United States

Coronado Cays, Calif. – Just below Nino the gondolier and the couple he’s paddling along for a sunset ride down canals lined by multimillion-dollar homes, a less idyllic scene is unfolding.  An aggressive algae able to clone itself from a fragment the size of a fingernail into an underwater forest that quashes nearly all other life forms has taken root. The chance discovery of Caulerpa prolifera in the Coronado Cays in September triggered an emergency response that might seem something of the cinema. Within a day, a vast network of federal, state and local agencies were stirred into action. “Why are the wildlife agencies treating this like such a big deal?” Jeremy Haas from the Regional Water Board asked rhetorically, acknowledging the scale of the response. The algae smothers out native ecosystems and destroys essential food and shelter resources, pushing out a variety of marine life. It also produces a toxin that...

A reflection of the planet’s increasingly volatile climate and the enduring influence of industrial interests, North American grasslands find themselves at the epicenter of one of the most severe biodiversity crises on the planet. Formerly a vibrant mosaic of life — teeming with migratory birds, diverse fauna herds and formidable predators — the Great Plains and its dwindling wildlife serve as a reminder of the delicate balance essential to sustain ecosystems while also supporting the success of industries necessary for the regional economy and human coexistence. Data indicates that, in the past century, over 60% of native grasslands, totaling 360 million acres, have vanished. Adding to this, another 125 million acres are at risk in the foreseeable future as warming temperatures create opportunities for expanded agriculture in the Northern Great Plains, while woodland encroaches upon grasslands in the Southern Great Plains. But the implic...

A wildfire in the Nantahala National Forest continues to burn without any containment over a week after a lightning strike first sparked it Oct. 23, officials say. A total of 55 personnel from the U.S. Forest Service and North Carolina Forest Service are working the fire, which burns at 90 acres as of Oct. 31, according to a U.S. Forest Service news release. The fire has been mostly growing to the west and northwest toward Flat Branch and Collett Creek. There has been no containment due to “rugged terrain and limited accessibility,” the U.S. Forest Service said in a social media post. On Oct. 29, fire behavior “remained minimal with some smoldering and creeping,” the Oct. 30 news release said. Due to dry fuels on the floor such as leaves, smoke was visible from U.S. 74. A cold front arrived over the fire Oct. 30, “bringing partly cloudy skies, low temperatures, precipitation, and higher humidity, which will decrease fire behav...

Texas A&M Forest Service awarded 260 rural volunteer fire departments with more than $15.7 million in assistance grants last week through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Grant Program. “Our agency is very thankful to state leadership for allowing us the opportunity to assist volunteer fire departments in Texas,” said Jason Keiningham, Texas A&M Forest Service Capacity Building Department Head. “Without question, volunteer fire departments in Texas are among the best in the nation, and they make a huge difference in the lives of people on their worst days.” The funds from these grants will reimburse rural volunteer fire departments for equipment purchased such as fire trucks, training aids, slip-ons and chassis and various fire and rescue equipment. This includes the purchase of 70 fire trucks. “We have a shared mission to protect life and property, and therefore, it is our wish for our first responde...

Hiring a dedicated staff member to advise Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly on water is a move meant to bring the often-siloed issue front and center, said Vijay Ramasamy, who started the job this fall. “My job is to make water central to a lot of our conversations,” Ramasamy said on the Kansas Reflector podcast. Ramasamy, who worked for Kelly previously on energy and environmental issues, was announced as the governor’s new special adviser on water in October. A few weeks later, Kelly announced she would create a water “subcabinet” to coordinate across the numerous state agencies with authority over water. The idea, Ramasamy said, is to have someone in the governor’s office “at a high level that’s thinking about water on a consistent basis.” “So when we have economic development conversations, we’re thinking about water,” he said. “When we’re having policy conversations or legisl...