Fish cats are a kind of cats that love water and love to fish. They are like tigers and lions, only much smaller, around twice the size of our average pet cats. They live in wetlands of South Asia and mangrove forests （红树林）of South and Southeast Asia. Like many endangered species, fish cats were in danger of dying out more than twenty years ago, mainly because of the great international need for fish food and the people's cutting of the mangroves at an extremely fast speed.

Mangroves of Southeast Asia are home to a great many fantastic species, like fish cats, turtles, shorebirds and others. Mangroves can protect soil, and they can be the first line of protection between storms, tsunamis and the millions of people who live next to them. The fact is that mangroves can store almost five to ten times more CO2 than other forests. So protecting mangroves may well be like protecting five to ten times more of other forests.

Ten years ago, in South India, many people came together to change the future of their home. In less than 10 years, with international support, the state forest departments and the local people worked together to restore over 20,000 acres of unproductive fish and shrimp farms back into mangroves. Now experts are working with them in helping study and protecting the mangroves as well as the species living in them. Fish and shrimp farmers are now willing to work with experts to test the harvest of nature protection like fishes, turtles and other species in mangroves. The local farmers are encouraged to protect and plant mangroves where they have been lost. A win-win-win for fish cats, local people and the global ecosystem（生态系统）is being built.

In 2018, Pakistan promised to plant ten billion trees in an effort to slow climate change and to save a land that has been destroyed.

That program, whose name is 10 Billion Trees Tsunami, has been taking effect slowly for the past two years, but it recently has received unexpected help from the coronavirus(新冠病毒). Many Pakistanis are suddenly unemployed, so the government has given them jobs as tree-planters. Unemployed day laborers have been turned into "jungle workers", planting trees for 500 rupees a day($3). It's not much, but it can help the unemployed get by.

As the coronavirus struck Pakistan, the 10 Billion Trees campaign was halted as part of social distancing orders put in place to slow the spread of the virus. But earlier this month, the government allowed the forestry agency to restart the program and create more than 63, 600 jobs.

The program is employing three times the number of planters as it normally does, and the planting season has been extended from May(its usual end)throughout June, in order to keep workers employed. All workers are being told to wear masks and keep two meters of distance from others.

Shahid Rashid Awan, project director for Punjab province, said the project hopes to reach 50 million trees this year. “We can absorb all the unemployed laborers and workers who have fled the cities and returned to their villages in the past few weeks.”

A study declared tree planting to be an effective way to store carbon, and if planted in large quantities around the globe, a powerful solution to climate change. While it won’t fix every climate-related problem we have, it can go a long way if done widely, which is exactly what Pakistan is trying to do with such impressive determination.

And the workers will benefit greatly, too. Not only are they able to earn money and support their families at a difficult time, but they’re outside in the fresh air, away from the potential health risks from more tightly-packed urban environments. It’s a brilliant idea that all country leaders should consider copying.

Teaching Your Dog Tricks

Dogs are social animals who enjoy spending time with us, and training is a wonderful way to create quality moments together. Teaching tricks provides a great mental workout for your dog. 【小题1】 Teaching your dog tricks should always be fun and rewarding for you both. It is entertaining and lets you show friends just how clever your dog is. 【小题2】

Start the moment you bring your puppy home. Most puppies are very enthusiastic and eager to learn, and you will be amazed at what you can achieve together if you commit to regular training. 【小题3】 Older dogs will also benefit from the mental stimulation (刺激) of learning tricks and it can further strengthen your bond.

Train when you are in a good mood. Training should be a positive experience for your dog, so only train when you are not tired or distracted (分心). Put your mobile phone away so you can focus without distractions.

【小题4】 A dog has a short attention period, so you should train when it is focused. Most dogs are eager for food before their meals, so this is usually a good time for training. Keep sessions short — five to ten minutes, a couple of times a day, is enough to make progress.

【小题5】 Many tricks will require your dog to know the basics such as Sit, Stay and Drop before you can progress. For example, you can’t teach your dog to shake paws without it knowing how to sit, or to roll over without it knowing how to drop.