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Deep in the Sierra Nevada foothills on the Tule River Indian Reservation, tribal member Kenneth McDarment had passed by an ochre-red pictograph countless times throughout his life—a simple yet unmistakable image of a beaver with four paws and a distinctive paddle tail. Estimated to be between 500 and 1,000 years old, this ancient artwork adorned the walls of a rock shelter alongside other paintings of wildlife, humans, and geometric designs created by the Yokuts people.To McDarment, this beaver image seemed like just another beautiful piece of Native art. That is until he looked at it again—this time seeing it clearly with fresh eyes. Newly introduced beaver swimming through the water.Credit: CDFW When severe drought struck the reservation about a decade ago, McDarment and other tribal leaders began searching for innovative ways to conserve water. The answer, it turned out, had been staring at them from the cave walls all along."Sometimes you need to just look at things more often," McDarment told researchers.Glancing back up at the beaver, the pictograph suddenly took on new meaning as McDarment and the other tribal leaders began to recognize the ancient wisdom embedded in their ancestors' art. If beavers had once thrived on these lands and helped manage water resources, perhaps bringing them back could address their contemporary drought challenges. This revelation prompted the tribe to pursue what would become California's first beaver restoration program in over seven decades. - YouTube www.youtube.com From ancient wisdom to modern partnershipThe revelation sparked an unprecedented collaboration between California's Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and Native tribes. In the past, the Tule River Tribe and the Maidu Summit Consortium were dismissed, and told there was "no way to move beavers in California legally."But after years of advocacy and preparation, in 2021, California finally launched its first beaver restoration program since the 1950s in partnership with both tribes.On October 18, 2023, seven beavers were released into their new home in Tásmam Koyóm, a 2,325-acre valley in Plumas County."You just saw this tiny brown furball, this little nugget, catch a ride on the back of his sibling's tail, and it looked like he was surfing. I don't think it set in for days afterward, but that moment will go down as one of the highlights of my entire career. I think we were very proud of what we had done, and really optimistic about the potential that this represents for us and the good we think we can do moving forward." - Valerie Cook, the beaver restoration program manager for the CDFW. Beavers being released to explore their new territory. Credit: CDFW Where did they find the beavers? Set a few traps and catch as many as they could? No. The efforts presented in this project represented a fundamental shift in how California approaches wildlife management and water conservation. The beaver relocation process involved identifying "problem" beavers in areas where they caused flooding, and then safely transporting them to new locations where their engineering skills could work environmental magic. For the first time in nearly 75 years, the state began relocating beavers. "We can make our future different from our past," declared CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham during the historic first release. "Our past is one where we treated these animals and others as varmints, as nuisances, and our culture over time ran them off the landscape. That can't be our future".Nature's ultimate engineers get to workThe results have been nothing short of spectacular. At the Maidu Summit Consortium's Tásmam Koyóm meadow—which means "tall grass" in the Mountain Maidu language—relocated beavers have constructed an impressive 328-foot dam, effectively creating a massive wetland complex that has increased water coverage by more than 22% according to CDFW's April 2025 report. Dams like these offer shelter, a safe home for beavers, and food storage. Image by John Cannon/Mongabay."They are really powerful ecosystem engineers," Emily Fairfax, an assistant professor of geography at the University of Minnesota, told Mongabay. "The number of services they provide to us and ways that they build resilient landscapes is honestly too much to just rattle off all at once."The benefits extend far beyond water storage, with those furry "ecosystem engineers" essentially transforming the landscape into a climate-resilient powerhouse:Wildlife defense system: Research shows that beaver-created wetlands burn significantly less during wildfires—experiencing only about one-third the vegetation loss compared to areas without beaver activity. The dams also create natural firebreaks by maintaining moisture levels that make vegetation much less flammable.Water quality improvement: Beaver ponds act like natural water treatment plants, filtering out pollutants, trapping sediments, and removing excess nitrogen through natural processes. The dams slow the rushing water, allowing contaminants to disperse and beneficial microorganisms to break down harmful compounds.Drought resilience: By storing water during wet periods and slowly releasing it during dry spells, beaver dams create what scientists call "drought buffers" that keep streams flowing when they would otherwise run dry.Cultural reconnection and sovereigntyFor the Mountain Maidu and Tule River tribes, the beaver restoration represents much more than environmental conservation—it's a symbol of just how far they've come in reclaiming their relationship to the land. Nearly two centuries ago, Tásmam Koyóm Meadow was forcibly taken from the Mountain Maidu tribe and was not rightfully returned until 2019. Four years later, the beaver—which the Mountain Maidu call hi-chi-hi-nem and consider as family—finally returned to their land, marking a moment of healing and deeply profound spiritual significance. - YouTube www.youtube.com Shannon Salem Williams, a Mountain Maidu program manager, said seeing the beavers slip into the water was a "full circle moment." Then added, "It was like a big welcoming home."A blueprint for climate resilienceThe success story of California's beaver restoration program proves that sometimes, the most efficient solution to modern issues is simply to return to ancient wisdom.With climate change intensifying droughts, floods, and wildfires across the American West, beaver-based restoration is gaining recognition as a cost-effective, nature-based solution. The California program has become so successful that Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation in 2024 to make the beaver restoration program permanent.Scientists and activists remain hopeful that this trend will continue. "I think we're in kind of an idyllic [stage of] beaver literacy," advocate Heidi Perryman said. "People have begun to hear a lot of good things about beavers, and they're very hopeful that beavers can fix everything that we've messed up."This article originally appeared last year

For those with great grandparents, grandparents, and parents from the Greatest Generation (those born 1901 to 1927) and the Silent Generation (those born 1928 to 1945), much can be learned from how to live a frugal lifestyle. These two generations lived through the Great Depression and World War II, two events that forced Americans to become more resourceful due to difficult financial situations, food scarcity, and rations. Today, people who consider themselves frugal are always looking for more ways to save money. To glean frugal wisdom from older generations that would still be applicable today, one frugal person posed the question on Reddit: "What frugal lesson from your parents or grandparents you still use today?"And many frugal people offered their best money-saving tips from their relatives that they still use today. From how to save on money to utilities, these are the best frugal tips from Redditors: - YouTube www.youtube.com Reuse from your kitchen"My grandma rinsed and reused foil until it crumbled. I rolled my eyes then, now I catch myself doing it. Funny how those 'silly' habits end up smart. Mine also saves glass jars, labeled lids with tape, turned t-shirt into rags, and froze veg scraps for stock. :)" - YourxCherry"I save butter wrappers in the fridge to use for greasing baking pans. To get everything out of empty condiment bottles, I pour a little vinegar, milk or whatever is fitting, then shake it up and use that for salad dressing or other cooking needs." - so-many-cats"I love Tostitos salsa jars. Whatever I cook, such as soup, ground beef, pasta, the extras, or leftovers, everything goes into these jars. They are so perfect for portioning. One jar = one person's meal portion. I literally have more than 30 jars, and they are incredibly convenient!" - Proud_Possibility256"I do not go grocery shopping until my fridge is empty including my freezer zero food waste. I have become very creative with recipes. Saves me money. Always take lunch to work." - Samantha-the-mermaid"My grandmother took care of her five siblings during the depression after her parents died on .45¢ an hour. I make more money in an hour than she made in a week. She never wasted ANYTHING. She taught me to save bacon grease for seasoning, bread ends for bread pudding, leftovers for soup, and coffee grounds and eggshells for the garden. We didn't carve our pumpkins- we painted them and made pumpkin pie out of it after Halloween." - That-Response-1969 "I sometimes hate it that I am like this, but one of the first odd things that come to mind is labeling bottles of home goods like dish soap, body wash, bars of soap, hand soap, etc. so you know which one lasts the longest after purchase. Keep in my mind, my grandmother grew up during the Great Depression. I also spent a majority of my days with her making food (predominately just standing around doing nothing useful). All of the meals we hold dear to our hearts are actually just frugal meals to stretch out. She would get extremely nervous if she came to your home and there were not canned goods. This is winter in the upper Midwest during the Great Depression to put it into perspective, along with canning and preparing for everything. This is a person that lived by candle light basically. When she finally had a icebox, every last meal had to be frozen. No matter what you made, it had to be able to sit there when necessary. You make no meal that cannot be eaten for three days or frozen solid for the next month. I still live by this routine." - WideRoadDeadDeer95 - YouTube www.youtube.com Make your money go further"My mother taught me how to compare prices per item or ounce rather than by the package." - Chicpea09"My parents always framed purchases by how much time I would have to exchange for the item. So when I was in 6th grade and I wanted a TV for my bedroom and it was $120, I would have to do 6 to 10ish baby sitting jobs - then ask myself is it worth that exchange. This is still how I frame most purchases." - BagNo349"My grandfather told me as a teenager that debt is how other people control you. I didn't realize how true this was until my early 20s when I got into mild debt problems. Since then I have been majorly debt averse." - Egon88"Mine told me if you cant pay the milkman 6pence this week, how will you pay him 12pence next week? Lesson learned. I pay my bills on time ALWAYS." - Mundane_Sail_4155"My dad always said it's not a deal if you can't afford it. Of course he didn't have slickdeals either lol." - JasonG5"My grandpa always said ‘Pay yourself first.’ Even when money was tight, he’d stash $5–10 in savings before paying bills. I thought it was silly but that habit built a nice cushion over time." - samdaz712 - YouTube www.youtube.com Save on utilities and living expenses"I hang dry my clothing whenever possible. I find it strangely relaxing to stand outside and carefully hang everything up so it has good airflow. It reminds me of helping my grandmother hang out laundry on their farm. The only thing I changed was painting the tips of my clothespins so I can see them better and don’t forget them on the line accidentally." - SpecificSkunk"MAINTAIN and REPAIR what you already own. Lubricate, tighten, clean. Change filters. Replace belts. Flush. Air out. Condition. Resurface. Store properly. Take care of your stuff." - i_know_tofu"I patch and repair clothes that can be repaired instead of immediately buying new. For instance, we have a comforter that has gotten holes from the washing machine - cheap materials. I'm learning the Japanese art of Shashiko to patch it over my Thanksgiving week break. I find a used item instead of buying new immediately, when our dryer went out, I bought one from an estate sale for the same price as repairing the old one would have cost (and since it was on it's 3rd repair - heavy eye roll on cheaply made crap - I don't feel so bad. I line dry a lot of things. Not everything but a lot." - LeftwingSH"I put on hoodies and blankets and refuse to turn the heater on until the outside temps are about 45 degrees." - thedoc617"How to drive in order to maximize your miles per gallon and reduce wear and tear on the car. Accelerate slowly and try to keep under 2 RPMs. Leave a wide berth between yourself and other cars. Anticipate traffic/stopping, then let off the gas and cruise. Don't ride the brakes." - OrdinarySubstance491This article originally appeared last year

Grocery prices these days are astronomical. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food prices have been on an uphill climb since 2020.The average American family of four spends anywhere from $996-1,603 on groceries, but frugal people and budget shoppers are finding creative ways to save money on groceries with a weekly grocery budget of just $100.Yeah, you read that right: keeping your grocery bill at $100 or less is possible. Budget grocery shoppers shared their best advice for how to save big on groceries on the subreddit r/budget. - YouTube www.youtube.com "Frozen veggies. It’s a myth they are less healthy than fresh. Get the $1 variety bags from aldi. No chopping needed. Each bag is like 4 servings. Dump a bit straight into the pan and cook for like 12 min and you’re good to go." - Dismal_Pop2092"Go on fb marketplace and get an instant pot. For $20-$40. The key to saving on groceries is a little more time cooking so you don’t have to buy the expensive ready made stuff. Instant pot makes it so you can set and forget which is super helpful. The only way I can afford meat anymore is buying whole chicken and putting it in the instant pot (it’s also the tastiest prep imo!)" - Dismal_Pop2092"Cut the junk food. Seriously. It’s a farce that eating healthy is expensive. I promise if you just buy INGREDIENTS and not PRODUCTS your grocery bill will go down significantly." - Dismal_Pop2092"I've been keeping track of our spending for the last 12 months and on average, we were blowing through $825 a month on groceries....and $400 on take out. So I immediately made a menu up for the remainder of the month (this happened in sept 9th) and a grocery list of anything I might need, plus some staples we needed. Then I combined menu planning with freezer cooking. I have the rest of sept meals planned out, prepped and/or frozen. I have all of October meals planned out as well but haven't gone grocery shopping yet. Ive cut our monthly grocery budget down to $400 a month (family of 5) and our takeout budget to $0. And so far.... im $47 under budget for the month and already have all the meals planned." - rickrolled_gay_swan"Bread makers can also be found for cheap at thrift stores, and for basic loaves (including whole wheat) older models work fine. You can make 3-5 loaves of your own bread for the cost of 1 at the store, and you can save even more if you buy things like flour, yeast and eggs in bulk. I have a kid here with gluten intolerance, and making GF bread at home is a huge savings - but just FYI for the GF folks, most older bread makers are not good at making GF bread unless you use them for only the mix and rise and then finish them in your own oven. Oatmeal and other grains are your friend fellow shopper! You can buy them in bulk for cheap." - SunLillyFairy - YouTube www.youtube.com "I also save my fats. bacon grease, chicken smaltz. got little jars for all of it. I also only buy the big generic oil. gave up wasting money on olive oil. just keep a neutral/high smoke point oil around. whatever is cheapest per volume. And I also save my scraps from veggies. i have a ziplock bag for onion and carrot ends, or celery nubs, and on the weekend, will bake a chicken, and make stock the next day." - oneWeek2024"My tip: Make whatever the hell you want in a quarter portion than usual, and then lay it over a bed of rice, beans, lentils, potatoes, pasta, or corn. Does not apply if you’re low-carb. I love carbs. They’re the body’s preferred source of energy, very delicious, and very cheap. I do limit my fats, usually a tsp or two of oil gets the whole pot slick. I prefer lean meats, and they have been very affordable from Costco. $2.77 chicken breast, $3.18 93% ground turkey, $5.40 91% ground beef. Turkey can be subbed for most of my beef recipes." - katie4"Something I’ve found super helpful living alone and trying to budget is I like to get a bang for my buck. Meaning that I will go to Safeway or Costco (I don’t have an Aldi’s) to buy the big azz tub of spinach/greens for $5. I eat a huge amount of it during the week, but the rest I know I can’t finish (at least 1/3 of it), I will freeze. Then, I don’t waste it. I can then add in amounts with my protein powder and soy milk. ? I also do this with my nutpod creamer. If I go to sprouts, sometimes they have a BOGO so you spend $6 for 2. What I do is I have a separate large ice cube tray specific for the nutpod creamer. I will probably drink half of it during the week and the other half I can’t finish in 1.5 weeks before it goes bad. So I save the rest in the ice cube trays. I know these are saving cents or some dollars, but it goes a long way!" - healthnut270"These tips are gold! I'd add: shop your pantry first because I used to rebuy stuff I forgot I had like some grocery store amnesia patient." - PaycheckWizard"I shop around at various stores between TJ’s, Aldi, and Kroger and basically follow the ideas above. I spend about $30-35/wk as a single person. A biggie is cutting the snacks- I don’t buy chips, granola bars, cookies, etc. I also don’t buy drinks, with the exception being Diet Coke when it’s on a major sale at kroger. I do a lot of crockpot meals that I divide up into six servings or so, eating a couple during the week and freezing the rest for later. I always have meal options in the freezer when I want to not buy groceries for a bit. It’s pretty painless once you get the hang of it. I normally only cook once a week or so. I also eat healthier this way when things are planned ahead and in portions." - momthom427 @a1qb2x Heres what $100 can get you at ALDI #fypage #savingmoney #groceryhaul #money #budget #financialfreedom Money-saving grocery tips from financial expertsLooking for even more ways to save on your grocery bill? Financial experts offer nine additional tips.1. Start a garden."Growing even a small amount of food at home can make a difference. Herbs, lettuce, and tomatoes on a balcony or windowsill are inexpensive to start and keep paying off," David Kindness, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), tax expert, and personal finance writer at BestMoney.com, tells Upworthy.2. Buy 'ugly' produce."I also suggest looking for discounted or 'ugly' produce. Stores mark these down heavily, but the quality is usually just fine once you cook with them," says Kindness.3. Check the sell-by date."Another smart move is shopping for items that are close to their sell-by date. Bread, dairy, or meats can often be frozen or used right away," says Kindness.4. Timing matters too. "Another trick is to look for discounts on fresh items close to closing time. Stores often reduce prices on produce, baked goods, or meats to clear shelves, and those markdowns add up fast," Ashley Akin, CPA, tax consultant specializing in tax compliance services, and the Senior Contributor at CEP DC, tells Upworthy. 5. Don't sleep on rewards and savings programs.On top of that, cashback and rewards apps, or even mystery dining programs can help you earn money back on top of your savings. These are often overlooked but they add up over time," Kindness says.6. Compare unit prices."I also tell people to check unit prices rather than just the sticker price." Akin says. "Sometimes the bigger package is cheaper, but not always, so comparing saves you from paying extra just because of packaging."7. Budget for meals vs. snacks."I also remind people to separate their meal budget from their snack budget. It may sound small, but it stops impulse purchases from eating into what you really need," says Kindness.8. Eat before you shop."And whenever possible, shop alone and never on an empty stomach," says Kindness. "It is the easiest way to avoid unplanned extras."9. Get low."Even checking the bottom shelves can reveal the best value items that stores place out of sight," adds Kindness.This article originally appeared last year

Every high school has a few "popular" students that almost everyone likes. They are often chosen to be prom king or queen and elected to the student council. They are the folks that everyone waves to in the hallways, and they are usually confident and friendly.So, what are the traits that make certain people popular and others slink by with little recognition? Are the most likable kids also the most athletic? Do they have a higher GPA? Are they more extroverted? Are they funnier? Are they more attractive? Communications expert Vanessa Van Edwards was recently on The Dan Buettner Podcast, where she shared the common trait that popular kids have in common. Van Edwards, who describes herself as a recovering awkward person, teaches communication skills at Harvard University.Researchers discovered the trait after interviewing thousands of high school students and asking them to list the people they liked at school. It revealed a significant finding: popular kids had the longest lists of people they liked.What traits do popular kids in high school share? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vanessa Van Edwards (@vvanedwards)The findings are straightforward: if you like a lot of people, many of them are likely to like you back. Even though you may no longer be in high school, there are benefits to being popular in your workplace, church, or neighborhood. Van Edwards says we should all learn how to like other people if we want to be likable ourselves.“Learn how to like," she told Buettner. "In fact, be free with your likes. The most popular kids were the ones who were first likers. In other words, they walked down the hallway and they say, ‘Hey, Dan. Hey, Sarah. Hey, Joy.’ They're the ones who walk into a class and be like, ‘Hey, you want to sit with me?’ They are inviters. They are likers. They are looking for good. And in that way, I think that we can train ourselves to be more likable by searching and hunting for likes." @steven Body language expert Vanessa Van Edwards reveals what makes kids popular and the common trait that all of them have ? Full episode on The Diary Of A CEO #podcast #podcastclip #interview #bodylanguage #tips #advice #tip #vanessavanedwards #expert #doctor #dr #didyouknow #popular #friends #diaryofaceo There’s something very positive about the fact that people who like others are liked in return. It’s a great excuse to have an open attitude when meeting new people and to look for the good in everyone around you, even if they may be a little challenging to get along with. What is the reciprocity of liking?There is a concept in psychology known as the reciprocity of liking, which states that if someone likes you, you tend to like them back. Because when someone likes you, they are usually kind and supportive. Therefore, most people like those who like them. However, there is one big caveat to this truth: People with low self-esteem often dislike themselves, so if someone shows them affection, they may not reciprocate because it makes them feel out of balance. Ultimately, if you want to be the popular kid in any of your social or professional circles, you have to like yourself first. Because when you like yourself, there’s a much greater chance that you will like other people. This leads to a virtuous cycle of friendship growth, where you expand your social circle in a wonderfully positive way. This article originally appeared last year