The Waggle
Issue 87 Graze Anatomy: How Silvopasture Can Help Save the Amazon
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A blood moon lunar eclipse, Everglades, Florida.
Mark Andrew Thomas / Alamy Stock PhotoNature's Conspiracy | Rajiv Joshi
Welcome back to The Waggle, where we listen to the rhythms of the natural world, track emerging regenerative solutions, and celebrate the powerful ways people and ecosystems are shaping a livable future. This week, we will witness a lunar eclipse, traditionally symbolizing a period of significant transformation in many wisdom transitions.
In this issue, we explore how silvopasture could revolutionize cattle farming in the Amazon, how humanity is scaling up innovative battery technology for the grid, and how a beloved pair of bald eagles embodies nature’s resilience.
If there’s one theme running through these stories, it’s interconnection. Regeneration is never a solo act—it happens when communities, technologies, and policies work in harmony with nature. Whether it’s the surprise reappearance of Floreana’s Rail or the legal recognition of the River Ouse’s rights, each story reminds us that regeneration happens when we move together.
Prof. Rajiv Joshi
The Regeneration Team
In this issue, we explore how silvopasture could revolutionize cattle farming in the Amazon, how humanity is scaling up innovative battery technology for the grid, and how a beloved pair of bald eagles embodies nature’s resilience.
If there’s one theme running through these stories, it’s interconnection. Regeneration is never a solo act—it happens when communities, technologies, and policies work in harmony with nature. Whether it’s the surprise reappearance of Floreana’s Rail or the legal recognition of the River Ouse’s rights, each story reminds us that regeneration happens when we move together.
Prof. Rajiv Joshi
The Regeneration Team
Beef Up Biodiversity with Silvopasture | Claire Inciong Krummenacher
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Credit: Knut Ulriksson / Alamy Stock Photo
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Clearing land for cattle is currently the primary driver of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, which both increases endangered species loss and releases tremendous amounts of carbon dioxide. While reducing beef and dairy consumption is a key aspect of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, silvopasture–the intentional integration of trees, grasses, and livestock–can prevent tree loss while also increasing biodiversity and improving the cows’ quality of life. Researchers in Colombia found that at a silvopasture system they studied called El Hatico, the shade trees not only reduce the need for irrigation but also fix nitrogen. This leads to a decrease in the use of climate-polluting nitrogen fertilizers. In addition to these direct benefits, the increase in productivity from the unhindered access to nutrient-rich grasses and leaves also lessens the pressure to clear land for grazing. To learn more, see our Animal Integration Nexus and Silvopasture Nexus.
Rewilding Together | George Biesmans
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Credit: Allen Creative / Steve Allen / Alamy Stock Photo
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With World Rewilding Day just around the corner, the global movement to rewild the world is thrumming with life, from soaring eagles and saiga antelope in the plains of Kazakhstan to pumas roaming once more in Patagonia. Organizations, communities, and millions of people the world over are bringing wild nature back. World Rewilding Day (or WRD) on March 20th is an opportunity to celebrate them, tell their stories, and inspire greater numbers - and a greater diversity - of us to join them. This year’s theme, Rewilding Together, is a reminder that we all have a part to play in cultivating wilder, flourishing, and more hopeful futures for all life on Earth. For the Global Rewilding Alliance that established WRD in 2021, it’s about “framing rewilding as a collective journey” to “shift its narrative from being a niche or radical activity to a widely embraced practice.” We can contribute to that aspiration in countless ways, starting on March 20th, from organizing a rewilding film screening or community workshop to posting on social media or taking part in a local rewilding event. Rewilding Europe has a brilliant guide to WRD 2025, including social media toolkits, educational resources, and other imaginative ideas. Educators, investors, farmers, policymakers, land managers, and citizens can - and must - rewild the world together. To learn more, read our Rewilding Nexus.
Galapagos Rail Spotted After 190 Years | Jonathan Hawken
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Galápagos Rail (Laterallus spilonota). Credit: Adam Jackson / Wikipedia
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The Galapagos Rail (or Crake) was first sighted by Charles Darwin in 1835 on the island of Floreana. Though the species has survived on other islands such as Pinta and Isabela, the furtive bird had not been seen or heard in Floreana since Darwin’s discovery 190 years ago. It was believed to have been outcompeted by a number of invasive species, which conservation efforts have sought to eradicate over the past year, so to rediscover this reclusive bird after nearly two centuries feels like a massive success. The Rail is a near-literal featherweight, coming in around 35-45 grams, comparable to that of a budgie, capable of both flight and swimming, but also described as a slightly awkward flyer, preferring to run to escape predators and hiding within dense vegetation. It’s unclear if the return of the rail is a part of local reintroduction efforts to restore a dozen locally extinct species to the island, so researchers aim to do genetic sampling to find out if the eradication efforts allowed the rail to repopulate naturally or if the reintroduction efforts have seeded new life back onto the Island. Check out this 6-minute interview with The Charles Darwin Foundation’s scientist, Birgit Fessl.
Grid Storage Goes from Margins to Mainstream | Juliana Birnbaum
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Form Factory 1 in Weirton, West Virginia. Image courtesy of Form Energy
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While 2024 broke records for energy storage capacity added to the US grid, this year, the sector is poised for even greater growth. “What makes the story particularly compelling,” writes analyst Michael Thomas in his Distilled newsletter, “is how quickly the technology has matured. Just five years ago, utility-scale batteries were still considered experimental… Today, they're being deployed at gigawatt scale and playing crucial roles in maintaining grid reliability during extreme weather events, reducing electricity costs, and enabling higher penetrations of renewable energy.” According to the Cleanview 2025 State of Clean Energy Deployment report, the US added 10.9 GW of utility-scale storage capacity in 2024, led by California and Texas–a remarkable 65% increase from the previous year. While lithium-ion batteries with a 2-4 hour dispatch duration dominated these installations, advancements in longer-duration storage are underway. This includes other types of electrochemical batteries, such as Form Energy’s iron-air technology capable of 100-hour storage (to be added to the grid this year) and other sorts of mechanical and thermal storage that require no minerals. And in 2025, developers are expected to build even more capacity, with a number of 400 and 500MW projects in the pipeline across states. If you really want to geek out on this, Thomas has developed a real-time database of clean energy projects in the US, with maps and tracking dashboards for solar, wind, and battery storage based on Cleanview data. Or check out our Energy Storage Nexus.
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Form Energy engineer performing tests on iron-air battery modules.
Image courtesy of Form Energy |
The River Ouse Has "Intrinsic Right to Exist" | Scott Hannan
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The River Ouse, Sussex, England. Credit: Melanie Hobson / Shutterstock
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In a historic move for environmental protection, the River Ouse in England has been granted legal rights, marking a significant shift in how natural ecosystems are treated under the law. The action flowed from a community initiative introduced by Love Our Ouse at the River Festival in Lewes in September 2022, and the Rights of River Declaration for the River Ouse became the subject of numerous workshops across the river’s local communities. The decision, inspired by similar actions in countries like New Zealand and Ecuador, recognizes the river as a living entity with the right to flow, be free from pollution, and sustain its ecosystem. “This is a historic moment for environmental protection in England,” said Emma Montlake, co-director of the Environmental Law Foundation, which played a vital role in gaining the River Ouse its own legal rights. The recognition means that representatives can act on behalf of the river in court, ensuring stronger conservation efforts. Supporters argue this approach fosters a more sustainable relationship with nature, helping combat the effects of climate change, pollution, and overdevelopment. This decision reflects a growing global trend of granting rights to nature, emphasizing the importance of ecological preservation for future generations.
Big Bear's Bald Eagles Become Proud Parents | Jonathan Hawken
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Thousands of people have been tuning in to watch the 24/7 eagle nest cam in Big Bear, California, where bald eagle couple Jackie and Shadow introduced three baby eaglets to the world. NBC News (2 mins.)
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Bald Eagles were once on the verge of extinction. Though they were regularly hunted due to their perceived threat to livestock and salmon, the introduction of DDT, the infamous synthetic insecticide, caused a catastrophic population decline via eggshell thinning. Though the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act was passed in 1940, by 1963, only 417 known nesting couples remained. Thankfully, this number has climbed to an estimated 71,400 today.
Jackie and Shadow, the celebrity bald eagle couple of Big Bear Valley, San Bernadino, have had some difficulty in the past bringing forth new eaglets. In 2023, the eggs were eaten by ravens, and last year, the weather was inhospitably cold, but last Thursday they hatched their third healthy chick into their snowy roost. The non-profit Friends of Big Bear Valley has a livestream for your viewing pleasure.
Jackie and Shadow, the celebrity bald eagle couple of Big Bear Valley, San Bernadino, have had some difficulty in the past bringing forth new eaglets. In 2023, the eggs were eaten by ravens, and last year, the weather was inhospitably cold, but last Thursday they hatched their third healthy chick into their snowy roost. The non-profit Friends of Big Bear Valley has a livestream for your viewing pleasure.
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