The European Parliament has passed the Soil Monitoring Law. This law will establish an EU-wide soil health monitoring system, addressing a soil degradation crisis in the EU and giving Europe a leg up on soil health and climate action. Read the full article: https://eeb.org/european-parliament-seals-the-deal-of-first-ever-eu-law-on-soils/

Trees can absorb metals from the environment, but the process is still largely unknown. A recent study of Norway spruce with gold in it's needles is helping scientists understand the role of microbes in this process. Read the article from The Weather Network or the study published Environmental Microbiome.
The Weather Network: https://www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/nature/habitats/scientists-find-gold-particles-growing-in-spruce-tree-needles
Environmental Microbiome: https://environmentalmicrobiome.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40793-025-00770-x

Climate change may be at fault again. Recent lab tests show that higher temperatures were the reason for monarchs' reproductive pause during migration. Read the full article: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/warm-autumns-monarch-butterflies-decline

Scientists are using AI to create a map of the planet's mycorrhizal fungi. Read the full article: https://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2025/07/massive-new-underground-atlas-could-alleviate-our-fungus-blindness/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=massive-new-underground-atlas-could-alleviate-our-fungus-blindness

Stringy, sticky polymers extracted from sliced okra and blended fenugreek seeds can trap microplastics in a variety of water sources. Read more from The Dirt News: https://thedirt.news/fenugreek-and-okra-can-remove-microplastics-from-water/

Hélène Chartier, Director of Urban Planning and Design at C40 Cities, discusses why urban planners can the best climate activists. Read the full article from Evergreen: https://www.evergreen.ca/stories/c40s-helene-chartier-on-how-urban-planners-can-be-the-best-climate-activists/

You may have already seen what happened when wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. But a 20 year study has allowed researchers to dive deeper into the effects of apex predators and better understand their impact on the whole ecosystem. Read the full article: https://www.livescience.com/animals/land-mammals/reintroducing-wolves-to-yellowstone-helped-entire-ecosystem-thrive-20-year-study-finds?utm_term=0D91C092-D416-4EF1-87AF-48F324AD52D3&lrh=19917ed234756cf8a0484e3923cfb5a0866c42a132a64f04b0aca9950bba4647&utm_campaign=368B3745-DDE0-4A69-A2E8-62503D85375D&utm_medium=email&utm_content=513D6FA7-397D-466D-9167-7DEC142BE2BB&utm_source=SmartBrief

Bacterial cellulose has been found to enhance plant healing. Read how the discovery was made: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/bacteria-band-aid-plants-heal-wounds

Article is available with free account. 

Gaia College instructors and staff will be busy in the coming weeks with workshops and tradeshows. Come find us to say hi!
 
BCRPA Professional Pathways Tradeshow: https://www.bcrpa.bc.ca/conferences/
Michael Hermary will be at the Tradeshow on February 27.

Seedy Saturday: https://seeds.ca/events/
Christina Cook will be at Victoria (February 15) and Julia Dupuis at Ottawa (March 1)

Soil Amendments: What and When with Christina Cook: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/soil-amendments-what-and-when-tickets-1060300500339 

Tips and Tricks of Starting Seeds with Jennifer Burns-Robinson: https://www.gaiacollege.ca/webinars

Landscape Design Workshop with Annette Vierling: https://www.specialtygardens.ca/

Native Seeds with Laurie Smith: https://www.gaiacollege.ca/webinars

You've probably never heard of Prochlorococcus bacteria. These little workers are an important part of our planet, create 10 to 20 percent of the atmosphere's oxygen.  Researchers in Spain have recently learned that these microscopic bacteria are actually connected to one another, building bridges to support life on Earth. 

Read more: https://www.wired.com/story/life-on-earth-depends-on-networks-of-ocean-bacteria/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us