Eco Report – February 3, 2023

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HEADLINES

All Stories by Norm Holy

A new study of more than 80 refineries raises serious concerns about the wastewater they are pumping into lakes and rivers across the U.S. One of those polluters is BP’s Whiting Refinery in northwest Indiana.

A study found that textbooks’ coverage of climate change expanded from 1970 to 2019, but that the increase was inconsistent and that the books had failed to keep pace with the volume of new scientific research on the topic, especially in the last 20 years.

Inside Climate News reports that scientists have known for years that the Arctic is warming faster than the rest of the world—nearly four times faster, according to a recent study.

After years of research on the Greenland ice sheet scientists reported in the journal Nature that temperatures there have been the warmest in at least the last 1,000 years – the longest amount of time their ice cores could be analyzed to.

The New York Times reports the Biden administration announced Wednesday that it has banned logging and road-building on about nine million acres of the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska, aiming to settle a two-decade battle over the fate of North America’s largest temperate rainforest.

A news release by the University of Minnesota shows the importance of wolves in maintaining moose populations. Twenty-three percent of collared moose that died in Northeastern Minnesota over the past 15 years were infected with a brain worm parasite transmitted by white-tailed deer.

CALENDAR

The Brown County State Park Hike Series continues with a “The Lake That Never Was” Hike on Saturday, February 4th, from 11 am to 1:30 pm.  You will learn about Taylor Hollow Lake, a lake that was started but never finished.  The hike is about 2.5 miles long and is very rugged.  Lots of steep climbs with ruts and several creek crossings.  Dress for the weather and wear waterproof boots.  Meet at the Nature Center.

Take the Full Snow Moon Hike at Spring Mill State Park on Saturday, February 4th, from 8 to 9:30 pm.  Join Anthony for a 1-mile hike on Trail 1 and 4 to learn all the history and folklore of the Full Snow Moon.  Meet at the Lakeview Activity Center.

Enjoy the next Winter Exploration Hike on Nebo Ridge at Monroe Lake on Wednesday, February 8th, beginning at 1 pm.  These hikes include off-trail hiking into lesser-known areas.  They are exploratory with no “set” path.  The terrain can be rugged and there are no toilet facilities.  Sign up at bit.ly/weh-feb8-2023.

The next Winter Hike Series at Brown County State Park will be about Wildfire Ecology on Saturday, February 11th, from 11 am to 1:30 pm.  Brown County State Park has its own wild fire burn every year.  You will learn about the burn area, wildfire ecology, wildland firefighting strategies and the effect the fire has on the park.  The hike is about 3 miles long and very rugged.  Dress for the weather and meet at the Nature Center.