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| News From the Center |
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By Dan Ehresman As our climate becomes more unpredictable and weather extremes become more intense (compounding the many other factors affecting our environment) it calls for more urgent action towards a culture of stewardship that is not only about getting by in the present day, but building a more adaptable, resilient future for those who follow. It was with this thought in mind that on a beautiful weekend in March, the NEC Board and staff gathered together to strategize about the role the NEC will play in the years ahead.
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| Endangered Species Act: Celebrating 40 Years of a Great American Law |
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By Dr. Mark Rockwell In the early years of American history, our country was blessed with a great abundance of fish, wildlife and other creatures that both sustained our growing population, and filled us with a sense of wonder. Lewis and Clark reported to our young Eastern country about the diverse and abundant wildlife in the west, and nearly everyone thought it was inexhaustible. As the years rolled by, however, we found that our excesses, in both hunting and development, resulted in depletion of the vast numbers of buffalo, salmon, waterfowl, and many other species we took for granted—to the point where we began to drive species toward extinction.
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| Keystone XL Pipeline Could Define Obama's Presidency—and our Future |
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By Dan Sealy A new era of environmental activism and civil disobedience is attempting to tackle perhaps its greatest opponents—Big Oil and Climate Change. To many, the proposed Keystone XL pipeline is the prominent symbol of this fight.
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| Kin to the Earth: Sandra Corcoran |
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By Dan Ehresman In this issue of EcoNews we wish to honor Sandra Corcoran, a long-standing community advocate and friend of the NEC. Sandra passed away on August 18, 2011. She was 73 years old. In preparing to write this piece about a person who I am so grateful for, but who I did not personally know, I wanted to be sure to bring in stories from those who knew and loved her. It was a profound experience talking with many of Sandra’s friends and colleagues. Everyone I spoke with mentioned the breadth of Sandra’s interests and her devotion to building a better community.
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| State to Monitor Pesticides on the Smith River |
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After years of pressure from the Siskiyou Land Conservancy (SLC), a state water quality monitoring plan will sample streams of the lower Smith River. The announcement comes nearly three years after scientists from the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board found copper at levels 28 times the California legal limit in a stream reach adjacent to the area’s Easter lily bulb farms.
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| Creature Feature: Aleutian cackling goose - an Endangered Species success story |
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Today, the Aleutian cackling goose is common on the North Coast, but 70 years ago it was nearly extinct. The goose is hailed as among the Federal Endangered Species Act’s greatest success stories, along with species such as the bald eagle, American alligator, and whooping crane.
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Pulic Comment Period Now Open to Inform North Coast Marine Protected Area (MPA) Monitoring
California Ocean Science Trust, March 27, 2013
Roadless Rule Surives Final Legal Challenge
EarthJustice, March 25, 2013
California Commission Rejects Navy Sonar Project That Threatened Whales, Marine Mammals
Center for Biological Diversity, March 8, 2013
Pesticide Manufacturer Contests EPA Decision to Ban 12 d-CON Products
American Bird Conservancy, March 7, 2013
Scientists Predict Extinction in 20 Years for Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtles; Conservation Efforts Needed Immediately
Center for Biological Diversity, February 28, 2013
Five Executive Actions Against Climate Chaos: What the President Should Announce in State of the Union Speech
Center for Biological Diversity, February 11, 2013
Stop Green Diamond's Plans to Clearcut Around Strawberry Rock
Friends of Trinidad Forests, February 5, 2013
Federal Klamath Dam Removal Report Finalized
Karuk Tribe, February 4, 2013
Eco-Film Night: Green Fire - Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for our Time
Green Fire describes the formation of Leopold's idea, exploring how it changed one man and later permeated through all areas of conservation. The film draws on Leopold's life and experiences to provide context, and explores the deep impact of his thinking on conservation projects around the world today.
The film will be introduced by David Rains Wallace, author of seventeen books, who has written about Leopold in Sierra magazine, the New York Times Book Review, and the Los Angeles Times Book Review.
CLICK HERE for more information!
Say NO to GMO Salmon! Comment Period EXTENDED through April 26!
Tell President Obama and the U.S. FDA that you strongly oppose the approval of GE salmon to protect consumer health, the safety of our environment and the long-term integrity of our food supply. GE salmon pose serious risks to our marine environment and wild populations of salmon.
CLICK HERE for more information!
Co-sign the Open Letter to Obama Calling for Bold Climate Action!
President Obama has promised action to confront climate change. To do that, he must end the detrimental "all of the above" energy policy of his first term. Please add your name as a co-signer on 350.org's open letter urging him to take bold action to confront climate change NOW.
CLICK HERE to sign the petition!
Our Office in the Creamery District
If you haven't visited us in awhile, don't forget we are now located in the Greenway Building (formerly the Yakima building, near the Creamery building) at 1385 8th Street (near the corner of 8th and N) in Arcata. The Greenway Building provides us with opportunities to host meetings and events, as well as collaborate with the many other green non-profits and businesses (Friends of the Eel River, Greenway Partners, Ocean Conservancy, and Plan It Green, to name a few) located in the same building.
Our new office is located in Suite 226, up the stairs from the rear entrance. CLICK HERE for directions to our new space!
Local Events Calendar
