The Waggle
Issue 79 After 400 years, something "wild" happened in London.
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The Eurasian wolf (Canis lupus). Also known as the gray or grey wolf or as the Timber wolf.
Sergey Uryadnikov / Alamy Stock Photo
The Wonders of the Wolf • George Biesmans
Days before International Wolf Day on August 13th, an Italian gray wolf wandered past my garden, stopped to look at me for a few seconds, and then made off into a nearby forest. Last year, on the edge of my village, three wolves were found dead in a suspected poisoning. These events - in the Central Apennine of Italy - are a microcosm for what’s happening across Europe as this iconic animal returns from the brink of extinction. As an apex predator and a keystone species, the wolf plays a vital role in keeping grazing populations in check and even boosting carbon sequestration. Their return is helping to restore balance and biodiversity to ecosystems from Portugal to Poland. As their numbers grow, so too does a political backlash against them, driven largely by populist narratives based on misconceptions, fear, and disinformation. This has led to calls to weaken their protected status to make it easier for them to be culled and hunted. The arguments usually center around livestock predation, even though studies show that killing wolves weakens and disperses packs, which can actually increase predation. There are proven practices to enhance co-existence with these vitally essential carnivores. This includes protecting herds with specially-trained dogs and electric fences and, crucially, communicating and educating to win over the hearts and minds of people for whom the wolf remains a source of fear and misunderstanding. If you want to help protect the wolf in Europe, you can sign this petition. To learn more, read our Keystone Species Nexus and our Rewilding Nexus.
Rewilding in London • Scott Hannan
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| The first baby beavers born in urban London for over 400 years appeared on The Ealing Beaver Project’s cameras in late June 2024, just eight months after their reintroduction to Paradise Fields in Greenford. |
For the first time in 400 years, at least two beaver kits were born in urban London and appear healthy and thriving, marking a huge step forward in urban rewinding efforts. The original family of five Eurasian beavers was introduced at Paradise Fields in London in 2023 in a collaboration between the Ealing Wildlife Group and Citizen Zoo. Within eight months, they had built dams and lodges and seemed right at home. Their first offspring appeared this spring and are adjusting well to their new environment. The beaver dams have allowed Paradise Fields to hold more water and release it gradually, in sync with significant rainfall. Their presence has allowed for reduced flooding, improved water quality, and the emergence of a more complex ecosystem. Now that the beavers have reproduced, it is a clear sign that they are there to stay– and the positive feedback loop they initiated is attracting more wildlife to the area. For more information, see our Beavers Nexus.
Vegan Cheese Innovation • Claire Inciong Krummenacher
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New Culture's revolutionary animal-free mozzarella on Nancy Silverton's celebrated pizza dough.
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Cheese currently has the third largest climate footprint among major food products. It is both emissions and water-intensive due to the methane emitted from milk-producing cows and the water required by the crops that feed them (estimated to be over 500 gallons per pound of cheese). However, recent innovations in the vegan cheese industry have resulted in realistic products that mimic the unique properties of dairy cheese for the first time. One pioneer, San Francisco-based startup New Culture, uses precision fermentation to make vegan mozzarella that has since been picked up by a Michelin-starred pizzeria. Meanwhile, Climax Foods uses machine learning to pinpoint ingredients matching the texture and flavor profiles of blue, feta, and brie cheeses. Both innovations are a notable culinary leap forward from the current supermarket options (which often consist of hyper-processed, flavorless offerings that dissolve when heated) and are expected to become less expensive than dairy cheese as the companies scale up. Additionally, preliminary analysis suggests that these animal-free cheeses use less than five percent of the water and land required by dairy cheese production and less than twenty percent of the carbon dioxide emissions.
Repurposing Coal Plants • Juliana Birnbaum
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| Painesville begins Ohio's largest solar project to replace a coal power plant. |
A coal-fired power plant that opened in 1908 is about to find a new incarnation in the clean energy era: a massive solar farm with a battery storage system, integrating wildflower meadows and a bike path. Transforming the Ohio brownfield on the shores of Lake Erie will take four years, funded by a federal grant made available by the Inflation Reduction Act. Repurposing these plants is emerging as a crucial strategy on the pathway to phase out coal and meet decarbonization targets. Globally, coal makes up over forty percent of all energy sector emissions and one-third of the power supply, and demand rose last year even with the growth of renewables. When implemented wisely, retrofitting coal-fired plants can accelerate the energy transition by reusing infrastructure and connection points and providing flexible services that support intermittent solar and wind generation. Finding new uses for the plants means reinvesting in the workforce, saving jobs, and revitalizing communities. It makes so much sense, but policymakers often need a push to mobilize these retirement plans. The Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign in the U.S. is an excellent place to take action and support efforts to replace these highly polluting plants, as is this coalition that works across the European continent.
Community-managed Forests • Hugo Paquin
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Isukha and Idakho communities play an active role in protecting the Kakamega Forest in Western Kenya.
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Forest conservation and restoration are critical tools for climate change mitigation, especially considering that an estimated 1.8 billion people live in and rely on forests for their livelihoods. Yet conservation projects have historically prioritized the environmental dimension (e.g., tree planting, biodiversity protection) at the expense of local communities. A recent study found that community-managed forests offer co-benefits, creating environmental and social synergies. Researchers surveyed 314 community-managed forests across fifteen nations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America over three decades. They concluded that projects benefit when Indigenous and rural communities are involved from the outset (for example, by better recognizing their human and land rights). When these groups are directly empowered as stewards, there is more legitimate local buy-in and better implementation over the long term. Learn more in our Land Protection Nexus and Proforestation Nexus.
Take Action on Nexus
Find out how to support the transition of the global trucking industry away from the use of fossil fuels and towards cleaner and more sustainable power sources in our Freight and Trucking Nexus.
Photo Credits
1. Sergey Uryadnikov / Alamy Stock Photo
2. Courtesy of New Culture
3. Andre van Huizen / Alamy Stock Photo
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