"Wildfire Management Last Hurdle To Farm Bill Agreement"
"A debate over how to manage the nation's forests against wildfire appears to be the last obstacle to passing a 2018 farm bill, Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts said yesterday."
"A debate over how to manage the nation's forests against wildfire appears to be the last obstacle to passing a 2018 farm bill, Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts said yesterday."
"Six months after flood waters swept through this small B.C. city, at least 28 downtown businesses are still closed. Many locals and forestry experts are blaming rampant clearcutting for reducing nature's ability to protect residents from the hell of high waters, but the province insists all is well in the forests of southern British Columbia".
"The deadliest wildfire in California history that destroyed the mountain town of Paradise and killed at least 85 people was 100 percent contained on Sunday, according to state fire officials."
"The Trump administration is pointing to the deadly California wildfires to renew its call for Congress to boost the administration’s ability to remove more brush and trees from federal forests."
Bears, particularly the plentiful black bears that are the source of much human-bear conflict, can serve as a opening to larger environmental stories, such as habitat destruction and the challenges of the “wildland-urban interface.” This week’s TipSheet has some of the good news/bad news on bears, with story ideas and resources for your reporting.
"The level of air pollution in California exceeded world “safe” levels by about 60 times last week after a series of deadly wildfires."
"Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke blamed “environmental radicals” for the California wildfires that have killed at least 77 people, saying they stop forest management practices that could have prevented the fires."
"A decade ago, the U.S. mandated the use of vegetable oil in biofuels, leading to industrial-scale deforestation — and a huge spike in carbon emissions."
"Amid scrutiny stemming from fresh revelations of rampant discrimination, bullying, retaliation and sexual misconduct at the U.S. Forest Service, the agency’s new chief pledged Thursday that she will “do everything in my power to put us on a path to no harassment.”"
"When people think of potential solutions to global warming, they tend to visualize technologies like solar panels or electric cars. A new study published on Wednesday, however, found that better management of forests, grasslands and soils in the United States could offset as much as 21 percent of the country’s annual greenhouse gas emissions."