Here’s a roundup of some of the stories that have captured Life & Soul Magazine’s attention this week:

1. The remarkable power of the prickly pear – A stalwart of the Mexican landscape is finding a second life powering up buildings in the desert, and it is proving to be an unusually sustainable biofuel, according to BBC Future.

2. Scottish villagers plan to buy out landowners for eco moorland project – Despite funding challenges, community aims to increase biodiversity at Langholm Moor, making it resistant to climate change, The Guardian writes.

3. How a salt marsh could be a secret weapon against sea level rise in B.C.’s Fraser delta – An often-underrated ecosystem supports millions of migratory birds, provides critical habitat for young salmon, absorbs carbon and plays an essential role in flood prevention. An ambitious project aims to draw on the power of the salt marsh, gradually raising its level to create a ‘living dike’, The Narwhal reports.

4. Thai indigenous tribe joins force with park rangers in a forest conservation programme of Thailand’s southern Songkhla province – The Mani tribe will inform rangers of any illegal logging or hunting they encounter, while conservationists will provide tree saplings for the Mani to plant in the forest, Pattaya Mail reports.

5. Coronavirus, conservation and the wild places we should be travelling to – Following a report on bear conservation in Italy, National Geographic checks back in with Paul Lister, founder of the The European Nature Trust, to gauge the impact of coronavirus on European landscapes — and what lies ahead for travel and conservation.

6. Consultation launched on the England Tree Strategy – Everyone – from farmers, foresters and land managers, experts and environmental organisations, to members of the public – is being invited to give their views on the future creation and management of our trees, woodlands and forests, according to the UK Government.

7. Prince William backs report aimed at ‘ending the illegal wildlife trade for good’ – Prince William has praised efforts to “end the illegal wildlife trade for good” and backed a new report by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) highlighting the global threat caused by the highly-lucrative criminal enterprise, The Independent writes.

Rosa Medea is Life & Soul Magazine’s Chief. She writes about lifestyle including sustainable and green living.