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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Observations

When permafrost thaw turns Arctic Alaska river red, toxicity levels rise, scientists find
A study of the “rusting” Salmon River and its tributaries in Kobuk Valley National Park suggests that permafrost thaw is causing wider ecological problems.
Kobuk, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

More Torbay homes show high PFAS levels in water after summer retesting, lawyer calls for hydrogeological study
Retesting of private wells in Torbay, Newfoundland and Labrador found more homes above the 30 ng/L PFAS limit, prompting calls for a full hydrogeological study of groundwater contamination linked to firefighting foam from St. John’s International Airport.
Torbay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
SaltWire

Toxin associated with amnesic shellfish poisoning not detected in Kachemak Bay mussels
Alaska DEC tests of mussels from Kachemak Bay found no domoic acid toxin associated with amnesic shellfish poisoning, though mussels can quickly expel the toxin so its presence in other species remains uncertain.
Homer, Alaska, United States
Peninsula Clarion

After Chernobyl – new measurements of radioactive fish
The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority returns to Vittersjön near Ockelbo to conduct updated measurements of radioactivity in fish 35 years after Chernobyl, urging anglers to submit summer catches for analysis.
Ockelbo, Gävleborg, Sweden
SVT Nyheter

Glacial retreat exposes over 1,500 miles of new Arctic coastline, study finds
A new international study finds that Arctic glacier retreat between 2000 and 2020 has unveiled over 1,500 miles of coastline—primarily in Greenland—potentially increasing coastal hazards and contributing to sea level rise.
Arctic, Northern Hemisphere
The Barents Observer

Fairbanks student digs into the mystery of a CO2-breathing forest hole
UAF undergraduate Leanne Bulger discovered a persistent hole in a Fairbanks forest emitting unusually high CO₂ levels—likely due to thawing permafrost microbes—and led a team using probes, gas analyzers, and radar to study its depth and gas flux.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

The science behind Alaska's gravity defying snow
This article explains how Interior Alaska’s cold, airy snow uniquely bends off railings and loops from power lines, defying gravity due to slow deformation and the sintering process.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Red king crabs hurt by acidic trend in Bering Sea, study suggests
A new study from Kodiak’s NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center links ocean acidification to a significant decline in red king crab populations in the Bering Sea, challenging the view that warming is the primary stressor.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
Kodiak Daily Mirror

Atlantification ushering in new era of sea ice loss in the Siberian Arctic
Warm Atlantic waters are rapidly reshaping the Siberian Arctic, sparking an era of unprecedented sea ice loss—something that will have ongoing implications for the region’s ecosystem and climate, says new research.
Barents Sea
The Barents Observer

Large Parts of Arctic No Longer Carbon Storage, Now Net Source of Emissions
A new study reveals that climate change has shifted large parts of the Arctic from a carbon sink to a net carbon emitter, with up to 40% of tundra, boreal forests, and wetlands releasing more CO2 than they absorb.
Northwest Territories, Canada, Canada
High North News

Subsistence-style Dog Mushing is Fading: How Alaska's Salmon Crisis is Changing the Sport
The article explains how a severe decline in wild salmon, driven by climate change, is forcing Alaska mushers to abandon traditional subsistence feeding practices in favor of costly commercial dog food. This shift is altering both the practice and culture of dog mushing in the region.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Part of pedestrian bridge collapses onto Seward Highway in South Anchorage
A part of a pedestrian bridge collapsed onto the Seward Highway in Anchorage due to high winds, blocking the highway temporarily, though the bridge's main structure remained intact. No injuries were reported.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Neste not behind white clumps washed up on Hanko's shoreline, probe finds
A Finnish Border Guard probe ruled out Neste as the source of white clumps that washed up on Hanko’s beaches, suggesting they may have come from a ship that used a Russian port.
Hanko, Uusimaa, Finland
Yle News

Carbon capture tested in Västerås: "A key for tackling the climate challenge"
Mälarenergi in Västerås, Sweden, is testing carbon capture technology to reduce emissions from its waste-to-energy plant. This initiative could significantly decrease CO2 emissions, key for addressing climate challenges.
Västerås, Västmanland, Sweden
SVT Nyheter

Study suggests dust is a hidden player in the Arctic's changing climate
A recent study indicates that dust plays a significant role in the Arctic's climate changes, affecting how clouds form and their impact on the region's climate dynamics.
Arctic
Eye on the Arctic

The frozen carbon of the northern permafrost is on the move – we estimated by how much
Thawing permafrost in the Arctic region is releasing significant amounts of carbon and nitrogen, posing environmental challenges due to increased greenhouse gas emissions.
Arctic, Russia
Alaska Beacon

Many Halifax lakes are too salty. That's a problem for the fish and plants that live in them
New data reveals high salinity levels in several Halifax lakes, posing a threat to aquatic life. Halifax considers new measures to manage salt runoff.
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
CBC News

Methane coming from unknown source under Kluane glaciers
Findings from European scientists were published in a journal late last year.
Kluane National Park
Yukon News

Artists Visit Austertana - The Village Where Mining, Ecology and Reindeer Herding Clash
Danish media artists have returned to the northeastern Norwegian village of Austertana to document the profound impact of the quartzite quarry Elkem Tana on local reindeer herding and the environment.
Austertana, Tana, Norway
The Barents Observer

As the Great Salt Lake dries up, it's also emitting millions of tons of CO2
A new study found that the drying Great Salt Lake in Utah is now a major source of the gas emissions that are causing the climate to warm.
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Alaska Public Media

Inside a company’s bid to make Alaska’s next big oil field lower-carbon
With the future of fossil fuels in question, an Australian oil company is branding its new Arctic development as climate-friendly.
Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Rivers in Alaska are turning orange. The reason surprised even scientists
Rivers and streams in Alaska are changing color – from a clean, clear blue to a rusty orange – because of the toxic metals released by thawing permafrost, according to a new study.
Kutuk River
CNN

Metal mobilization from thawing permafrost to aquatic ecosystems is driving rusting of Arctic streams
Recent discoloration of 75 streams in Arctic Alaska reflects increased iron and trace metal loading following climate-driven permafrost thaw. These findings have considerable implications for drinking water supplies and subsistence fisheries.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
Nature

What is causing the rusting of northern Alaska streams?
The oranging of northern rivers seems to be related to recent permafrost thaw that has allowed streams to release previously captive iron, trace metals and acid.
Kougarok, River

EPA plans to limit or eliminate salmon-killing tire chemical found in preliminary Alaska sampling
The EPA plans to limit or eliminate a chemical commonly used in car tires, known as 6PPD, after it was found to be fatal to salmon in preliminary Alaska sampling, in response to a petition from Native Tribes and several states, but the rulemaking process is expected to take years.
Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Arctic Warming Triggers Abrupt Ecosystem Shift in North America Deepest Lake
The warming of the Arctic has caused a significant shift in the ecosystem of Great Slave Lake, with smaller diatoms replacing larger ones, potentially impacting the lake's productivity, carbon dynamics, food web, and nearby communities.
Great Slave Lake, Northwest Territories, Canada
Eos

Methane beneath the Greenland ice sheet to intensify climate warming, scientists warn. A unique project to access the ice-sheet bed hopes to expose the scale of the danger
Scientists warn that methane trapped beneath the Greenland ice sheet could intensify climate warming as the ice melts, releasing the potent greenhouse gas into the atmosphere at accelerating rates.
ArcticToday

World's biggest cumulative logjam mapped in the N.W.T. and it stores tons of carbon
If added altogether, deposits of wood across the Mackenzie River Delta would cover a third of Yellowknife. Researchers calculated how much carbon it stores — which is at risk of entering the atmosphere more quickly as the climate changes.
Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

Why Are Alaska's Rivers Turning Orange?
Streams in Alaska are turning orange with iron and sulfuric acid. Scientists are trying to figure out why
Kiana, Alaska, United States
Scientific American

An Unmistakable Stain in America’s Most Pristine Rivers
Dozens of once crystal-clear streams and rivers in Arctic Alaska are now running bright orange and cloudy, and, in some cases, they may be becoming more acidic. This otherwise undeveloped landscape now looks as if an industrial mine has been in operation for decades, and scientists want to know why.
Noatak River
The Atlantic

NASA Warns Methane Is Being Belched From Newly Formed Lakes
These lakes form because warm temperatures in the Arctic are melting the permafrost.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Newsweek

Skagway’s blue mussels were nearly wiped out last year
The Skagway Traditional Council is asking harvesters to avoid blue mussels until the population rebounds.
Haines, Alaska, United States
KTOO

New source of the strong greenhouse gas nitrous oxide found in Siberian permafrost
A previously unknown source of the strong greenhouse gas nitrous oxide has been found in East Siberian Yedoma permafrost. Published in Nature Communications today, the observation was made by an international group of researchers, with the lead of researchers from the University of Eastern Finland.
Phys.Org

In Iraq's famed marshlands, climate change is upending a way of life
Drought and extreme heat that scientists link to climate change are altering the UNESCO-protected marshlands. Iraq's average annual temperatures are increasing at nearly double the rate of Earth's.
الجبيش, Dhi Qar, Iraq
NPR.org

Forest Service set to approve Kensington expansion
The U.S. Forest Service said it plans to approve Coeur Alaska’s plan to expand facilities at the Kensington Gold Mine, extending the life of the mine by another 10 years.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

Pushki making its presence felt on peninsula
A family trip in the Alaska wilderness can turn sour in a hurry if the proper precautions are not taken against the unassuming but dangerous plant known as “pushki.”
Seward, Alaska, United States
Peninsula Clarion

Low water in Yellowknife Bay not increasing arsenic risk says official, researcher
An official with the Giant Mine remediation project and a local researcher aren't worried the low water in Yellowknife Bay is exposing people to more arsenic in areas along the shore line.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

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