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‘TIMBER DETECTIVES’ SEEK TO FOIL MASSIVE THEFTS FROM AMAZON, ELSEWHERE

Friday, March 11, 2022

In today’s newsletter, we explore a forest under Toronto, the outdated reason we started Daylight Savings, the story behind a Ukrainian weapon of choice … and chronicle two years of COVID.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY ILJA HENDEL

Drugs and counterfeit goods are the world’s top two criminal sectors. No. 3, with illicit earnings estimated at $152 billion a year, is illegal timber.

What tools does the world have to detect wood from nations whose forests are rapidly being depleted, nations that run afoul of treaties against illegal export? At an institute in Hamburg, Germany, the top “timber detectives” test—and follow the trail of illegal timber. (Pictured above, wood samples of 400 of the most important traded lumber species.)

Technology is making detection more precise—and 30 times faster, Peter Yeung discovers. That has implications for a world that must save much of its forests to forestall the worst of climate change. Read our full story here.

Pictured above, “timber detective” Gerald Koch, curator of the institute’s scientific wood collection. “A lot of the timber being illegally logged is difficult to trace and often customs declarations are wrong,” says Koch. “It’s our job to uncover the truth.”

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STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

These photos chronicle the first two years of the pandemic

What does Syria look like after 11 years of Russian bombing?

Can a former coal-mining region make it as a green tourism destination?

Move your clocks forward this weekend: Why do we have to?

Ukrainians are turning to Molotov cocktails to battle Russian invaders

To jump-start creativity, why not visit a Frank Lloyd Wright house?

NAT GEO NEWS QUIZ
Test your knowledge of this week's events

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

PHOTOGRAPH BY RENE JOHNSTON, TORONTO STAR/GETTY IMAGES

The forest beneath Toronto: More than a million people use the ravines beneath Canada’s biggest city each year to bike, walk, and discover hidden gems. But the forested valleys of the ravine system, which is 30 times the size of New York’s Central Park, are vanishing at a troubling rate. Fortunately, preservation and revitalization efforts are targeting the invasive species that are attacking the ecosystem. (Pictured above, a pedestrian and companions stroll through Moore Park Ravine.) Learn more about the revitalization of the “city within a park.”

4 WAYS TO SEE THE RAVINES

PAID CONTENT FOR VISIT WALES

PHOTOGRAPH FROM GETTY IMAGES

Discover an epic walking adventure along the Wales Coast Path

Remote beaches, scenic seaside towns, and centuries of history come together on this unparalleled footpath following the coastline of Wales. From spotting dolphins in Cardigan Bay to touring centuries-old castles and enjoying spectacular scenery, the Wales Coast Path offers something for every traveler.

IN A FEW WORDS

QUOTE

If we want to increase the number of women in science, we must increase the number of women’s voices at the table and enhance their abilities.

Ineza Umuhoza Grace

Rwandan eco-feminist, environmental engineer, Nat Geo Young Explorer

FROM THE MAGAZINE

PHOTOGRAPH BY REBECCA HALE

AUTHENTIC SEA GLASS COURTESY RICHARD LAMOTTE’S PRIVATE COLLECTION

Real or fake? This sea glass may not be as costly as diamonds, but collectors consider it just as valuable. In fact, as sea glass becomes more rare, artificial versions, sometimes made via acid etching, are serving as substitutes for the real thing. How can you tell the difference? Red or orange shards are probably fake. Is the glass silky smooth or oily? Fake. The frosted white shards pictured above contrast with colorful sea glass. We have the story in April’s edition of National Geographic.

Also: See millions of years of history while beachcombing in San Francisco

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE

LAST GLIMPSE

PHOTOGRAPH BY @EMILYPOLAR

Morning fog over the Yukon: From the forest, you can see an expanse of wetlands that extends alongside the Yukon River. It’s an ideal area for early-morning fog, which Emily Polar captured in this image posted on our Instagram page. Click here to take a virtual ride down the iconic river.

This newsletter has been curated and edited by David Beard, Monica Williams, and Jen Tse. We’d love to hear from you at [email protected].

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