Our cover photograph by Carl Kurtz shows fireflies (Pyractomena borealis) on the Iowa prairie. We selected this image for the Encyclopedia of Sustainability because it so vividly presents the beauty of a restored habitat and speaks volumes about the rich life that exists on our planet. It also has symbolic resonance. The myriad points of light remind us that a sustainable future depends on sparks of inspiration, innovation, and insight from people around the world.

March 2025: Beaver lodges are a fortress against predators and winter weather.  It appears they are about 90% mud mixed with sticks, branches and dried cattails.  This one was about 18 feet across at the water surface and about 5 feet in height.  The large white branches cleaned of their bark have been a food supply before they were added to the structure.