We’ve scanned the media – in print and online – for items of interest to ELA’s ecologically focused audience.
The Real Case for Saving Species
Conservationists argue that humans need to save species in order to save themselves. The truth is that we could survive without wild species – but they can’t survive without us, and there is an overwhelming moral argument for protecting them and the beauty they bring to the world. Read the article at YaleEnvironment360.
Bird Populations Plummet
Researchers drawing on decades of data collected on bird populations for North America report that wide-spread decline of birds over the past 50 years, resulting in the cumulative loss of billions of breeding individuals across a wide range of species and habitats. Read more in Science.
Are Number of Species a True Measure of Ecosystem Health?
A controversial study has found no general decline in the number of species in individual ecosystems. Some scientists see this as evidence of how species adapt, while others see it as a sign that common invasive species, such as rats and mosquitoes, are the real winners. Read more at YaleEnvironment360.
Green Your Thanksgiving
You’ve tipped the menu in favor of vegetables and encouraged guests to carpool. What else can you do to “green” your Thanksgiving gathering? Check these 10 tips from Big Green Purse.
Forests Fighting Climate Change
Two recently released reports document the role of forests in storing carbon and mitigating climate change. Read more in Frontiers in Forests and Global Change and Northeast Wilderness Trust.
Conscientious Coffee Consumption
Trying to minimize the toll of your morning coffee on the planet? Here are nine ways to lessen your environmental impact so that you can enjoy your coffee that much more. Read the list in Sierra.
Innovating Stormwater Management Practices
As the number and intensity of storm events increase, the Rhode Island Green Infrastructure Coalition is partnering with the city of Providence to create a Stormwater Innovation Center at Roger Williams Park. Find out more in EcoRI News.
New Threat to NE: Beech Leaf Disease
A beech leaf disease is a new threat to native and non-native beech trees in forest and landscape settings in New England. First detected in 2012 in Ohio, the disease has spread to nearby states and Canada and was recently found in Fairfield County, CT. Find out more on ResearchGate. Read a Fact Sheet from The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.
Ticks Remain a Threat in Cold Temps
Although temperatures have plunged to below freezing in many parts of the U.S., blacklegged (deer) ticks are not killed by freezing temperatures and remain active when temperatures rise above freezing and they are not covered over by snow. You can find out more from the UMass webinar series: TickTalk. Refer to the University of Rhode Island Tick Encounter.
Seeking Dangerous Duo
Live in New York City or visiting soon? The New York Botanic Garden has an EcoQuest challenge asking citizen scientists to look for porcelain berry and Oriental bittersweet. You can read about the project in this ELA Newsletter article and find out more about the challenge on the NYBG website.
Spotted Lanternfly Update
Rhode Island remains a hold out in the spotted lanternfly invasion. Read an update from EcoRI News.
