Environmental News

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

California’s relationship with the animal kingdom is broken. Can it be fixed?

Sacramento Bee reporter Ryan Sabalow examines the hardline politics, romantic notions of the West and intractable idealism that have made these problems harder to solve.

Plants can be larks or night owls just like us

Plants have the same variation in body clocks as that found in humans, according to new research that explores the genes governing circadian rhythms in plants.

Commentary: Why the decision to leave the monarch butterfly off the U.S. endangered species list is so concerning

This week the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided not to list the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) on the federal endangered species list.

How to rebuild California forests, with climate in mind

After the catastrophic fires of the past decade, land managers may need to reseed vast acreages. Can they buffer against climate change in the process?

Monarch butterflies denied endangered species listing despite shocking decline

Fewer than 2,000 western monarchs have been counted in California this autumn, but in a long-awaited decision, the government recommends not designating them a threatened species.

California and the West may soon get federal protection

More than 111 million acres of U.S. wilderness have been designated since 1964, when the Wilderness Act was signed by President Johnson. It’s the highest level of protection the federal government offers, ensuring that wild lands remain free of permanent roads, motor vehicles, commercial enterprise and structures of any kind.

Honey bees fend off giant hornets with animal feces

Honeybees spread animal dung on the entrance of their hives to effectively ward off giant hornets

California Wildlife Rehabilitation Centers Receive Financial Support from the State

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is directing approximately $550,000 in grant funding to 45 nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation to immediately support care for injured, sick and orphaned wildlife. The funds are made available from taxpayer contributions to the Native California Wildlife Rehabilitation Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund.

Flightless bird species at risk of extinction

Bird species that have lost the ability to fly through evolution have become extinct more often than birds that have retained their ability to fly, according to new research.

California Wildlife Center Helps Recycle Wood Following Protests

Many building suppliers were running low on plywood and other wood products this year, following the nationwide protests and election anxiety that saw many businesses boarding up their shop windows for extra security.