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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

Fight fire with fire: How First Nations practice of burning the land helps prevent megafires
The grandchildren of Annie Kruger remember her lighting an Export A Green cigarette, throwing on her logger's jacket and heading out to set fires near Penticton, B.C. — part of an ancient tradition of using flames to clear brush, renew growth and create natural fireguards.
Okanagan Region, British Columbia, Canada
CBC News

'We never had fires like this for many years': Old Crow residents nervous about nearby fires
26 fires are burning in the Old Crow district but Yukon Wildland Fire says the community is not at risk
Old Crow, Yukon Territory, Canada
CBC News

Early Flowering of Chinese Magnolia (soulangiana)
Flowering is occurring months early.
Maleny, Queensland, Australia

Newly found disease could threaten Southeast Alaska spruce
A fungus that’s damaged trees in Southcentral and Interior Alaska has been discovered for the first time in Southeast. But there’s a chance its spread could be stopped.
Shrine of St. Terese, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Smoke from northeast Alaska fires drifts into Fairbanks
Smoke from a handful of fires in northeast Alaska and across the border in Canada drifted south to Fairbanks on Tuesday and is expected to linger through Wednesday night.
Fort Yukon, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

B.C. wildfires’ impact on animals ‘to be horrific’: wildlife rehab facility
A major wildlife rehabilitation facility is bracing for the devastating impact of the B.C. wildfires on birds and mammals.
Smithers, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Yellowknife fire ban extends to Yellowknife River, Fred Henne parks
A fire ban, announced yesterday, includes two territorial parks, the GNWT confirmed.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC News

Gas pipelines supplying Europe 'in real danger from exploding tundra' - top scientist
Pipes are built over bulging and unstable Arctic pingos prone to violent eruptions caused by 'thawing methane gas', as seen twice on the Yamal peninsula this year.
Yamal Region, Russia
The Siberian Times

California fires spread quickly, evacuation orders lifted in other parts of West
In other parts of the West, evacuation orders were lifted in Colorado and Montana towns threatened by wildfires
Santa Barbara County
CBS News

It's All a Month Early
A number of plants are growing oddly "out of season".
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States

Caterpillars taking Anvil Mountain, inch by inch?
A biologist peers into his collection jar to find an example of the green caterpillars that have been dining on willow bushes, making brown batches on the landscape in and about Nome.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Caterpillar (Orthosia hibisci) Infestation Causes Defoliation
The village of Anvik along the west bank of the Yukon River has an increase in defoliation associated with caterpillar numbers.
Anvik, Alaska, United States
Derek Sikes, Alberta Walker, Jessie Moan

Wildfires burning across northern Alaska
Of the 89 wildfires burning across Alaska right now, several are in the northern part of the state, either in the Arctic or near its southern boundary.
Campbell River Fire, Alaska, United States
The Arctic Sounder

A New Trend On The Great Plains: More Wildfires
Wildfires burned through thousands of acres of Great Plains farm and ranch land in the 1980s. Today, wildfires are likely to char millions of acres. The
Pine Ridge, Nebraska, United States
KUNC

An Interior wildfire sparks back up
A wildfire north of Delta Junction has reignited. The more than 8,000-acre South Fork Salcha Fire was started by lightning earlier this month in a remote area about 70 miles southeast of Fairbanks.
Delta Junction, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Pine foliage disease apparently slowing
A foliage disease epidemic that killed shore pines near 10 Mile and other areas around Haines appears to have subsided, according to a U.S. Forest
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Plant Health and Condition
The leaves, in general, don't look too healthy. They seem to lack vitality and are shriveled in many places.
Chistochina, Alaska, United States
Gino Graziano, Jessie Moan, Wilson Justin

Change in Maple Sugaring
Farmers that "sugar" are frustrated with the short Spring sugaring season and are looking into alternate ways to collect the sap.
East Burke, Vermont, United States

Some Of Our Birches Are Dying

Climate change is catching up with gardeners: just look at the Chelsea flower show
What will British gardens look like in 20 years’ time? Robbie Blackhall-Miles finds some clues at the Chelsea flower show
Chelsea, England, United Kingdom
the Guardian

Fire Smoke Encroaching into Unalakleet
A haze surrounding the hills had a distinct smell of burned wood.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Late Bloom Of Moss
Late Mossberry (*Empetrum nigru*) Bloom

Study looks at climate change’s effects on Kodiak berries, wildlife
“We really don’t know when the problem started and whether it was a long-term situation this winter, but the bottom line is that it appears that salmonberry and blueberry were affected by the amount of cold and the depth of cold that we had that killed the winter buds and killed the above-ground stems of those plants,” Pyle said.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Food Forest Garden at NWIC Enjoying the Warm Weather
*Foodscaping a Tribal College* – The purpose of the project is to provide the Northwest Indian College (NWIC) and Lummi Communities with a model of food sovereignty and local access to organic, traditional foods.
Ferndale, Washington, United States

Don't panic, humanity's doomsday seed vault is probably still safe
A lot of water went into the start of the tunnel and then it froze to ice, so it was like a glacier when you went in,” Statsbygg spokeswoman Hege Njaa Aschim told the Guardian of the water breach.
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Washington Post

Eastern US Trees Shift North, West With Climate Change
The northward shift to get to cooler weather was expected, but several experts were surprised by the move to the west, which was larger and in a majority of the species
Eastern forests, United States
VOA

‘Doomsday’ seed vault meant to survive global disasters breached by climate change
The seed bank designed to preserve the world’s crops and plants in the event of global disaster isn’t prepared to withstand the greatest global disaster facing our planet: global warming. Melting...
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
The Verge

A desperate plea for help as four African nations near a famine crisis
Somaliland villages
ABC News
CHRISTINE ROMO, DAVID MUIR, ENJOLI FRANCIS

Wildfires rage across Siberia and the Russian Far East
Dry conditions fuel dozens of fires and result in a state of emergency across the Siberian Federal District.
Bubnovka, Irkutsk, Russia
Siberian Times

1.4 million children to suffer acute malnutrition in Somalia
Somalia
Africanews

VIMS: Chesapeake Bay sees another record year in underwater grass abundance
Chesapeake Bay, United States
dailypress.com

Oxfam: Climate change deepening Horn of Africa's hunger crisis
Mogadishu, Banaadir, Somalia
Eyewitness News

Nuclear town on fire, with residents 'choking' from smoke
Facilities for producing weapons grade plutonium believed safe despite fierce flames caused by wildfires.
Zheleznogorsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
Siberian Times

California wildflowers erupt in super bloom
Southern California is enjoying a wildflower super bloom after years of extreme drought.
Derby Acres, California, United States
CNN

California's Rare Super Bloom Flowers Are Migrating North
Carrizo Plain National Monument
The Huffington Post

B.C.'s provincial tree threatened by climate change, expert says
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

California wildflowers erupt in super bloom
Southern California is enjoying a wildflower "super bloom" after years of extreme drought.
Cardio Plain National Monument, California, United States
CNN

The Antelope Valley poppies have exploded into a spectacular burst of neon, signaling an end to drought
Antelope valley California Poppy Reserve, California, United States
latimes.com

First Blooms
Bellingham, Washington, United States

Flowering cacti observed in La Quinta, California
Bear Creek Trail, La Quinta, California, United States

Stinging Nettle Urtica dioica Harvest at NWIC Lummi Campus
NWIC Lummi Campus, Washington, United States

Amazon Deforestation, Once Tamed, Comes Roaring Back
"A decade after the “Save the Rainforest” movement captured the world’s imagination, Cargill and other food giants are pushing deeper into the wilderness."
Coari, Amazonas, Brazil
HIROKO TABUCHI, CLAIRE RIGBY and JEREMY WHITE

Logging Crew Mobilizes Near Irreplaceable Wetland, Slated for Site C Flooding
Watson Slough, Peace River region
DeSmog Canada

How tundra wildfires could create an unstoppable cycle
The 2007 fire was probably the first for that area in 6,500 years, according to scientific evidence examined later, Higuera said. But the wait for the next big burn won't be nearly as long, according to the evidence gathered in the study.
Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Muuelomuuel (Red Flowering Currant Ribes sanguineum) Flowering
Flowers blooming near the mouth of the Klamath River
Klamath, California, United States

December Blossoms of Japanese Flowering Cherry (Prunus subhirtella)
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Picking and Eating Blackberries (Rubus armeniacus) in Mid-November in Haida Gwaii

Northern moose migration corresponds with early snow-melt and increased vegetation
Moose and other species have advanced north with warming temperatures. University of Alaska Fairbanks assistant professor of water and environmental research Ken Tape said movement of boreal species into far northern Alaska has corresponded over the last century with earlier snow-melt and river ice out.
Alaska, United States

Warmer Temperatures Affecting Red Elderberry?
Warmer temperatures during this fall/winter seem to be changing there life cycle.
Wrangell, Alaska, United States

Invasive plant discovered near Anchorage’s Potter Marsh
Elodea, a fast-growing leafy plant, is now in a roadside ditch at the marsh, and a response plan is in the works.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Garry Oak (Quercus garryana) Leaves and Flowers Opening in November
Mount Tolmie, Saanich, BC, Canada

Himalayan Blackberries (Rubus armeniacus) Fruit Second Time
Himalaya blackberry is an introduced, perennial, spreading shrub.
Bellingham, Washington, United States

Enormous Poplar Leaves
During the 2012 wind storm, many of the poplars lost branches or their tops. Now leave the leaves are growing back as big as pie plates.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

A Changing Urban Forest
Since the 2012 wind storm, the forest in Cheney Lake Park has been rapidly transforming from native cottonwoods to a variety of exotic ornamental trees.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Unusual Plant - Red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea)?
Plant found in patch of high bush cranberries.
Nulato, Alaska, United States

Septembers Are Changing in Lower Kalskag
Unusually rainy year for Lower Kalskag this year.
Lower Kalskag, Alaska, United States

Northern Birch Tree (Betula papyrifera) Die-off
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Chitemene Farming Has Environmental Consequences
Long-term consequences.
Kawambwa, Luapula, Zambia

Why are Edmonton's birch trees dying?
A study is looking into why birch trees are dying off in the prairies and British Columbia, but a researcher says they can be salvaged.
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
CBC

Subsistence Harvest Comes Early
Silver salmon, Brant geese and berries.
Nelson Lagoon, Alaska, United States

Strange & Unusual Plants Observed
Strange and unusual plant located in Nulato on northwest bank of the Yukon River.
Nulato, Alaska, United States

Rapid Growth of White Spruce (Picea glauca)
Rapid growth of white spruce over the past three summers observed.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States

Very Vary Berry Land
An abundant harvest of various berries this year.
Toksook Bay, Alaska, United States

Lots of Lake Weeds
A problem for outboards.
Aleknagik, Alaska, United States

Ushak Lake Wildfire
Residents puzzled about origins of underground fire.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States

Invasive Plant - Split Lip Hempnettle (Galeopsis bifida)
Taking over my yard
Kokhanok, Alaska, United States

Spruce Tree (Picea glauca) Tips Reflect Long Growing Season
This is the second year we have noticed that the spruce tips are very long, in fact longer than I have ever seen.

Great Berry Picking
Abundant berry harvest this year in southcentral Alaska

Diseased Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)
Disease thought to be caused by mold or an infestation of aphids observed on Bird Ridge along the Seward Highway.
Indian, Alaska, United States

Green Algae In Lake
Unknown species of green algae in a lake near Kongiganak.
Kongiganak, Alaska, United States

High Lake Temperatures
Warm temperatures come early this year.
Spring Park, Minnesota, United States

Tidlig Molte
Vadsø, Finnmark Fylke, Norway

Early Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus)
Early Salmonberries (Rubus chamaemorus)
Toksook Bay, Alaska, United States

Blueberries (Vaccinium ovalifolium) Ripe Early!
Blueberries are ripe early!
Nome, Alaska, United States

Tall Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)
Palmer, Alaska, United States

Live Oaks (Quercus virginiana) Stranded and Killed by Shoreline Erosion
Nags Head Woods Preserve, North Carolina, United States

Early and Abundant Salmonberries (Rubus chamaemorus)
Early and abundant salmonberries (Rubus chamaemorus)
Toksook Bay, Alaska, United States

Raspberries (Rubus idaeus) are Ripe
Palmer, Alaska, United States

Early Hay (Avena sativa) Cuttings
Early hay crop harvest
Palmer, Alaska, United States

Year of the Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)
Seldovia, Alaska, United States

Big Blueberries (Vaccinium ovalifolium), Lots of Them
Plants
Mountain Village, Alaska, United States

Early Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) Bloom
Early fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) bloom

Quite Early for Goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus)
In Southcentral Alaska

Yellow Fungus (Phragmidium) on Wild Rose and other Plants

Early Breakup Causing Lots of Change
Early breakup brings early arrivals.
Lower Kalskag, Alaska, United States

Ripe Blueberries (Vaccinium ovalifolium) In June!
Ripe blueberries (Vaccinium ovalifolium) in early June?
Fort Wrangel, Alaska, United States

Unknown Purple Plant
Unknown purple plant species.
Kokhanok, Alaska, United States

Early Ripe Blueberries (Vaccinium ovalifolium)
Sitka, Alaska, United States

Very Early Crow Berries (Empetrum nigrum)
Very early berries this year.
Kokhanok, Alaska, United States

Early Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum)
Mountain Village, Alaska, United States

Salmon Berries (Rubus spectabilis) Early
Wrangell, Alaska, United States

Spruce Aphid (Elatobium abietinum) Damage
Nuka Passage, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, United States

Early Growth Of Salmonberries (Rubus spectabilis - Highbush)
Early Growth of Salmonberries (Rubus spectabilis - Highbush)
King Cove, Alaska, United States

Early Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) Bloom
Early salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) boom

Blooming Raspberry (Rubus arcticus) Plants
Blooming Raspberry plants
Bethel, Alaska, United States

Lots of Spruce (Picea glauca) Pollen and Early
Windows have been open during the record heat and the interior of the house is also full of pollen, a thin layer can be seen on the floor near windows. Everyone, even people like myself who rarely experience allergies, are feeling the effects, burning eyes, runny nose, and cough.

Early Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) Sprout
Mountain Village, Alaska, United States

Spruce aphid (Elatobium abietinum Wal)
Communities on the southern coastline of Kenai Peninsula have noticed changes to trees as a result of the aphid.
Kasitana Bay, Alaska, United States

Alaska birch pollen is getting so bad, even those without allergies might suffer
Spiking levels of birch pollen around much of the state are also being seen during an early spring in Anchorage this week, as doctors deal with an influx of allergy and asthma patients.
Anchorage Daily News

Early Allergy Season
Allergy season happening sooner
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Early Birch (Betula papyrifera) Tree Leaves
Early green up following a very mild winter with little snow.
Chuathbaluk, Alaska, United States

Increased Spread of Japanese Knotweed
Sechelt, British Columbia, Canada

Unusual Insect Observed On Willow
On the upper Klamath River
Tulley Creek

Early Bloom of Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis Highbush) Bushes
Early bloom of salmonberry bushes.
Sand Point, Alaska, United States

Early leafing of trees this spring
Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada

Early Birch (Betula neoalaskana) Sap
The birch trees are producing sap earlier. (baseline post)

Flora Blooming Early in the Valley
Birch leaves bud early.

Second year of unusual seasonal temperatures: affects black bears and native plant growth?
Whistler, British Columbia, Canada

Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) Bloomers
More early bloomers in Southcentral Alaska.
Nanwalek, Alaska, United States

Dandelions (Taraxacum) in Bloom
First dandelions of spring
King Cove, Alaska, United States

March Pollen and Active Honey Bees (Apis)
Warm temperatures drive emergence of early willow buds, pollen and honey bee activity.

50°F in March!
Unseasonably warm in Chistochina.
Chistochina, Alaska, United States

Salmonberries (Rubus spectabilis) in Full Bloom
Salmonberries (Rubus spectabilis) are in full bloom on Baranof Island.
Sitka, Alaska, United States

Early Willow (Salix scouleriana) Bloom
Early Pussy Willows in Denali Park.
Denali Park, Alaska, United States

Early Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) and Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) Bloom
Early blooming salmonberry (*was'x'aan tléiGu* and blueberry (*naanyaa kanat'aayi* - Tlingit language) blossoms.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Jerry Hupp, LoriAnne Barnett, Sudie Hargis

Early Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) Blossoms
Early Salmonberry Blossoms in February on Kodiak Island
Ouzinkie, Alaska, United States

Local arborist works to fight desertification |
A resident of the 20th khoroo in Sukhbaatar District, D.Chuluunbaatar, has been planting fruit trees for 20 years.
Sühbaatar, Selenge, Mongolia
The UB Post

Willows (Salix scouleriana) Budding Along Chistochina River
Pussy willows (Salix scouleriana) - a sign of spring in Interior Alaska.
Chistochina, Alaska, United States

Salmonberries (Rubus spectabilis) Blooming In February
Salmonberries (Rubus spectabilis) Blooming in February
Sitka, Alaska, United States

Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis)
Brampton, Ontario, Canada

Sargassum algae invades the coasts of the Great South of Haiti
For over one year the coasts of the Great South of Haiti, are invaded by an unusual species of algae known as Sargassum or Seaweed. The most affected communities are : St Jean du Sud, Les Cayes, St Louis du Sud, Côtes de fer, Jacmel, Cayes Jacmel...
Saint-Louis du Sud, Sud, Haiti
HaitiLibre.com

Roses blooming in December in Haida Gwaii

Periwinkle (Vinca minor) causes suppression of Sugar Maple (Acer Saccharum)
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

Japanese Knotweed in Remote Area
Tipella, British Columbia, Canada

Spruce Tree (Picea glauca) Rapid Growth
Spruce trees growing fast.

Sierra Leone's stinking seaweed linked to Caribbean invasion
Proliferation of thick brown algae is affecting fishing, tourism and marine life on both sides of the Atlantic, say scientists
Tokeh, Western, Sierra Leone
the Guardian

Unusual Flora - Yellowdot Saxifrage (Saxifrage bronchialis)
Unusual Flora
Nelson Island, Alaska, United States
Ben Balivet, Gino Graziano, Matt Carlson

Global Warming Pushes Maple Trees, Syrup to the Brink
The polar bear is a powerful symbol of the effects of climate change in the Arctic.  Here in New England, our symbol may soon be the sugar maple tree.
Durham, New Hampshire, United States
National Geographic

Summer of Slime (Freshwater Algae)
Low water, warm temperatures and our seasonal waterfowl population are factors we think are contributing to the unprecedented algae and weed growth in the lake at the the Alaska Native Health Campus.

Slimy Beach
Slimy Algae on beach
Port Lions, Alaska, United States

Stinking mats of seaweed piling up on Caribbean beaches
Some tourists have canceled summer trips and lawmakers on Tobago have termed the sargassum invasion a “natural disaster.”
Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Miami Herald

Caribbean-bound tourists cancel holidays due to foul-smelling seaweed
Algal blooms threaten the economies of the globe’s most tourism dependent nations, scuttle holidays plans and give climate scientists more to worry about
Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico
the Guardian

Abundant Japanese Wireweed (Sargassum muticum)
A species of invasive seaweed is becoming very abundant and displacing native species.
Bamfield, British Columbia, Canada

Plant Has Red Gall
Unusual plant has red buds
Goodnews Bay, Alaska, United States

Invasive weed makes its way into world's largest floatplane base
Elodea, an aggressive invasive plant, was discovered this month in the lake used by hundreds of floatplanes, raising fears that it will be spread to multiple sites within flying reach.
Anchorage Daily News

Lightening and Wildfire
There were lightning strike-caused fires at Paul's Creek and Coffee Creek north of King Salmon, AK.
King Salmon, Alaska, United States

Wildfire
Sockeye wildfire at mile post 77 of the George Parks Highway near Willow.
Willow, Alaska, United States

Jeff Lowenfels: A bumper crop of spruce cones
There seems to be an unbelievable bumper crop of spruce cones both in trees and on lawns this spring. Their abundance has been quite a topic of conversation, at least in my circles. It is coneucopia!

Bittersweet Nightshade (Solanum Dulcamara)
Delta, British Columbia, Canada

Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) absent around Isla Todos Santos
Around Isla Todos Santos, a massive Giant Kelp (_Macrocystis pyrifera_) bed die-off was observed, which may be linked to the 2015-2016 El Niño event.
Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

Early Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) Blossoms
Salmonberry blossom seem a little early this year.

Early Pussy Willows
Early pussy willows - Anchorage, Alaska, USA

Early Plants
1/27/15 Early plants - Klawock, Alaska, USA
Klawock, Alaska, United States

Squirrel Parka Tail Plants Early
Squirrel parka tail plants early
Togiak, Alaska, United States
Brian Abraham, Aeshia Upton, Gino Graziano

Summer heat, invasive insects take toll on Interior Alaska birch trees
Interior Alaska’s hot and dry summer of 2013, coupled with an invasion of insect pests, has taken a steep toll on the region’s birch trees, experts say.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Berry Harvest Failure
A terrible year for berry harvest in the Upper Nushagak River.
Ekwok, Alaska, United States

Abundant Mossberries (Empetrum nigrum)
A great year for harvesting mossberries.
Cold Bay, Alaska, United States

Berry Harvest Change
Crooked Island, 25 Miles south of Togiak. Remnants of blackberries.
Togiak, Alaska, United States

Abundant Bees
08-17-14 Abundant bees - Eagle River, Alaska, USA
Eagle River, Alaska, United States

Abundance of Fireweed (Chamerion agustifolium) on Popof Island
Abundance of Fireweed on Popof Island
Sand Point, Alaska, United States

Yellow Flowers Genus Arnica
7-14-14 Yellow flowers genus Arnica - Togiak, Alaska, USA
Togiak, Alaska, United States

Abundant Bees and Berries
7-14-14 Abundant bees & berries - King Cove, Alaska, USA
King Cove, Alaska, United States

Early Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum)
Early blueberries in Jakolof Bay, Alaska
Seldovia, Alaska, United States

Moth invasions cause widespread damage in the sub-arctic birch forest
In just seven years, as much as one-third of the mountain-birch forest in the North Calotte region was severely defoliated by two moth species. Researchers now have a better understanding of what happened.
North Calotte Region, Northern Fennoscandia
ScienceNordic

Early Salmonberry (Rubus chamaemorus) Blossoms
5-27-14 Early salmon berry blossoms - Toksook Bay, Alaska, USA

High Spruce Pollen
5-25-14 High spruce pollen McDonald Spit, Alaska, USA

Pollen Makes for Poor Air Quality
5-19-14 Poor air quality - Anchorage Alaska, USA

Willows Budding in Winter
1-24-14 Winter plants blooming - Bethel, Alaska, USA
Bethel, Alaska, United States

With warm December winds, shaken faith in Arctic weather
Folks here are famous for being able to handle the cold, but anything wet in December has always made us nervous. Especially wet falling from the sky. Lately, weather, our favorite nemesis, has broken the rules. Our confidence in the most-trustworthy feature of the Arctic -- winter -- has been wounded.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Weather Effects Caribou Migration and Season
11-11-13 Weather effects caribou migration and season - Barrow, Alaska, USA
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States

Abundant Berries
The blueberries are so ripe now that the best time to pick those are late morning while they are chilled down and the leaves are not so moist, otherwise they fall easily or squish in your fingers.
Kiana, Alaska, United States

Muddy River Raises Salmon Concerns
Thawing permafrost and river bank collapsed on the Cheenik Creek.
Golovin, Alaska, United States

Abundant Salmon Berries (Vaccinium ovalifolium)
The past couple of years there haven't been a lot to pick.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Invasive Fall Dandelion
7-25-13 Invasive dandelion - Levelock, Alaska, USA
Levelock, Alaska, Unites States

More Salmonberries (Rubus chamaemorus)
7-24-13 More salmon berries - Nondalton, Alaska, USA
Nondalton, Alaska, United States

Unusual Lightning
Residents were amazed to see lightning actually arching down to the ground.
Atqasuk, Alaska, United States

High pollen levels
High spruce pollen levels causing eye, respiratory irrigation and nose bleeds.

Spruce Aphid (Elatobium abietinum) Infestation
5-15-13 Spruce aphid infestation Kake, Alaska, USA
Kake, Alaska, United States

Herders caught between cashmere and climate change
Batogoo Dorj is a nomad in southern Mongolia’s Bayankhongor Region who makes his living raising cashmere goats. Each spring, Dorj can shear about 300 grams of the valuable, downy wool from each of his 350 goats. Those voracious and sharp-hoofed animals are contributing to the desertification and climate change that is reducing Mongolia’s available grazing land.
Баянхонгор, Bayanhongor, Mongolia
The UB Post

Bloom Turns Beach Orange
A mystery bloom brightens up local beach.
Annette Islands, Alaska, United States

Spruce Bark Beetle
We are worried about the effects of large infestation and about wildlife.
Fort Yukon, Alaska, United States

Windfall Tree Devastation
The winds came east out of the Chugach Mountains and caused damage to forest, unlike anything we have seen in over 50 years. It is going to be expensive and time consuming to clear the windfall.

Birch trees and bird vetch prompt slew of questions in Interior Alaska
There has been an outbreak in Fairbanks of the amber-marked birch leaf miner (Profenusa thomsoni), an insect that came to North America in the early 1900s and arrived in Fairbanks by about 2002.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Steven Seefeldt / Cooperative Extension Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Great Gardening
7-19-12 Great gardening - Anchorage, Alaska, USA

Non-stinging Wasp (Cynipoidea) Larva
Non-sting wasp (cynipoidea) larva
Slana, Alaska, United States

Changing Plant Conditions
More leaf miners this year, less blue berry blossoms, but more cranberry.
Evansville, Alaska, United States

Windfall trees an obstacle
Wind fall trees an obstacle
Gakona, Alaska, United States

The Mystery Rust of Kivalina, Alaska
Last month a mysterious orange film ("goo" in the media vernacular) washed up on the shores of a northwest Alaskan village called Kivalina. An orange powder seems an odd product for the drying of crustacean eggs, but could make perfect sense for fungi -- specifically, the rust fungi.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States
Scientific American Blog Network

Caterpillars gang up on berry bushes, native trees
The outlook for blueberries in Southcentral Alaska this year is bleak, scientists say. The reason: Two species of moth have damaged berry patches, as well as native deciduous trees, from the southern Kenai Peninsula to Mat-Su.

ALASKA: A havoc-wreaking beetle loose in the forest
STERLING, Alaska — Spent today tramping around the boggy depths of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, which is about a three-hour drive south of Anchorage. Berg The group went there to see h…
Sterling, Alaska, United States
SciGuy

Unusual species of kelp (Aureophycus) identified
Twenty-five students in the Pribilof Island Marine Science Camp have discovered the second-known population of a new species.
Saint George, Alaska, United States

This 'incredibly alien' fungus isn't as scary as you might think
CBC reporter Kaitie Fraser spotted this strange jelly-like substance in her aunt's backyard, growing on a cedar tree. In fact, her aunt said, when she first saw it, it looked like orange flowers at a distance. But when she started to approach it, it looked more like clumps of gummy bears.
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
CBC

Canada's AG warns Nunavut about dangers of not having a climate change action plan
Nunavut is not prepared to deal with the impacts of climate change and doesn't have a plan to deal with them, according to the latest report by Canada's auditor general.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

Growing sense of dread among Swedish farmers as dry weather continues
I am sad to see the crops on my fields being just brown and yellow instead of green. All the hard work we did this spring, it's almost for nothing..." dairy farmer Filip Nilsson told Radio Sweden.
Sweden

Spruce beetles’ expansion into Denali National Park poses questions about forest changes
The aggressive infestation that took hold in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough north of Anchorage in 2016 has now spread north, covering hillsides in the communities outside the park with rustred dead trees and reaching into park boundaries.
Cantwell, Alaska, United States

Invasive slug species slimes into city
The European black slug was first introduced into Alaska in the 1980s in Cordova, Slowik said. It eventually made its way to Juneau and Ketchikan, likely hitching a ride on fishing gear, and is now prevalent across Southeast. A few years ago, people started seeing the slug in Whittier and Girdwood.

North Saskatchewan River Turns Blue
The river, which starts at the Saskatchewan Glacier in the Columbia Icefields and flows through to central Saskatchewan, is usually murky brown by the time it reaches Edmonton in summer. In recent weeks, however, the water has taken on the hues of Alberta's glacial lakes, thanks to dry, hot weather combined with maintenance at a major dam.
North Saskatchewan River, Alberta, Canada
CBC

Red Lily Beetle (Lilioceris lilii) settles in Edmonton, Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Tropical fish follow warmer waters south, devouring kelp forests
They are brightly coloured, beautiful and hungry — tropical fish and sea urchins are thriving in southern waters warmed by climate change. But now they are devastating kelp forests already knocked around by marine heatwaves.
southern Australia
ABC News

Seeing brown birch leaves? It’s not necessarily a sign of fall. Blame leaf-munching larvae
The birch leafminer ate its way through birches across Southcentral and Interior Alaska this summer. Hot and dry weather earlier in summer may have been optimal for them.

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