Category: News

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Caribou, Coastal Plain habitat, Arctic NWR

12/6/2020 -Arctic NWR 60th Anniversary- Celebrate, then Advocate!

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On Sunday, Dec. 6th, join polar bears, caribou, and myriad of migratory shorebirds and waterfowl to celebrate 60 years of protection for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Tragically, President Trump has just announced the sale of oil and gas leases on the Arctic NWR’s 1002 area of the coastal plain, the critical calving grounds for the Porcupine Caribou herd. This push is the result of Congress passing a controversial tax bill in 2017 that mandates leasing on the coastal plain, sacred lands of the Gwich’in people and vital habitat for caribou, polar bears and migratory birds. Continue Reading →

Jackie's winter bird feeding

Kitchen Window Community Science

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Becoming a Project Feederwatch volunteer can be one way to battle feeling gloomy all winter long, November to April. Consider becoming a community scientist making bird observations as you look out your window. You will join over 20,000 Canadian and U.S. participants during this is kick-off week for Project Feederwatch: Continue Reading →

Curious About … Using Native Plants?

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The “Natives ‘N More Garden” contains a mixture of native and non-native plants that may be grown in our north central Washington climate. The plants are labeled with their common and scientific names, with additional designations of which are native and Firewise. Continue Reading →

May in Doulgas County, WA: shrub-steppe that experienced wildfire a few years prior. Notice the red-hued cheatgrass stitching together the native perennials

Curious About…Why Cheatgrass has changed everything?

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Before 1850, our shrub-steppe plant communities were adapted to frequent disturbance, such as wildfire. The resilient native long-lived shrubs, bunchgrasses, and wildflowers were adapted to either re-sprouting or re-growing from seed, in a decades-long predictable pattern of succession. However, with the introduction of non-native annual grasses, primarily cheatgrass, this pattern was dramatically disrupted. Continue Reading →

July 1st morning in the Wenatchee Foothills

Curious About … Growing up in Sagebrush Country?

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What is it like to spend childhood nestled in a landscape filled with sagebrush? Today, I’m sharing stories of two women who put pen-to-paper to say how growing up in Wenatchee’s shrub-steppe made a lasting impression as they were coming-of-age. Continue Reading →

Curious About…Shrub-steppe, Fireworks, and Wildfire?

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Fireworks are a main cause of human-started wildfires in sagebrush county. Invasive grasses are putting sagebrush country at risk of severe wildfires. This vibrant ecosystem is vital for people and wildlife. We need to do our part to protect it, especially with fireworks this weekend. Watch and share this new video to learn what we need to do to stop the spread of invasive grasses and restore degraded sagebrush habitats. Continue Reading →