Endangered Species & Their Lists
We all essentially know what an endangered species is. Wikipedia defines it as “a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular region.” Many species that come to mind when we think of endangered are so because of human activity. Global warming and climate change, […]
What is Reforestation?
It’s been said that forests are the planet’s lungs, but they don’t just provide us with oxygen, they give us shelter and food; they stabilize the land from which they grow, and have a massive impact on the global water cycle. Whole ecosystems are dependent on trees – and so are we. Importance of Forests […]
Coastal Erosion in West Africa
Communities around the world are experiencing coastal erosion. On the one hand, this is a natural phenomenon: storms slam into coasts, blow sand from the beach out to sea and cause catastrophic damages to the environment and infrastructure; even everyday tides crashing continuously into rocky shores, break rock apart and wear cliffs down with a […]
African Spurred Tortoise
Native to the Sahel, the African Spurred Tortoise is the largest mainland tortoise in the world, and the third largest of all tortoise varieties. Also called sulcata tortoises (from their scientific name, Centrochelys sulcata), they are a rather boxy tortoise that can grow up to three feet across – and tall! – and weigh up […]
What is The Sahel?
Many of us are familiar with the common divisions of Africa: northern, west, sub-Saharan, etc. So, what, exactly, is the Sahel? The Saharan Coast From an Arabic word meaning “edge” or “coast,” the Sahel is effectively a border zone between the Sahara Desert in the north and the savannahs of the south. This vast, semi-arid […]
Flood Water
Floods are one of the most common – and devastating – natural disasters in the world. In some areas, however, they are a common occurrence. Floods Many people are concerned about floods right now (October, 2024). Hurricane Milton has just crashed over Florida in the United States, but Typhoon Yagi, Storm Boris, and heavy rainfall […]
Water and Irrigation in The Gambia
Water is abundant in The Gambia. The tiny nation follows along the river for which it is named; one of its two seasons is defined by rainfall; widespread flooding is an annual concern. As climate change worsens, however, this vital resource is becoming increasingly unpredictable. Weather in The Gambia There are two seasons in The […]
Natural Wonders of Africa: Kilimanjaro!
You probably know that the tallest mountain in all of Africa is Kilimanjaro – but did you realize that in spite of being nearly on the equator, it has glaciers? Fire and Ice Kilimanjaro is a volcanic mountain situated in northeastern Tanzania. Rising above the iconic African savanna, its slopes are robed in zones of […]
The Gobi Desert and Revegetation
When it comes to a desert, most of us think hot and arid, with picturesque sand dunes and not much else. The Lut Desert, for example, is the hottest place on Earth, where temperatures reaching 159°F (70.7°C) have been recorded.[1] But while heat is often considered to be hand-in-hand with a desert, this is not […]
Seed Libraries
Food insecurity is high in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in rural areas. In countries such as Liberia and The Gambia, many depend on family and community gardens. Sadly, it is becoming harder and harder for these rain-fed plots to succeed due to the many and varied effects of climate change. Seed libraries can help these gardens […]