In the Golden State, dangerous drug cartels are growing pot on public lands—putting wildlife, water supplies, and outdoor enthusiasts at grave risk. Read the original article here and enjoy the spectacular photographs. In the gray half-light of dawn, eight figures creep through the dry pine forest near Quincy, California. Seven of them wear camo uniforms … Read more
Though the United States set aside 90,000 acres for wildlife refuges on the Oregon-California border, it allows spraying of agricultural pesticides on tens of thousands of acres there, defeating the purpose of the refuges, the Center for Biological Diversity claims in court. The Center for Biological Diversity sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on … Read more
Northern California has become the center of the state’s cannabis-growing industry, with inevitable environmental consequences. Will legalization and new regulations ease its impact or make the situation worse? IN NOVEMBER 2016, California legalized recreational marijuana. The decision, supported by 56 percent of the state’s voters, allows marijuana to be shared, traded, grown at home and smoked … Read more
Part I: When Marty met Linda In December 2013, a couple of neighbors from an upscale residential development on the Central Coast attended a community meeting at a middle school in Arroyo Grande. They had gone to learn about a new project proposed by oil giant Phillips 66 for its Santa Maria refinery, which sits … Read more
The Lakota phrase “Mní wičhóni,” or “Water is life,” has become a new national protest anthem. It was chanted by 5,000 marchers at the Native Nations March in Washington, D.C. on March 10, and during hundreds of protests across the United States in the last year. “Mní wičhóni” became the anthem of the almost year-long … Read more
Both sport and commercial salmon fishing near the Klamath River could be completely closed this year as a result of what the Pacific Fishery Management Council is projecting to be the lowest return of spawning Chinook salmon on record. “The salmon runs this year will present a challenge for ocean fishermen and managers throughout the … Read more
The spring-fed water that flows through Hansen Creek in southwestern Alaska is almost always clear. Its rate and temperature stay relatively constant throughout the year. Each summer, sockeye salmon migrate through the shallow, narrow creek bed in distinct pulses, in a migration pattern common to salmon populations around the world. Why the salmon move in … Read more
Two straight months of heavy rainfall have effectively ended five straight years of drought in California. But with parts of the state reporting more than 100 inches of precipitation since last fall, the rain activity has also caused floods, road closures, infrastructure damage and evacuations in many areas. As a result of the unpredictable nature … Read more
March 15, 2017 The Honorable Fred Upton Chairman Energy and Commerce Committee U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Bobby Rush Ranking Member Energy and Commerce Committee U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Chairman Upton and Ranking Member Rush: We at Friends of the Eel River appreciate the opportunity to … Read more
In the Mendocino National Forest, the Potter Valley Project is an audacious example of creative engineering. The project, which is owned by PG&E, stores winter runoff from the upper reaches of the Eel River and diverts the water into the Russian River, where it is used to support people, farming and wineries in Mendocino and … Read more