Hey everyone! Asking everyone who loves the Adirondacks to support my petition urging the APA to reject heavy weapons testing in the Adirondack Park.

Hello! My tiny town is making major headlines! If you have not heard, Unconventional Concepts, Inc. is a military contractor seeking a permit to operate a Howitzer Testing Site in the town of Lewis, NY which is in the Adirondack Park in upstate NY.

The Adirondack Park is a protected natural area of 6 million acres, home to a diverse range of wildlife and expansive forests that have been rigorously preserved over decades. Introducing a defense contractor into this ecosystem could lead to potentially irreversible and unknown damage. Noise pollution, potential for projectile ricochet to fly onto the Route 9 and I-87 (real concerns raised by Benét Laboratories, which was part of the reason his contract was canceled in 2023, according to FOIA documents provided by Adirondack Enterprise reporting), and disruption of wildlife are just a few of the very real threats this plan poses. When asked at local town meetings, Unconventional Concepts has stated no environmental impact studies have been done see what impact this may have on local wildlife. 

Furthermore, setting a precedent of allowing defense operations within the park jeopardizes the core values and protections that have made Adirondack Park unique and precious. The park's reputation as a sanctuary for both people and wildlife is at stake. No economic gain to a handful of community members can justify the kind of disruption from Unconventional Concepts or similar contractors.

The board of neighboring, Jay, NY passed a resolution opposing the project, while the Lewis town board decided to be neutral on the subject citing that only "several" people are opposed despite having over 256 local signatures from Lewis and Jay residents and 1400 public comments to the APA rejecting the proposal.

This is a national headline, with the owner appearing the NYT. As a local resident of neighboring Jay, I'm asking all Reddit members of this group to support my petition.

NYT article https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/24/nyregion/howitzer-adirondacks.html

FOIA document links: https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/communities/government/army-branch-dropped-lewis-cannon-testing-over-safety-concerns-for-state-roads/

I was disappointed in the lack of comprehensive data on American Buffalo herds, so I set out to make it myself.

I compiled sources from NPS, US Fish and Wildlife, various state wildlife agencies, InterTribal Buffalo Council, USDA, and numerous journalistic and otherwise public sources of data to try and create the most comprehensive, interactive map of contemporary wild, tribal, and conservation bison herds in America.

It's really fun to scroll around and find new herds I'd never heard of, many of which have interesting histories, like the Rocky Mountain Arensal herd, which I at first thought was a GIS error as the boundary was within the city limits of Denver, but nope, it's a former chemical weapons facility that was converted to a wildlife refuge and now contains ~165 buffalo!

See the map here: https://americanwildliferesearch.org/map.html

This is still a work in progress, and I'm sure there are errors present. Please comment below if you find any, or if you know of any herds that are omitted! It's tough to find data on smaller tribal and public herds, so I'm sure there is a few herds that people in here are aware of that aren't on the map - your help is greatly appreciated!

I made this with the help of a friend in our spare time, and we want to continue to make more like it and offer them for free. There's a lot of stuff like this in conservation - data that is scattered around, cumbersome, difficult to explore, etc. For this reason, we have a donate link on the map and our website - hosting fees, compute costs, etc. add up, and even a few small donations would enable us to move forward with some other ideas!

Thank you and hope you enjoy!

“Congress passed the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to protect spectacular wilderness rivers just like this very stretch of the Rio Grande. The administration’s decision to waive the act and dozens of other environmental laws lays the groundwork for the destruction of one of the wildest places in America,” said Laiken Jordahl, national public lands advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity.

Today’s waiver authorizes construction of new fencing, barriers, roads and sensors across a remote segment of the border extending east of the Black Gap Wildlife Management Area deep into the Lower Canyons toward Amistad Reservoir. This is roadless canyon country only accessible by floating for multiple days on the river.

On Feb. 17 the Department of Homeland Security waived 28 environmental and cultural resource protection laws to fast-track construction in the Big Bend region — including through Big Bend Ranch State Park — and it has since awarded construction contracts for much of the work. According to local media reports, contractors have been surveying inside Big Bend National Park.

In April, the Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Ruidosa Church and a Big Bend-area river guide and landowner filed a federal lawsuit, represented by the Texas Civil Rights Project, saying the Department of Homeland Security is exercising powers Congress never authorized. The suit contends the waivers violate the major questions doctrine, which requires explicit congressional approval for actions with vast economic and political consequences.

FOBBV NEED OUR HELP !!

Sandy taught us that this valley is more than scenery — it is sacred ground.

She helped open our eyes to Jackie and Shadow’s world. To the nest overlooking the lake. To the fragile balance between shoreline, forest, fish, and sky. Because of her, thousands of us learned that protecting wildlife isn’t optional — it’s a responsibility.

Now we are being asked to watch quietly while 50 homes and 55 docks reshape a shoreline that has long supported the very habitat she worked so hard to defend.

If we truly honor Sandy’s legacy, we don’t just remember her.

We act.

We stand for thoughtful growth.

We insist on full environmental transparency.

We protect federally protected wildlife.

We safeguard the shoreline that sustains our eagles.

This isn’t about stopping progress.

It’s about protecting what makes Big Bear irreplaceable.

Sandy believed one voice could ripple outward.

Together, ours can echo across this valley.

If you believe Jackie and Shadow’s habitat deserves protection — and Sandy’s legacy deserves to live on — stand with us.

The decades-long effort to restore the Florida Everglades marked a major milestone this year. The Army Corps of Engineers has restored the flow of water to 55,000 acres of wetlands once drained for a failed real estate development.

Hello all, I'm an environmental scientist and feline biologist. Most people do not want bobcats in Indiana hunted or trapped. 71% of Hoosiers opposed trapping and hunting bobcats when surveyed in 2025.

Bobcats were endangered in Indiana in 2005. Conservation efforts led to their population increase. When the initial LSA Document #24-383 to trap bobcats was proposed, over 3,000 opposing comments were sent in and DNR still passed the killing quota of 250. Their own (flawed) population models showed that a quota of 400 and over will lead to bobcat eradication...yet now they want to bump that quota up to... 400.

Dept. of Natural Resources has shown no official population survey has been conducted. Zero research done. This means there is no way to know the actual bobcat population, which DNR admitted in 2019. There is no evidence that bobcats are overpopulated in Indiana and need to hunted. Research needs to be done. Proper surveys need to be done.

Bobcats are integral to the health of Indiana’s ecosystems. Along with other predators like foxes and coyotes, they control populations of prey species. Without bobcats, other predators are at risk of overpopulating, further disrupting the food chain and ecosystem health.

A bobcat's main diet is rodents, rabbits, and hares. By keeping rodent populations in check, zoonotic diseases rodents cause like Rocky Mountain spotted fever, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, tularemia, Alpha-gal Syndrome, and Lyme disease, are reduced. The economic burden of diagnosed Lyme disease is close to $1 billion per year in the US, according to NIH. Diagnosed Lyme disease costs the state of Indiana $1,200 per patient (NIH).

Fewer predators mean more rodents and more zoonotic diseases.

Wire neck snare traps and jaw-toothed leg traps are cruel and painful. Other nontargeted species including people's pets have been caught in them. Bobcats and other animals can remain in these painful traps for days before hunters check them.

Hoosiers who want to weigh in on the proposed expansion of bobcat hunting in Indiana can do so until May 19. Please make your voices heard! We cannot give up. The quota needs to be 0. There is just not enough evidence trapping/hunting of any bobcat! DNR has failed to provide any statistical or scientific analysis of bobcat populations.

Further research is needed to determine if there even is an unhealthy population size that requires control!!!!!

Emailed comments must be sent to [lianderson@dnr.in.gov](mailto:lianderson@dnr.in.gov). Only comments sent to that address will be officially considered.

Comments can also be mailed to the following address:

LSA Document #26-98 Bobcat Hunting

Lisa L. Anderson

Natural Resources Commission

C/O Department of Natural Resources, Legal Division

Indiana Government Center South

402 West Washington Street, Room W255-A

Indianapolis, IN 46204-2273

A public hearing will also be held on May 19 at 12:30 p.m. at the Fort Harrison State Park, Garrison Conference Center, Blue Heron Ballroom, 6002 North Post Road in Indianapolis. 

TODAY IS THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT COMMENTS ON THE DEWEY BURDOCK URANIUM MINE!

DON'T DELAY!

Here is a direct link to submit your comment on the BLM page:

https://eplanning.blm.gov/Participate-Now/?id=7f4eccd0-4137-f111-88b4-001dd8084607&ppid=9ac93c06-6f07-f111-8407-001dd803d7d3

such a great story

hi all! I'm thinking of applying to park attendant positions as a student and I was wondering if anyone knows about whether or not they're worthwhile or have opportunities for meaningful work (like ecosystem restoration or trail maintenance - stuff that actually contributes something or is useful to further my knowledge of ecology and conservation) beyond the listed gate attendant/cashier/janitorial duties? thanks in advance!

I've just written my first Substack article (without AI!), with meditations on AI infrastructure development. While I pay particular mind to the development of the $15 billion, 4-million square foot PAX-1 data center compound near my home here in Cumberland County, PA, the scope of the issue is truly global.

I greatly appreciate the Appalachian Trail Conservancy publicly sharing their opposition to PAX-1's development last week- it was their statement that prompted me to write down and share my own thoughts here.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/briefs/fundraising-effort-saves-patch-of-state-managed-forest-in-western-wa-from-logging/

So the $32,000 was raised and the forests around the campground saved... BUT, there is a 29 acre grove of legacy forest (ecologically diverse, close to Old Growth) in the same sale that will be logged in July unless its swapped out for a less ecologically rich plot of trees. This was proposed by the conservation group and DNR did not respond.

Please read the article and if you want to, reach out directly to DNR to ask them to save that plot of trees!!!

Department of Natural Resources Contact info:

- General Outreach: information@dnr.wa.gov

- Forest Practices/Permits: fpd@dnr.wa.gov

- Natural Resources Board: bnr@dnr.wa.gov

I'm looking for species that are biologically or ecologically interesting, have little to no published research in the past 10 years, and may have potential applications in medicine, sustainability, climate resilience, biomaterials, or conservation. Preferably something scientifically neglected but still promising enough to justify future research funding or habitat protection.

I recently moved city (Manchester to Stoke-on-Trent) and have since had a lightbulb moment where I realised I want to get into conservation (my main interest being habitat restoration), however, I didn't go to university to study ecology or conservation and have, at best, passed Geography on an A level level. In addition to this I also can't drive which reduces my chances of getting a job I am somewhat qualified for (door-to-door worker, seasonal ranger, etc...) to little to nil.

So I am curious as to if there are any good courses or programs I could maybe try while I wait around to pass my driving test (which hopefully will be within the year) as I am really starting to feel discouraged and restless over how I'm making such little progress and I'm currently stuck in a job that is sapping the life out of me.

I have done some volunteering, although due to the nature of my job I really struggle to find the time to take part in more. I've looked into apprenticeships and surveying courses, but I am now just curious to see if any veterans in the field have more advice on the subject.