Environment
Environment
Skeptics Of Sea Otter Reintroduction Getting Organized On Pacific Coast
Sea otters are undeniably cute, but cuteness only goes so far when major economic interests are at stake. That’s an inference you can make from the emergence of organized pushback to the possible reintroduction of sea otters along the Oregon Coast.
How The View From Space Is Helping Fight Wildfires On The Ground
Scientists have discovered they can track fire lines and can quickly draw attention to spot fires using satellites.
Hopping Into The Wild: Endangered Frog Release Could Help Boost Only Known Population In Washington
Northern leopard frogs are rapidly disappearing in the Northwest. Biologists hope this effort will help the population in Washington.
U.S. Senate Infrastructure Package Could ‘Significantly Improve’ Salmon Habitat
Funding to help fix culverts could open up cold water habitat to Northwest salmon.
Fish Managers Say Salmon Runs ‘Could Have Been Worse,’ After Underwater Video Shows Heat-Stressed Salmon
This summer’s heat wave led to some unhealthy hot water for salmon. But, fish managers said it hasn’t been as devastating for salmon runs as the warm water temperatures were in 2015.
Pining For Whitebarks: Researchers Work Across The Northwest To Save ‘Quintessential Wilderness Trees’
If you’ve ever backpacked in the Northwest’s mountaintops, you’ve likely spent some time among whitebark pines. These important trees are bringing together researchers across the West, who want to save them from a fatal fungus.
Western Ranchers Are Cuttin’ Herds Like Mad To Prep For A Winter With Short Hay
From Oregon to the Dakotas, hay stocks for hungry cattle are already low. On top of that, ranchers say summer pastures are dry from the widespread drought.
Seismic Research Ship Goes Boom-Boom To Seek Answers At Origin Of The Next Big One
Earthquake researchers are eager to dig into a trove of new data about the offshore Cascadia fault zone. When Cascadia ruptures, it can trigger a megaquake known as “the Big One.” The valuable new imaging of the geology off the Oregon, Washington and British Columbia coasts comes from a specialized research vessel.
The Mysterious Return Of Glacier Ice Worms On Mount Rainier
There are thread-like worms on Mount Rainier that reserachers are looking at live at 32 degrees or they die… called ice worms.
Florida Breaks Annual Manatee Death Record In First 6 Months Of 2021
More manatees have died already this year than in any other year in Florida’s recorded history, primarily from starvation due to the loss of seagrass beds, state officials said.
A Wolf In Northeastern Washington Was Killed Illegally. Here’s Why It’s A Big Deal
Wolf poachers go mostly undiscovered — but that hasn’t stopped nonprofit organizations from putting up significant cash rewards for information about these incidents. While rewards generally don’t lead to convictions, Defenders of Wildlife’s Gwen Dobbs says reward offers in cases of wildlife poaching can help raise public awareness, “hopefully serving as a deterrent against potential future incidents, even if a reward does not directly lead to a conviction.”
Washington Court Rules In Favor Of Conservation Groups In Fight Over Cattle Lots And Groundwater
It’s back to the drawing board for state regulators, after the Washington Court of Appeals ordered the Department of Ecology to rework permits for confined animal feeding operations, known as CAFOs. A panel of judges ruled that current waste discharge permits don’t adequately protect groundwater and don’t take climate change into account.
