by Kira Johnson
On October 12, the human death toll in California’s deadliest wildfire in 80 years rose to thirty-one, with many more still reported missing. The tragedy is overwhelming. Viewing images of my home state…
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by Erika Zambello
I stood atop Yampah Hill with Kerstin Wasson, Research Coordinator for the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (ESNERR). A large tidal creek wove through the marsh grass, its arms snaking…
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by Gemina Garland-Lewis
When I first set foot on Santa Cruz Island, I hadn’t yet heard the story of the island fox and its remarkable recovery. To be honest, I didn’t even know these foxes existed. The first time I saw one, I…
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by Erika Zambello
Established in 1999, the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (GB NERR) now stretches across 18,000 acres. In addition to the estuary’s salt marshes, the reserve also covers rare pine savannas,…
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by Erika Zambello
As part of an ongoing project, Erika Zambello is visiting all National Estuarine Research Reserves in the continental United States. Established by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),…
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by Erika Zambello
Made up of over 6,000 acres along the coast of Alabama, the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research is one of 28 sites around the country that are “protected for long-term research, water-quality monitoring,…
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by BinBin Li
I visited Dry Tortugas National Park in 2013 and 2015 as part of a field class taught by Dr. Stuart Pimm at Duke University. Located 68 miles west of Key West, this 100 square mile national park is mostly…
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by Cyril Christo and Marie Wilkinson
Around 1855, after first sealing in California and whaling in Magdalena Bay, Baja, Charles Scammon, a captain from Maine turned his attention to San Ignacio Bay. By 1859-60 the grays had been all but eliminated.…
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by Molly Marquand
To the plains Indians, horses stood for wealth and power. To ancient Arabian peoples, the horse was grace incarnate, born from the blowing of a southerly wind. Across millennia, horses have gifted their…
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by Peter Berulf Johnsen
Salmon and trout are some of the most well-known fish species worldwide. They are in grocery stores and on menus, and there are entire outfitters built around giving anglers a great salmon fishing experience.…
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by Michael Warren
A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science has made a clear connection between lead poisoning in California Condors and the lead found in hunting ammunition. An article…
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by Merri Collins
The solitary and elusive Giant Pacific octopus, found in coastal waters of the North Pacific, holds the title of largest and longest-lived of the octopus species. The largest Pacific octopus on record…
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