged in a fun activity in a preschool classroom setting.

How Sign Languages Developed Independently in Isolated Communities

Imagine a world where spoken words simply won’t do—a world where silence gives birth to a new language, shaped not by sound, but by movement, gesture, and shared understanding. Across the globe, in the quietest corners and most unexpected places, entire communities have created their own sign languages from scratch. These are not copies or ...

Scenic aerial view of a lush green forest with a river and mist at sunset, showcasing nature's beauty.

Why the Amazon Isn’t the World’s Only “Lung” Worth Saving

What if everything you thought you knew about the world’s “lungs” was just part of the story? The Amazon Rainforest has captured global attention as Earth’s green heart, often described as the planet’s lungs. Yet, while the Amazon is undeniably vital, its status as the sole “lung” deserving protection is a myth that sells the ...