Environment
Environment
Contaminated Former Orchards In Central Washington One Step Closer To Being Safer
Homes, schools, parks and daycares on Central Washington’s former orchards could soon be one step closer to sitting atop less contaminated ground. A workgroup is finalizing a report to help spread the word about pesticide contamination from more than a century ago – and to give advice on how to help clean it up.
Endangered Species Status Of Northern Spotted Owl Will Remain Unchanged
The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service ruled against upgrading the iconic Northern spotted owl’s protection status Monday under the Endangered Species Act.
Scientists Pinpoint Chemical That’s Been Killing Northwest Coho Salmon. It Comes From Tires
Coho salmon returning to freshwater each fall often die, gasping for breath and swimming aimlessly, before they are able to spawn. Scientists now know why. After years of chemical sleuthing, scientists have pinpointed the toxic substance that’s been killing large numbers of coho salmon in Northwest creeks.
Opinion: A Magical Hike On Whidbey Island At Ebey’s Landing Whitewashes Native History
“Despite ‘Leave No Trace’ ethics, there are so many white fingerprints on public lands that it’s like a setting for a CSI episode. Ebey’s Landing, a national historic reserve, is no exception,” Claudia Lawrence writes in this opinion piece first published by Crosscut.
Trump Administration Rushes To Lock In Arctic Wildlife Refuge Drilling Before Biden’s Term
The Jan. 6 auction was set before the end of the comment and nominations period. If leases are finalized before Joe Biden takes office, they could be difficult to revoke.
Much More Than A Spotted Owl Fight: Northwest ‘Timber Wars’ Of 30 Years Ago Revisited In Podcast
Here’s a quick game: When you hear, “spotted owl,” what do you think of? If you were in the Northwest in the 1980s and 1990s, you may think of logging and a fight over endangered species versus jobs and lumber towns surviving. But there’s much more background in that fight than you may remember.
Northwest Bighorn Sheep Could Be In Big Danger — From Close Contact And Respiratory Infection
Bighorn sheep in central Washington could be in danger if domestic sheep continue to graze nearby. That’s the concern from two groups suing the U.S. Forest Service. Domestic sheep or goats can pass a deadly bacteria to bighorns.
We Can See Clearly Now The Smoke Is Gone: 2020 Fires Greatly Affected Northwest Wildlife Habitat
“In this year of, well, exceptions, we’ve been handed an unprecedented level of damage to our wildlife mitigation program,” a Washington state wildlife biologist recently told the Northwest Power and Conservation Council.
Idaho Chinook Salmon Numbers Rise, For Now…But Extinction Looms
The number of chinook salmon returning to the Middle Fork of the Salmon River and its tributaries is just a tiny fraction of historic numbers, experts said. “More is better, but it’s still abysmal numbers,” said Russ Thurow, a research fisheries scientist with the U.S. Forest Service based in the small city of Salmon. “We’re bouncing around just above extinction.”
Farmers Are Warming Up To The Fight Against Climate Change
Several big farm groups, traditionally hostile to environmental regulations, are now working with environmental advocates in support of farmer-friendly actions to reduce carbon emissions.
Trump Administration Rushes To Sell Oil Rights In Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Officials hope to auction off leases before President-elect Joe Biden takes office. He has pledged to protect the pristine landscape that’s home to polar bears and migrating caribou.
Inland Northwest Trees Are Playing An Outsized Role In Curbing Climate Change, Study Says
New research suggests that a U.S. Forest Service proposal to allow the cutting of larger trees on public lands east of the Cascades in Oregon and Washington will have an outsized impact on forest carbon storage in the Pacific Northwest.
