Environment

Environment

In one experimental plot, many of the sagebrush in this Moses Coulee area of central Washington were burned to a crisp during the September 2020 Pearl Hill Fire. It can take decades for sagebrush to fully recover after an extremely intense wildfire. CREDIT: Courtney Flatt/NWPB

In Dry Eastern Washington, Scientists Look To Rangeland Management To Address Catastrophic Fires

As Washington works to combat climate change, can rangelands be better managed to make wildfires less catastrophic? What are the most effective solutions to remove invasive grasses, like cheatgrass, which dries out quickly, burns extremely hot and helps fires jump from bunchgrass to bunchgrass? Continue Reading In Dry Eastern Washington, Scientists Look To Rangeland Management To Address Catastrophic Fires

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Drought conditions in the U.S. West, particularly parts of the Northwest, could be eased by an expected 2020-21 La La Niña winter. CREDIT: U.S. Drought Monitor

Looking Forward And Backward: A La Niña Winter And Dry Conditions That Fueled Northwest Fires

The Northwest could see a cooler and wetter winter this season, according to climate outlook models. Forecasters say it’s likely that a recently developed La Niña weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean will continue. That should lead to above average precipitation in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Continue Reading Looking Forward And Backward: A La Niña Winter And Dry Conditions That Fueled Northwest Fires

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A mother wolverine and her kits were successfully captured on webcams in Mount Rainier National Park this spring and summer. Hikers in the park confirmed a sighted of their own in August 2020. CREDIT: National Park Service via Flickr

Conservation Groups Vow Challenge After Federal Decision Not To Protect Wolverines

Conservation groups are vowing to again challenge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s decision not to add wolverines to the Endangered Species List. There are likely fewer than 300 wolverines across its habitat across the Mountain West, which includes populations in Washington, Idaho and Oregon, where 90 percent of their habitat is on federally managed lands and wilderness areas. Continue Reading Conservation Groups Vow Challenge After Federal Decision Not To Protect Wolverines

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