Our Daily Planet: Year of the Forests and Wildebeest Migration

Each weekday morning, OurAmazingPlanet takes the pulse of the Earth, reporting on natural phenomena and exploration news from around the globe.

Year of Forests: Forest loss around the world has slowed, mostly because of more planting than chopping in Asia.

Windy City Whopper: Chicago seems to have been punched the hardest by the most recent winter storm. The city topped out at 20.2 inches (51 centimeters) of snow, making the storm the third biggest ever recorded for the city. [Related: Whopper Winter Storm Can't Compare to '93 Superstorm .]

Wildebeest Migration: A proposed road through Serengeti National Park would cut off one of the world's greatest migrations, that of wildebeests, and lead to a 35 percent loss in the herd, according to a new study.

Yasi Fuel: Hot oceans and a strong La Nina fueled Cyclone Yasi, which socked Australia yesterday. [Related: Cylcone Yasi Pounds Flood-Ravaged Australia .]

Previously on Our Daily Planet: Chicago Snow and Groundhog Day

Reach OurAmazingPlanet staff writer Brett Israel at bisrael@techmedianetwork.com. Follow him on Twitter @btisrael.

TOPICS

Brett Israel was a staff writer for Live Science with a focus on environmental issues. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from The University of Georgia, a master’s degree in journalism from New York University, and has studied doctorate-level biochemistry at Emory University.