And now, for something completely different. Good environmental news!

Well, it’s not always bad, but we could certainly use even just this little bit of  good right now, what with all the tragic landslides, floods, and wildfires happening around the globe right now.

Photo credit: USDA

To wit: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has taken the Tennessee Purple Coneflower off the Endangered Species List.  The flower, Echinacea tennesseensis, faced the dual threats of development and poaching for commercial medicinal use.

But Tennessee has since enacted a rare plant law and protected parcels of land where this endemic (native only to the area) species grows.  It took a bit more than 30 years, but the little guys recovered–another sign that, when cared for, nature is resilient, up to a certain point.

- by Kristin Espeland Gourlay