Salish Sea News Week in Review October 27 2023

 

Aloha Lemur Friday!
There are over 100 species of lemurs. By one count there are 112, but the number changes when new ones are identified through discoveries and genetic testing. Subfossils indicate there once were more and that some became extinct, possibly from being hunted by humans after humans arrived on Madagascar. The 2020 update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species indicated that almost all lemur species were threatened with extinction and that almost a third were critically endangered.

What will B.C. do when disaster strikes again?
As the climate crisis intensifies, experts weigh in on proposed changes to province's decades-old emergency legislation.

WA still suffers from drought despite rain — and El Niño won’t help
Despite recent rainfall most of Washington still suffers from drought and climatologists say the months ahead aren’t likely to offer much relief.

‘Crabs everywhere’: off Canada’s Pacific coast, Indigenous Haida fight a host of invasive species
The unique wildlife of Haida Gwaii’s 150 islands is under attack by invasive crabs, rats and deer – echoing how local people also became vulnerable to outside forces. 

Northwest sinks millions into derelict vessel removal on region’s waterways
Leaking fuel and other toxins from hundreds of abandoned ships in Oregon and Washington pose serious environmental risks. 

Port of Vancouver posts record-breaking cruise ship season
The Port of Vancouver staff knew they would welcome a record 332 cruise ship visits but hose vessels reached a 90 per cent occupancy rate to close out Vancouver’s cruise season at a record 1.25 million passengers.

WA lands chief: State just had one of its ‘most challenging’ fire seasons ever
Lands commissioner Hilary Franz says while responders kept most fires contained, the overall number of blazes was at a historic high, and more burned in western Washington. 

B.C., Wash. agree to address Nooksack River flooding, set no timeline
A recent agreement signed by B.C. and Washington State to come up with projects to address flooding from the Nooksack River does not lay out a timeline or funding obligations.

BC Overhauls Water Management as Scarcity Looms
Mopping up British Columbia’s water management mess is now the responsibility of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Minister Nathan Cullen.

‘The money that’s needed’: B.C. announces $300-million Indigenous conservation fund to protect old-growth forests
The new funding is welcomed by conservation groups that say the province has voiced support for old forest protections while continuing to allow clearcut logging in rare ecosystems and in the habitat of endangered species.

These news clips are a selection of weekday clips collected in Salish Sea News and Weather which is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe at no cost to the weekday news clips, send your name and email to mikesato772 at gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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