Cool Green Holiday Book Review 2025

Six of our favorite conservation and nature books to enjoy this holiday season.

Matthew L. Miller and Jennifer Winger

Family, Survival and Change: The Secret Life of the Red-cockaded Woodpecker 

Lauren Pharr uncovers how family bonds and teamwork help red-cockaded woodpeckers thrive in longleaf pine forests, even as climate change reshapes their world.

Lauren D. Pharr

Meet the Gopher Tortoise, Hero of the Longleaf Pinelands

Gopher tortoises are one of Florida’s most fascinating reptiles, and a keystone species of the longleaf pine ecosystem.

Justine E. Hausheer

Growing Seagrass? Better Add a Sprinkle of Bird Poop

TNC and its partners are restoring habitat with the help of a little bird-poop fertilizer.

Jenny Rogers

Meet the 7 Swans a-Swimming

Those seven swans a-swimming aren't just for the holiday song. There are seven swan species—and each has its own wild story.

Matthew L. Miller

The Mystery of the Mast Year

Scientists still aren’t sure why some populations of trees drop extraordinary quantities of nuts, fruits, or seeds every few years—or how they coordinate across vast ranges to do so.

Ashley Stimpson

Risk, Resilience, and the Power of Community Preferences

Climate adaptation starts locally. See how TNC partners with communities to reduce risk and scale nature-based solutions.

The Editors

Get Up Close With Alabama’s Rivers

Follow photographer Mac Stone as he explores the pitcher plant bogs, nesting bird islands, and floodplain forests for Alabama’s river ecosystems.

Jenny Rogers

Turning the Lens on Mongolia

Mongolia shaped his photography career. Now, 25 years later, he returns to capture the country’s commitment to a sustainable future.

Jenny Rogers

Meet the Apalachicola Redhorse, a Newly Recognized Fish Species

For more than 50 years, the Apalachicola redhorse was a fish with no name. Learn more about this newly recognized species of sucker.

Matthew L. Miller

Searching for Black-backed Woodpeckers After the Burn

Learn the fascinating life history of the unusual, elusive black-backed woodpecker.

Matthew L. Miller

The Swift Fox Makes a Surprise Comeback

New research shows North America’s smallest canine might be more adaptable than anyone previously thought.

Christine Peterson