Environmental News

A curated set of environmental news stories brought to you by the Gottlieb Native Garden team.

Designing an end to a toxic American obsession: The Lawn

Residential lawns cover 2% of US land and require more irrigation than any agricultural crop grown in the country.

Spring Migration in California

The birds you can spot near you

Border wall construction expands, despite pandemic, imperiling jaguars and other animals

With the world focused on coronavirus, the federal government paves way for 175 miles of new walls along U.S.-Mexico border, through prime wildlife corridors.

Camera traps in trees reveal a richness of species in Rwandan park

Can Parks Help Save Fireflies?

The most serious threats to fireflies, according to these scientists, were loss of habitat, light pollution and pesticides, with drought, flooding and extreme temperatures as lesser, but still very significant, threats. 

The fate of burrowing owls near Ontario airport up in the air

ONT has not responded favorably to preservation requests

As climate change messes with temperature and precipitation, California newts suffer

Just three years after the 2011–2017 drought, one of the severest in recorded history for the state, the driest February in 150 years has spurred discussion of whether we’re in another drought — or if the last one even ended. 

Outdoors Q&A: What’s Black and White and (Maybe) Out of Place in California?

It’s not a mirage; those are zebras near Hearst Castle

Beat the COVID-19 Blues With These Wildlife and Nature Livecams

We’ve picked some great webcams around the globe to help keep you sane in these trying times. 

Newly Discovered Wonderchicken Is the Oldest Known Ancestor of Chickens and Ducks

Scientists have discovered the oldest known modern bird fossil, dating back to one million years before the asteroid strike that drove the dinosaurs to extinction.