News
White-nose Syndrome Decimates North Carolina’s Bats
Biologists with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have determined that white-nose syndrome (WNS) continues to decimate bat populations in western North Carolina, with some infected locations showing up to a 95 percent decline in hibernating bats over the past one to two years. The disease, which has been confirmed in seven counties in western North Carolina, does not affect people.
Stream Restoration Challenge Kicks Off with Spring Plantings
This spring, more than 2,000 students from across Maryland got an early start on their Earth Day contributions, planting trees to improve water quality through Governor Martin O’Malley’s Stream Restoration Challenge. The program ─ which is still accepting proposals ─ provides grants for students and groups to carry out projects to improve Chesapeake Bay water quality through service learning and environmental education activities.
Discovering Species - Just a Click Away
Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation or BISON is the only system of its kind; a unique, web-based Federal resource for finding species in the U. S. and territories. Its size is unprecedented, offering more than 100 million mapped records of nearly every living species nationwide and growing. And the vast majority of the records are specific locations, not just county or state records.
Federally Endangered Bat Found in North Georgia: First Indiana Bat in Almost 50 Years
In May of last year, a federally endangered Indiana bat woke from hibernation in her Tennessee cave and traveled to a north Georgia forest. This rite of spring may have gone unnoticed except for the fact that the tiny bat carried a transmitter the size of a toothpick.
FY13 RFP - Q&A CALL REMINDER
The Appalachian LCC will host its first of two Question and Answer sessions for the FY13 RFPs currently open on Monday, March 25th at 2PM EDT.
Disease Deadly To Bats Confirmed In Georgia
The disease that has killed millions of bats in the eastern U.S. has been confirmed for the first time in Georgia. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that bats with white-nose syndrome were found recently at two caves in Dade County.
Undercover Wildlife Operation Cracks Down on Poaching in North Carolina, Georgia
State and federal wildlife officials announced today an undercover operation involving more than 80 wildlife violators and as many as 900 wildlife violations detected.
Eagle Release Draws Attention to State’s Endangered Species Protection Law
The Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Fish and Wildlife today released a rehabilitated bald eagle at a Morris County golf course to draw attention to the 40th anniversary of the state’s endangered species protection law. The annual state income tax check-off provides critical support to efforts such as this.
AMJV Partners Release Cerulean Warbler Best Management Practice Guide
Cerulean Warbler management guidelines for enhancing breeding habitat in Appalachian forests have been released.
OSM Announces More Than $300 Million Available to Clean Up Abandoned Coal Mines
The U. S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) today announced the availability of more than $305 million in Abandoned Mine Land (AML) grants to states and tribes—90 percent of the more than $339.4 million available for distribution—to eliminate environmental hazards caused by past coal mining. OSM administers the grants in accordance with the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA), which requires OSM to make AML funding available to eligible states and tribes.
USDA Reports Synthesize Literature on Climate Change Effects and Adaptation Strategies for U.S. Agriculture and Forests
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released two comprehensive reports today that synthesize the scientific literature on climate change effects and adaptation strategies for U.S. agriculture and forests.
Gov. Deal Honors Three Companies as 2012 Forestry for Wildlife Partners
Gov. Nathan Deal recognized three corporate forest landowners today for their stewardship in land management and practices benefiting the state’s wildlife.
DEC Adopts Chronic Wasting Disease Regulations in Response to Pennsylvania Discovery
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has adopted changes to its Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) regulations that prohibit people from importing into New York state certain parts of white-tailed deer or elk taken in the state of Pennsylvania, DEC Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. This revision finalizes the emergency rule implemented last October.
Generational changes will have a big impact on natural resource jobs
A “perfect storm” describes a rare combination of circumstances coming together to aggravate a situation drastically. Steve McMullin, associate professor of fisheries and wildlife in Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment, predicts a perfect storm ahead for natural resource agencies, which will lose over 40 percent of their personnel in the next decade as baby boomers retire.
Southeastarn CSC Revamps Website
The Department of the Interior Southeastern Climate Science Center has recently revamped its website to include sections on funded projects, partner LCCs, partner resources, and much more.
Initiative Heals Rare Forest and Recovers Squirrel
Fortunately for the West Virginia northern flying squirrel and the Cheat Mountain salamander, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is supported by a number of partners, through the Central Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative (CASRI), in efforts to protect and restore historic red spruce-northern hardwood ecosystems across the high elevation landscapes of central Appalachia. The CASRI is a partnership of diverse interests with a common goal of protecting the remaining red spruce stands and restore red spruce ecosystems where they have disappeared.
USGS-NOAA: Climate Change Impacts to U.S. Coasts Threaten Public Health, Safety and Economy
According to a new technical report, the effects of climate change will continue to threaten the health and vitality of U.S. coastal communities' social, economic and natural systems.
Federal/private partnership brings in 4-to-1 taxpayer returns for conservation
The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation partnership created $40.5 million out of an initial $10.3 million taxpayer investment in 2011 for on-the-ground conservation efforts throughout the United States.
New Website Highlights the 40th Anniversary of Endangered Species Act
In 1972, President Nixon declared that conservation efforts in the United States aimed toward preventing the extinction of species were inadequate and called on the 93rd Congress to develop comprehensive endangered species legislation. Congress responded, and on December 28th, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 was signed into law.
Cerulean Warbler to Benefit from Acquisition of Key Colombian Habitat
The Cerulean Warbler, a bird whose population has declined by about 70 percent in the last 40 years, and 25 other neotropical migrating birds are the key beneficiaries of a successful two-year-effort by American Bird Conservancy (ABC) and Fundación ProAves to purchase and protect key wintering habitat for the birds in Colombia, South America.
