EarthFix

Hunters, fishermen and environmental activists. It’s not often these group are mentioned in the same breath. But recently they’re finding themselves standing shoulder to shoulder over the issue of public lands. Sportsmen and women consider hunting and fishing in these wild places to be their right. And they’re nervous that calls to sell off or transfer public lands are gaining traction. Now, they’re crossing political lines to protect what they love. Jes Burns of EarthFix reports.

The Pacific chorus frogs’ call is ubiquitous in the Northwest. But the amphibians are having more and more trouble hearing themselves. Traffic is drowning them out. Audio courtesy of Danielle Nelson.

Seattle residents were horrified when King County dumped millions of gallons of raw sewage into Puget Sound. Officials blamed it on a malfunction at a waste treatment plant. But raw sewage dumps aren’t as rare as we’d like to think. Even when no disasters happen, cities with combined sewers for their stormwater and sewage have to dump untreated wastewater into rivers, lakes and bays during heavy rainstorms.

Proposed budget cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency would scale back many programs and grants that American Indian tribes depend on to ensure their land has clean air and water.

A decade ago bats in the Northeast started dying by the millions. The culprit was a disease that for years, stayed largely confined to the eastern U.S. and Canada. But in 2016, the disease suddenly and mysteriously appeared in the Pacific Northwest. Ever since researchers have been racing to find out what bats here are in for.

As you motor down the highway, you could be driving over dozens of underground passages -- called culverts. Those are metal pipes or concrete boxes that carry streams beneath the roadbed. In the Northwest, thousands of these culverts are poorly designed and maintained -- blocking the way for endangered salmon. That’s why Native American tribes have sued Washington State. Reporting for EarthFix, Eilis (eye-LEASH) O’Neill headed out to look at some culverts…

At the Oregon State Land Board meeting on Tuesday morning, we'll learn more about the fate of the Elliott State Forest.

Grizzly bears have been stirring up debate for decades in North-Central Washington communities. Most people love them or hate them -- they argue the bears are a necessary part of the ecosystem or a threat to their way of life. The public is getting a new chance to share their opinions at open houses throughout Washington. EarthFix reporter Courtney Flatt has more about the controversy

California condors once filled the skies from Baja to British Columbia. The giant scavenging bird had a wingspan of 10 feet. But with European settlement, the population crashed. Condors were victims of poisoning that targeted large predators like wolves. Now, the greatest known killer of these highly endangered birds is a different kind of poisoning – it comes from ingesting lead bullet fragments in dead animals. For our EarthFix series about birds and lead hunting ammunition, Jes Burns reports that an effort to reintroduce the condor in the Pacific Northwest would place them right in harm’s way.

For decades, environmental laws have protected North America’s trumpeter swan from sport hunting, but every year swans in the Pacific Northwest fall victim to one of hunting’s toxic legacies. For now, a small group of scientists and volunteers may be their only chance of survival. Reporting for our EarthFix team, Ken Christensen has the final story in our series on the effects of lead ammunition on wildlife. .

Every year, wheat dies, and wheat farmers have to till the soil and plant new seeds. That causes erosion, which is hard on the land, hard on the water, and hard on farmers. That’s why researchers in Mount Vernon, Washington, are trying to develop a grain that’s like wheat--but keeps growing back.

Occasionally a big idea comes along that promises revolutionize the world – think about things like self-driving cars. For biologists – especially those who work with fish – the big idea involves something called “environmental DNA.” The technology could revolutionize how we protect native animals and ensure invasive species don’t take hold. Jes Burns of EarthFix reports.

Harvesting clams is part of the Lummi people's cultural heritage and an income source. Both are threatened by pollution. Nearby dairy farmers are taking steps so they won't be part of the problem.

Tens of thousands of birders all over North and Central America are participating right now in the Christmas Bird Count. This annual survey in the last weeks of December and first week of January documents what birds are where and how many of them there are. The count’s been running for over one hundred years. It’s given scientists loads of data about how birds’ ranges and populations are changing. Reporting for EarthFix, Eilís [(eye-LEASH)] O’Neill headed out with some birders north of Everett, Washington…

Salmon need cool, shady streams to thrive. Oregon was once at the forefront in protecting these waters, but these days, the state lags far behind Washington and California. Now, Oregon is updating how its rivers and streams are protected. Jes Burns of EarthFix partnered with Liam Moriarty of Jefferson Public Radio to find out if these new rules will cool down Oregon’s streams enough to help its salmon make a comeback.