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2022 has certainly had its low moments, but there have been moments of joy and reasons to celebrate.

From the Lionesses’ historic Euro 2022 win to Sam Ryder achieving the UK’s highest Eurovision finish since 1998, from Taylor Swift making history as the first person to claim every slot in the top 10 of the US singles chart to the incredible success of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, it’s not all been doom and gloom.

Here are some of the more positive news stories you might have missed in 2022.

First wild bison born in the UK in thousands of years

In early September, rangers at West Blean and Thornden Woods noticed that one of their female bison had seemingly disappeared for a few days. After spotting her in a secluded location, they got an unexpected surprise: a bison calf. It is the first to be born in the wild in the UK in thousands of years.

Three female bison were introduced to the woodland as part of a rewilding project. As Europe’s heaviest land animal, bison are brilliant for clearing paths through undergrowth. This allows greater light to reach the forest floor, encouraging new plant growth and creates more space for wildlife to thrive. Birds can also gather moulted fur to line their nests. By using bison to manage the woodland, there is less need for machinery.

Initially, the bison are being contained within a smaller enclosure whilst they become familiar with their new surroundings, but it is hoped that by next summer they will be released into the full 200-hectare (2km²) site. They will live wild lives.

The joyous news of the bison calf’s birth was shared on Instagram by Hollywood actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio.

England win Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup

It was a nail-biting finish, but England’s captain Tom Halliwell’s last-minute try secured a 28-24 victory over a strong French team. At the halftime break it was advantage France, who had a 14-12 lead but the England team fought back with tries from Lewis King and Jack Brown. Halliwell was also voted player of the match.

England have won the trophy before, in the inaugural tournament back in 2008. However, this win was particularly poignant, as it is the first time that the wheelchair tournament has been played at the same time as the men’s and women’s running matches. It also came in front of a jubilant home crowd, with 4,526 people in attendance at the match in Manchester, which is a world record within the sport.

Wheelchair Rugby League is an inclusive sport, in which both physically disabled and non-disabled athletes (maximum of two at elite level) are able to play together on the same team. It uses a five-a-side format and games are split into two 40-minute halves. You might have noticed players wearing brightly coloured tags on their shoulders. If a tag is removed by a defender, that is a tackle. Each team is allowed six tackles before the ball switches to the opposition.

Potential breakthrough in Alzheimer's treatment

Attempts to treat the most common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, took a significant step forward this year. Scientists conducted a large scale trial in which 1,795 volunteers were given the medical drug lecanemab, and initial results appear to suggest that it may be able to slow down (not cure) the damage to the brain.

Lecanemab is an antibody, which means that it attacks a specific foreign substance within the body. In this case, that’s beta amyloid. This sticky gunge is actually a protein which gets into the spaces between neurons in the brain and builds up plaque.

Currently, the effect of lecanemab is small and it would need to be administered in the early stages, before many people even realise they have Alzheimer’s disease. There are also side effects to consider and it is not yet approved for wider use. However, the development of this potential treatment has still been welcomed by researchers and Alzheimer's Research UK, as a sign of progress and a foundation on which to develop more effective therapies.

Redwood forest returned to Native American tribes

At the start of 2022, the ownership of over 500 acres (2.02km²) of redwood forestland in California was handed over to the InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council. This group represents 10 federally recognised Northern California tribal nations, whose ancestors had been forcibly expelled from the land by colonists.

Formerly known as Andersonia West, the forest has now reverted to its original name, Tc'ih-Léh-Dûñ (pronounced tsih-ih-LEY-duhn). Translated from the Sinkyone language, it means ‘Fish Run Place’.

As stewards of the land, the council’s focus is on protecting the forest and the wildlife within it, making the most of Indigenous knowledge and methods. Historically, the towering and ancient redwood trees have been felled by commercial lumber companies to sell as timber. Part of the conservation work will look at how combat the spread of California’s destructive wildfires, such as by setting smaller, controlled fires to clear undergrowth.

A further 163 acres (0.66km²) of redwood forest just north of Tc'ih-Léh-Dûñ was donated to the Sinkyone Council by the Save the Redwoods League in 2012.The League's president and CEO Sam Hodder stated: "We believe the best way to permanently protect and heal this land is through tribal stewardship".

This article was published in December 2022.