LEO Network

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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

Rhododendrons blooming in late October
The rhododendron in my garden is now starting to bloom in late October. I researched this and it seems that it's not unheard of and may be related to higher temperatures in the daytime and colder temperatures at night.
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

Only two flamingos sighted on Sidi Boughaba Lake
On a hiking trip, observer sees a lone pair of Flamingos at Sidi Boughaba Lake National Park. This was not expected from a sociable bird species that travel in large flocks.
Kenitra, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Morocco
David Oswald, Chyna Williams, Salma Sayeh

Shift in Overall Weather Pattern Over Past Two Decades
"The first snowfall of this year happened so early that the leaves on the trees had not fallen yet. The weight of the snow on top of the trees that had not shed their leaves caused the trees to incur damage."
Eagle River, Alaska, United States

Marine vomit spread along the western coast of Norway
A self-cloning and invincible enemy invades coastal areas. The carpet sea squirt (Didemnum vexillum) or “marine vomit” have been observed nearby Stavanger and Bergen. Large yellow flakes has spread on the seabed and kills everything beneath. It may grow on boats and can spread along the coast.
Engøysundet, Stavanger, Rogaland, Norway
NRK
Josef Benoni Ness Tveit, Håkon Mannsåker

Western Alaska residents fill buckets of late-budding salmonberries
Some possible causes for late budding in berries include more precipitation when flowers bloom, which reduces pollination, an overall lack of pollinators, or sometimes animals and birds eat the berries during the winter.
Nome, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

The field has been giving strawberries for 80 years, but not anymore – it's completely dead
All farmer Arild Stenhaug is left with is tiny berries that cannot be sold. He believes the cause is climate change. "We have to listen to a farmer who has lost everything," says a researcher.
Utskarpen, Rana, Nordland, Norway
NRK

Fire Updates: Smoke Intensifies, River Complex Estimated Containment Date Oct. 1
A handful of fires burning east of Humboldt continued to grow overnight with minimal containment, bringing air quality and travel impacts. Parts of State Route 36 have reopened to controlled traffic. Overall hot, dry conditions are expected to complicate fire suppression efforts.
Junction City, California, United States
North Coast Journal

He has lived for 74 years – for the first time the river is dry
Extreme drought in the west means that households with private waterworks are out of water. Elvar's dried up. "The situation is very serious," he says.
Skinlo, Breim, Vestland, Norway
NRK

Insect eating red currant leaves
Red currant leaf consumption by something was observed by my supervisor while walking along a salmon stream.
Lazy Mountain, Alaska, United States

Invasive seaweed detected on Aotea/Great Barrier Island
Caulerpa brachypus, which can spread rapidly and create dense mats, was found in July in Blind Bay and Tryphena Harbour. This was the first time the pest species had been detected in New Zealand.
Great Barrier Island
NZ Herald

West Coast drought puts fish and forests in dire straits
West Coast fish and forests are in greater peril than ever as the B.C. government issues widespread drought warnings after a record-breaking heat wave and an explosion of wildfires across the province.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Island

Exceptional heat takes toll on berries, other crops
An extended period of hot, dry weather is affecting the harvest outlook and impacting grain growth. Even the wild berry season, which was off to a good start, may be in peril.
Kullaa, Satakunta, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Strange Plant found below Oskawalik on the Kuskokwim River
An Aniak resident found these plants below Oskawalik and never have seen them before. Identification is still in progress.
Below Oskawalik, Alaska, United States

European Skipper (Thymelicus lineola) in Northwest, BC
A European Skipper butterfly is observed in Northwest BC, an introduced species and one of several stressors underlying insect declines.
Smithers, British Columbia, Canada

B.C. heat wave 'cooks' fruit crops on the branch in sweltering Okanagan and Fraser valleys
Farmers are trying to salvage their cherry crops following damage from a week of extreme temperatures. Cherry crops in the BC Interior have been burned due to the extreme temperatures brought by the heat wave at the end of June.
Peachland, British Columbia, Canada
CBC

Vancouver trees dry out as heat wave continues to take its toll
British Columbia's unprecedented heat wave and drought-like conditions may be what is causing some Vancouver trees to shed their leaves this week, a scientist says.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
CBC

Tiny insects ate the needles off a half million acres of Tongass hemlocks. Most of the trees will be fine.
Dead crowns in the canopy and rusty-colored branches are woven in with the otherwise healthy, green temperate rainforest. About a third of the trees around here were hit by the voracious sawfly. The larvae get mistaken for caterpillars. Adults are a kind of non-stinging wasp, a little smaller than a pinky finger.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
KTOO

Wildfire Alert Phase Spreads to Southeast Iceland
A wildfire alert is now in effect across roughly half of Iceland following weeks of dry weather and fires across the Southwest quadrant of the country.
Iceland
Iceland Review

Bees emerging in Fairbanks
European Honey Bee a.k.a Western Honey Bee (apis mellifera) spotted with 2 feet of snow still on the ground.
College, Alaska, United States
Katie Spellman, Ian Williams, Chyna Williams

Urban tree damage in Montreal
Trees in urban residential areas seem to be more prone to damage because of an increase in windstorms and because of maintenance work, which has weakened trees.
Saint-Léonard, Quebec, Canada

Willow buds are happening
Buds are appearing right as we move into a 2-day cold spell of below zero nights. An adjacent willow budded a few weeks ago during a similar cycle of warmth followed by cold, and it appears to be putting some buds out, although on different branches.
Chickaloon, Alaska, United States

Japan's cherry blossom 'earliest peak since 812'
The 2021 season in the city of Kyoto peaked on 26 March, according to data collected by Osaka University. The city has experienced an unusually warm spring this year. Increasingly early flowerings in recent decades are likely to be as a result of climate change.
Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
BBC News

Willows Starting to Bud
Early budding willows (genus *Salix*) were observed on the Chistochina Trail during temperatures of 18 above Fahrenheit. The average temperature on March 23, 2021 was 10 degrees Fahrenheit, the coldest temperature on the day in the past twenty years.
Chistochina, Alaska, United States
Jimmy Evak, Wilson Justin, Katie Spellman

Irregular Ponderosa Pine Growth
Ponderosa pines in Eastern Washington are displaying signs of irregular growth.
Spokane, Washington, United States

Zebra mussels on Marimo moss balls are causing an emergency in WA
Moss balls imported from Ukraine to pet shops in the United States have been found to house the invasive Zebra mussel. Once in bodies of water, this mussel reproduces rapidly and wreaks havoc on ecosystems.
Seattle, Washington, United States
Crosscut

Generation of B.C. salmon likely wiped out by landslide
Homalco First Nation to push for special hatchery permits
Southgate River, British Columbia
Campbell River Mirror
Quinn Bender, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Alaska Grown Black Walnuts
The unthinkable (ripe Alaska walnuts) a few decades ago is potentially our new reality as our climate continues to shift (warmer summers and longer falls). As our climatic parameters shift, so does our opportunity to diversify our edible plantings!
Peter's Creek
Facebook - Alaska Home Gardeners Group

A Lily (genus Lilium) is Blooming in My Garden
Late-blooming lily may benefit from warm temperatures in late September/early October.
Palmer, Alaska

Worst plum season in 60 years
"It almost snowed when it was flowering. The bees were barely out, and we see the result of that here," said fruit farmer Kari Lutro. The decline for plums is as much as 90 percent, compared with last year.
Lofthus, Hordaland, Norway
Tale Hauso, Jon Bolstad, Sjur Mikal Dolve

Late-blooming Rose (Rosa acicularis) in Fairbanks
Wild roses typically bloom in June and July, and go dormant when temperatures drop in the fall and winter.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Lots of Late Blooming Roses (Rosa acicularis)
Wild roses usually bloom in May and June, but warm fall temperatures may have signaled roses in Fairbanks to bloom later than usual.
Ester, Alaska, United States

Not much for berries or fireweed
"In a summer of continuous rainfall I would presume glorious growth and tons of picking...but this did not happen. The blueberries never took off, neither did the soap berries known to us as bear berries."
Chistochina, Alaska, United States

Late Blooming Rose
A wild rose (*Rosa acicularis*) blooms late during a warm fall.
Willow, Alaska, United States

Meet Nunavut's newest arrival: the beaver
A recent beaver catch in Baker Lake, along with this summer’s earlier beaver sighting near Kugluktuk, more than 1,000 kilometres northwest of Baker Lake, have some wondering whether beavers are expanding their range into Nunavut.
Baker Lake, Nunavut, Canada
Nunatsiaq News

Exceptional Growing Conditions during Last Days of Summer Saves Potato Harvest
Potato farmers in Þykkvabær on Iceland’s south coast are thankful that the last days of summer were wet and warm. The spring was cold and early August was colder than it has been in living memory.
Þykkvibaer, South, Iceland
Iceland Review

Odd shaped Low-bush Cranberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)
Pear shaped cranberries (*Vaccinium vitis-idaea*) are likely the result of a genetic mutation.
Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, United States
Regina Rovira, Matt Carlson, Katie Spellman

Frost Damage Forces Farmers to Buy Hay
Sveinbjörn Þór Sigurðsson of Búvellir farm in Aðaldalur, North Iceland says 80-90% of his hay fields were frozen in spring, and dry weather exacerbated the situation.
Near Húsavík, Northeast, Iceland
Iceland Review

Second year of Hemlock Looper Moth (Lambdina fiscellaria) outbreak returns to North Vancouver in larger numbers
The Hemlock Looper Moth outbreak is said to last between 3-4 years and now coincides with an outbreak of Phantom Hemlock Looper which saw its last outbreak more than a decade ago.
North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Why are spruce trees turning orange in the Alaska Range?
The answer to the Tang-colored mystery involves tiny spruce needle rust fungus spores that also rely on Labrador tea plants to survive.
Healy, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Waterfowl Disappearance and Other Lake Ecosystem Changes
Residents note significant changes in the Christiansen Lake ecosystem since 2019. This includes fewer nesting birds, fish, and mammals around the lake, while the leech population has increased along with the occurrence of algal blooms.
Talkeetna, Alaska, United States

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) is branching and delayed flowering
I have never seen fireweed like this. It is not growing with the normal straight stalk. Is it fireweed? My yard is full of them.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Abundant Aphids and Defoliator Attack
Forests around Gakona saw abundant aphids and defoliation from sawflies or caterpillars.

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) has multiple stalks
This is the first time I recall seeing Fireweed that has a form like this.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Resident harvests wayward moose wandering near Utqiagvik
Alaska Department of Fish and Game records show two other unusually wayward moose hunts: One in 2016 taken north of Teshekpuk Lake along the Arctic coast, and another in 2014 on the Kokolik River near Point Lay.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Black bear injures Juneau man after following him through open door
With few fish and limited berries, bear encounters are high in Alaska's capital city this year.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Cloudberry bogs are collapsing - climate change is to blame
In Finnmark and parts of Troms, good and favorite berry bogs have cracked and disappeared. The reason is warmer and more humid climate. "Almost impossible to reverse," says a bog researcher.
Karasjok, Finnmark Fylke, Norway

Planet Alaska: The lool always knows
This summer, fireweed has been telling us to prepare for winter. It's been telling us the season is off kilter, too. Here in Juneau we've had fireweed plants that are blooming halfway up the stalk growing next to fireweed with barely any buds.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

Invasive grass carp caught in Chambly Basin
Scientists say the grass carp population in the Chambly Basin is probably small, but the presence of this species in any number is bad news.
Chambly, Quebec, Canada
Montreal Gazette

Sparrow's Egg Lady's Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium passerinum) Arrives in the Swamp
Orchids often reproduce by sending up additional shoots from the rhizome, but can produce seeds. When they do, the seeds are lightweight and are easily blown around by the wind. The dried swamp may have provided the right nutrients and optimal environment for germination.

Leduc County declares state of agricultural disaster amid wet conditions
Due to excessively wet weather, Leduc County has declared a municipal state of agricultural disaster.
Leduc County, Alberta, Canada
Global News

Spruce Trees Producing Huge Amounts of Cones
Unusually large cone crops may be the result of favorable variations in weather across several years.
Koyuk, Alaska, United States

Eastern Ontario in grip of worst Gypsy moth outbreak in 30 years
The worst Gypsy moth caterpillar outbreak in Eastern Ontario in 30 years is ripping through city backyard trees and rural forests at an alarming rate.Some pockets of forest north of Belleville, along Highway 7, look like stands of giant toothpicks after being picked clean of their foliage.
Belleville, Ontario, Canada
Belleville Intelligencer

Eastern Ontario in grip of worst Gypsy moth outbreak in 30 years
The worst Gypsy moth caterpillar outbreak in Eastern Ontario in 30 years is ripping through city backyard trees and rural forests at an alarming rate.Some pockets of forest north of Belleville, along Highway 7, look like stands of giant toothpicks after being picked clean of their foliage.
Eastern Canada
Belleville Intelligencer

Red Growth On Aspen Trees are Diplodia Galls (Diplodia tumefaciens)
Diplodia galls are caused by a fungus that causes the tree to overproduce in certain areas. This generally will not kill the tree, but does make the tree more prone to breakage in areas where galls are found.

Early Ripe Blueberries
Moose Mountain, Fairbanks, AK

Unusual Plant at Lake is Northern Groundcone (Boschniakia rossica)
I have not seen this before at Cheney Lake.

Multi-headed Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)
Browsing moose may have damaged the primary flowering shoot of the fireweed, causing it to form multiple blooming stalks.
Ester, Alaska, United States

Haven't expected fewer plums in ten years
You have to be early if you want plums this year. The cause is cold in flowering. It almost snowed when it was flowering. The bees were barely out, and we can see the result here.
Nedstrand, Tysvær
Tale Hauso, Valentina Baisotti, Rosa Iren Villalobos, Mari Rollag Evensen

Blueberries (Vaccinium uliginosum) at 60-mile Steese
These berries were on a south slope in a recently burned area. Seems early to me!
Pleasant Valley, Alaska, United States

Wasp Gall on Rosebush
Small spiny growths on a rosebush resemble spiny galls created by cynipid wasps.
Denali National Park, Alaska, United States

Blueberries in June
Manley hotspring road

Emerald ash borer keeping some GRCA properties closed
That includes the trail at the south end of Wrigley Lake in North Dumfries
Byng Island Conservation Area, Ontario
KitchenerToday.com

Mysterious Holes in Leaves
Defoliation of willows, alders, and berry bushes may be related to different insect species depending on the plant.
Seldovia Village, Alaska, United States

Seaweed invasion hurting fishermen's livelihoods
Seaweed native to the northwest Pacific is invading the rich marine waters of the Strait of Gibraltar and the brown algae is clogging up fishermen's nets and endangering their way of life.
Strait of Gibraltar
Al Jazeera

Orangeville area trees swarming with invasive caterpillars
If you hear the pitter-patter of what sounds like light rainfall but can't feel a drop of water, you probably already know that you have a caterpillar problem.
58228527
Orangeville, Ontario, Canada
Orangeville.com

Increasing catch of spruce bark beetles
"Throughout Viken in the lowlands there is an increasing evidence of spruce bark beetles and that is worrying. What is positive is that in Measure Package No 2 from the Government you receive financial compensation for wind fall logging and forest management" says Lars Kr. Haug, head of forestry at Viken Skog.
Viken county, Norway
Viken Skog

Yellow-tinted Water around Nome Identified As Spruce Pollen
The yellow tinting in ocean water has been identified by the Tanana Valley Clinic as spruce pollen, but it remains to be seen why the pollen counts are so high this year.
Nome, Alaska, United States

Pollen Tinting Water around Norton Sound Communities
Ocean water may be tinted yellow from pollen.
Nome, Alaska, United States
Vanessa Tahbone, Anahma Shannon, Toby Anungazuk Jr

Pollen Levels Elevated in Anchorage
Elevated pollen levels in Anchorage and across Alaska raise questions about changes in respiratory health and the importance of having good air quality during the coronavirus pandemic.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Russia’s 2020 Wildfires Cover Greece-Sized Area
Wildfires in Russia have burned across a combined area the size of Greece so far in 2020, surpassing official estimates threefold. Experts warn that this year’s blazes could become the most destructive in history.
Krasnoyarsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
The Moscow Times

Large landslides have passed in Alta
One person was evacuated and brought to safety after the landslide at Kråkneset in Alta municipality. A total of eight buildings were swept to the sea in the 650-metre landslide. Due to a high avalanche risk, police have still not entered the area.
Kråkenes, Alta, Norway
Sofie Dege Dimmen, Ida Loise Rostad, Idun Aalbu Rasmussen, Jo Hermstad Tronsen

Yellow Residue in the Ocean is Likely Pollen
Unusually high levels of seasonal pollen create a visible sheen on water.
Stebbins, Alaska, United States

Invasive Himalayan Blackberry Out-competing Native Bushes
Himalayan blackberries (*Rubus armeniacus*) are out competing native shrub species and taking over open grasslands.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Pollen Tornado
Warm temperatures are causing birch buds to burst, sending large amounts of pollen in the air. In Chuathbaluk, there was so much pollen, it was visible as a tornado.
Chuathbaluk, Alaska, United States

Where is our spring? Locals in Western Siberia say it feels like they skipped a season
Abnormally hot May weather resembles midsummer with air temperatures as high as +35C.
Krasnoyarsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
Siberia Times

Pasque Flowers Blooming in Tok
In Alaska, pasque flowers are known to bloom in May, but increasingly warm temperatures may create conditions that lead to earlier bloom times.
Tok, Alaska, United States

Birch pollen count breaks 'world record' in Fairbanks
After a cold winter and spring, high temperatures around the Interior prompted birch tree buds to burst, sending record-setting levels of pollen into the air.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Pollen in Abundance: A Stress Crop?
Pollen may be hanging in the air longer than usual due to lack of rain
Langford, British Columbia, Canada

Evidence of Forest Erosion by Sea Level Rise
The northwest and west shoreline of Cormorant Island, British Columbia appears to have eroded due to sea level rise during the last few decades.
West Side Trail, Cormorant Island, British Columbia

Patches of Disrupted Trees
I noticed sections of trees that had fallen over and or had their tops broken off. I'm wondering if it was a micro storm or a disease that affected the trees.
Barnard, Vermont, United States

'Nature is taking back Venice': wildlife returns to tourist-free city
Look down into the waters of the Venice canals today and there is a surprising sight – not just a clear view of the sandy bed, but shoals of tiny fish, scuttling crabs and multi-coloured plant-life.
Venice, Veneto, Italy
The Guardian

Budding Willow Branches (genus Salix)
Willows are budding early, following temperature swings of 40 to approximately -32 degrees Fahrenheit between February and March.
Chistochina, Alaska, United States

Spring has sprung in Stockholm, weather service says
It's only late February but already spring has sprung in Stockholm, according to the definition by Sweden's national weather service.
Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
Radio Sweden

Turku's cherry blossoms bloom out of season in mid-winter
The cherry blossoms along the Aura riverbank are a huge draw for tourists and photo enthusiasts every year around mid-May. The city's head gardener said he was amazed by the sight of the flowers budding this time of year.
Turku, Southwest Finland, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Worried for the raspberries, they have started to sprout
The raspberries believes spring has begun now. They have started to bloom and have no idea that the cold temperatures may come in an instant.
Drøbak, Akershus, Norway
Silje-Lisette Tennøy, Miriam Alsvik, Iselin Øverbø

Spring flowers in southwest Finland archipelago
According to Simo Laine, head horticulturalist at botanical garden in Turku, southwest Finland, it could well be the first time that the blooms have made an appearance in the country as early as January.
Turku, Southwest Finland, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Icing in the high mountains produces desperate reindeer
Icy conditions in the mountains have caused wild reindeer to descend towards the hut areas to find food. In several places ski areas are now closed to prevent the reindeer from being disturbed.
Hovden, Aust-Agder, Norway

Scientists: Winter is shrinking at both ends
It's January 15th and the first signs of spring are here. The biologist found a snail in the garden, and in the flower box of the meteorologist sprout and grow it. Both are concerned.
Røa, Oslo, Norway
NRK, Norsk Rikskringkasting
Ida Theresa Myklebost, Dagny Elisabeth Ulland

Australia bushfires trap thousands on east coast beaches
Residents fled toward the waterside as winds pushed an emergency-level wildfire towards their homes. The town was shrouded in darkness from the smoke before turning an unnerving shade of bright red.
Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia
The Globe and Mail

'Funky' weather brings late harvest
It was out of habit that Rachel Kukull carried foraging tools while hiking through Chilkat State Park. The custom paid off when she spotted on the forest floor a flash of gold that made her scream. Chanterelles in November!
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Alders (genus Alnus) Budding Out of Season
Warm temperatures are likely causing alders and other woody Alaskan plants to bud in fall and early winter. As winter sets in, the buds are damaged and the plants will produce fewer buds come spring.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States

It’s November, and Southcentral Alaska’s unusually warm fall has some plants putting out spring buds
As much of the Lower 48 braces for frigid weather, Anchorage-area temperatures have run some 13 degrees above normal so far this month.
Anchorage Daily News

Big Year for Highbush Cranberries (Viburnum edule)
Highbush cranberries benefited from unusually warm, sunny conditions.
Seldovia Village, Alaska, United States

Black Currant (Ribes laxiflorum) and Willow (Salix scouleriana) Bushes Are Budding
Willow and currants are budding unusually late, during an unusually warm fall.
Seldovia Village, Alaska, United States

California fires see 200,000 evacuated while 3 million may lose power
For the third year in a row, an enormous wildfire is destroying homes and properties in California, with smaller fires raging elsewhere in the state.
Sonoma Valley, California, USA
New Scientist

Stoop Pumpkins Rotting Before Halloween
This stoop-pumpkin-rotting event is unusual compared with Dr. Johnson's long-term (lifetime) time series of annual October observations of stoop pumpkins in New York City.
New York City, New York, United States
Twitter

Unidentified Foam on Fallen Leaves
Unusual foam on autumn fallen leaves does not belong to a spittlebug, but may be a type of fungus.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States
Jessie Moan, Stephen Payton, Derek Sikes

Climate change thaws permafrost
Nils Thomas discovered "sinkhole" in the middle of Finnmarksvidda. Scientists have long warned against this, and now it happened.
Vuohcetjávri, Kautokeino

Tree apocalypse in Winnipeg
City deals with impact of early-season snowstorm on roads, energy grid, tree canopy.
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Winnipeg Free Press

Outbreak of tree-killing, allergy-inducing moths
An infestation of tussock moths, which have the ability to quickly kill healthy Douglas fir trees, is on the move in British Columbia and the Ministry of Forests says it has now been found further north than ever before.
Wycotte Flat, British Columbia, Canada
CBC

Late Budding Alder Tree (genus Alnus)
Late budding alder tree.

Scarlet Honeyeaters (Myzomela sanguinolenta) Unusually Abundant in Brisbane
Sherwood Arboretum, Queensland, Australia

An invasive algae is threatening the Strait of Gibraltar’s fishing grounds
Returning to port with tons of algae in their trammel nets, with hardly any fish, has become a common drama for the men fishing in Spain's Southern coast. The same “catastrophe” is also threatening the marine biodiversity of the area and piling up on beaches.
Spanish Mediterranean coast

Abundance of Hemlock Looper Moths (Lambdina fiscellaria)
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

Moth population takes flight in North Vancouver
The North Shore is discovering what life is like under moth rule. Eclipses of moths have been flitting, fluttering and generally wreaking havoc around any light source over the past week.
Lynn Canyon, British Columbia, Canada
North Shore News

Mass "Ballooning" Spider Event Responsible for Unusual Webs on Vegetation
Unusual webs spread across vegetation is likely related to a mass ballooning event, where spiders launched themselves in the air using the Earths magnetic charge and the wind.
St. Paul Island, Alaska, United States

Narcissus (Anemone narcissiflora) Blooming in Fall
*Anemone narcissiflora*, which typically blooms in June, is experiencing a second bloom in Hatcher Pass.
Hatcher Pass, Alaska

Late Bloomers - Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum edule) Blooming Late August
During a summer of unusually warm temperatures, highbush cranberries (*Viburnum edule*) are blooming, using buds that would have normally bloomed next spring.
College, Alaska, United States

Laurel wilt in camphor (Cinnamomum camphora) tree?
"Camphor Trees typically seem healthy in this region and are invasive. Massive simultaneous failure of most branches seems unusual."
North Sarasota, Florida, United States
Jeffrey Eickwort, Jono Miller, Jessie Moan

Sargassum hits Belize hard
For the fifth consecutive year, influxes of sargassum seaweed have begun piling up on beachfronts in major tourist destinations in Belize.
Placencia, Stann Creek, Belize
Breaking Belize News

Algal Bloom, Possibly Noctiluca, in Kizhuyak Bay
Ribbons of discolored water observed over Kizhuyak Bay that are likely related to a *Noctilica* bloom.
Chiniak, Alaska, United States
Brian Berube, Andie Wall , Kayla Schommer

Summer heat accelerates Alaska peony harvest
On another year, Christy might just now be finishing up the harvest. But today, the only flowers left from this season are stored in a walk-in cooler.
Wasilla, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Mixed fortunes for berry pickers this year
The south and west of the country are on course for a good harvest, as the sun has been a near-constant companion all season. Berry pickers in East Iceland are less optimistic.
Egilsstaðir, East, Iceland
RÚV

Late Birch Leaf Edge Miner Damage
Browning on birch leaves before time for the fall season transition.
Lazy Mountain, Alaska, United States

Spruce Bark Beetle and Wood Boring Insects
"The spruce bark beetle epidemic currently ravaging Southcentral AK's spruce trees is well-known, but I haven't heard mention of other pests occurring in conjunction."
Lazy Mountain, Alaska, United States

More than two million hectares on fire in Siberia, with tundra on fire destroying the permafrost
Some 784,931 hectares of wildfires are raging on permafrost zones including the Arctic in Yakutia - officially Sakha Republic - and the Khanty-Mansi autonomous region, causing possibly irreparable damage to the tundra. Other infernos are sweeping through boreal forests which are known as the lungs of the Northern Hemisphere.
Vanavara, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
Siberia Times

Fasciated Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)
Fireweed observed with flat, curled stem and many buds, indicating fasciation.
Kenai, Alaska, United States
Kelly Matthews, Gino Graziano, Jessie Moan, Nathan Lojewski

Burying Beetle (Genus Nicrophorus) in Southwest Alaska
A burying beetle was seen for the first time by an observer in Tuntutuliak.
Tuntutuliak, Alaska, United States

Invasive poison hemlock a growing concern on Vancouver Island
The Capital Regional District recently issued an alert sheet for Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum).
Capital Regional District, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Island

NASA satellites find biggest seaweed bloom in the world
An unprecedented belt of brown algae stretches from West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico. The largest bloom of macroalgae in the world, has been dubbed the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt.
Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB)
EurekAlert!

Rusty Tussock Moth (Orgyia antiqua) Caterpillars in Nome
Unusually high abundance of rusty tussock moth caterpillars in the Nome area.
Elizabeth Graham, Jessie Moan, Robin Mulvey, Tammy Davis, John Lundquist, John Lundquist

Dragon Flies Reach the Colville Nigliq Channel
Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States

Infestation of Rusty Tussock Caterpillars (Orgyia antiqua) in Nome River Valley
Unusually high abundance of caterpillars in the Nome River Valley.

Alaska’s changing climate
Local residents debated whether a massive release of spruce pollen, which accumulated on every surface—including car bonnets, picnic tables and the nearby Kachemak Bay—amounted to a “golden sheen” or a “yellow scum”. The fine dust turned the surface of the sea the colour of butter and left a bright, lemony line on shore that marked the extent of high tide and gave off a sickly sweet smell. This huge release of pollen might be yet another symptom of a rapidly changing environment.
Homer, Alaska, United States
The Economist

Farmers concerned about heat, lack of rain
As lower Kenai Peninsula temperatures have soared recently, local farmers and gardeners have concerns about how June’s lack of rain and steady warm temperatures will affect their businesses in the weeks ahead.
Homer, Alaska, United States
Homer News

Scarlet Globemallow in suburban Calgary
Uncommon wildlfower species found in suburban Calgary.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Dead Ash Trees Across Western New York State
Churchville, New York, United States

Trees Devastated by Spruce Bark Beetles (Dendroctonus rufipennis)
"My family and I have been RV camping across Alaska for the last several years. This year, the mass amounts of dead spruce trees have been more apparent than any year prior."
Chase, Alaska, United States
Adrienne Fleek, Desirae Mack, Tricia Wurtz

Insects feast on willows after unusually warm, dry spring
The willow blotch leaf miner appears to be having a banner year in Whitehorse, likely because of hot, dry conditions in the city this spring.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Invasive elodea prompts closure of Susitna Valley lakes
Elodea was discovered in Alexander Lake in 2014 by researchers checking minnow traps. At the time, it covered 20 percent of the lake but now has spread to 90 percent.
Willow, Alaska, United States
Alaska Journal of Commerce

Arctic permafrost thawing 70 years early
A new study has found permafrost at outposts in the Canadian Arctic is thawing 70 years earlier than predicted.
Sachs Harbour, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC News

Blue-green algae increasing in Finnish lakes
Potentially harmful blue-green algae has increased in lakes over the past week.
Vainikkala, South Karelia, Finland

It’s spring, but B.C. is sounding the alarm on drought
Drought levels have been raised already for parts of the province and Dave Campbell, with the B.C. River Forecast Centre, says the current forecast points to drought conditions provincewide in the coming weeks.
British Columbia, Canada
Port Alberni Valley News

Fluff Flies Into Russia's Capital
Early summer in Moscow brings an onslaught of allergy-inducing, Instagram-ready fluff from poplar seeds.
Moscow, Moscow, Russia
The Moscow Times

If tree pollen has you wheezing, just wait for ragweed 'super bloom'
Dr. Antony Ham Pong, who's been treating allergy patients for about 35 years, warns the combination of a wet spring and heavy snow melt threaten to create a "super bloom of ragweed with lots of pollen."
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Yahoo News

May Day Trees (Prunus padus) Take Hold at Cheney Lake
The forest on the East side of Cheney Lake is changing and the biggest change is the proliferation of May Day trees.

Spruce pollen blooms look ominous but are nothing to sneeze at
For those who suffer from seasonal allergies, spring means red eyes, mucus and fits of sneezing. This year, the Lynn Canal has seen a remarkable spruce pollen bloom.

Storm Hannah exposes 'sunken kingdom'
It is believed that the area was once-fertile land and a township stretching for 20 miles.
Borth, Wales, United Kingdom
BBC News

Why does it look like it's snowing in Stockholm in late May?
Pia Östensson, a biologist and pollen expert at Stockholm's Natural History museum, explains why there is so much aspen fluff this year and why it is not related to recent wildfires.
Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
Radio Sweden

Salal (Gaultheria shallon) dying back in coastal BC and WA
Cape Disappointment, Washington, United States

Extreme weather sparks large die off of Cedar on Vancouver Island
A growing die off of native Western Red Cedar trees is becoming visible right across East Vancouver Island now. Experts say its a symptom of climate change and as Skye Ryan reports, its changing the forests we've come to know across this region.
East Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
CHEK

Southcentral Alaska’s spruce bark beetle infestation is spreading in Anchorage. There’s only one defense.
The worst-hit areas appear to be established neighborhoods with older spruce trees, especially in Turnagain and Spenard.

Dead and dying salal plants ‘everywhere’ along the coast
Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada
My Campbell River Now

Disappearance of Tundra Ponds
Kettle ponds in Denali National Park contain less water this spring than in previous years, due to low snowfall and permafrost thaw. Shrubs are replacing grasses as the lakes dry.
McKinley Park, Alaska, United States
Scott Richardson, Katie Spellman, Richard L Thoman Jr

B.C.'s salal shrubs are dying and extreme weather could be the culprit
One of B.C.'s most abundant plants is in trouble: patches of hardy salal plants are turning up brown, crispy and dying.
coastal British Columbia, Canada

Salal plant dying across Vancouver Island
Hikers across Vancouver Island say they've been finding entire forests with dying salal. No one knows why it's dying but the ramifications could be serious.
Menzies Mountain, Vancouver Island, Canada
CHEK

Outdoor air quality at seasonal low
Spring blossoms, dusty streets, distant fires and a lack of rain combine to create hazardous respiratory conditions.
Turku, Southwest Finland, Finland

Salal (Gaultheria shallon) dying, tops showing dry brown leaves
Salal bushes observed to be very dry and dying in British Columbia.
Burnaby Mountain, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

Wind Carries European Birch Pollen to Iceland
Pollen from birch trees was carried along with dust from the Sahara Desert on strong winds that originated in Eastern Europe.
Garðabær, Capital Region, Iceland

Trees Broken, Uprooted, Toppled by Wind
the Beaufort Picnic Area appears to consist of stream-origin alluvial cobbles, pebbles, and perhaps sand, and so not well consolidated, thus perhaps making these trees relatively vulnerable to wind. The snapped-off trees, however, indicate the unusually high intensity of this particular windstorm.
Beaufort Picnic Area, Cameron Lake, British Columbia

No Chestnut Trees, No Honey — Beekeeping at Risk in Russia's South
A sharp decline in chestnut trees caused by a parasitic fungus in Russia's southern Krasnodar region is threatening the area's honey production, according to local beekeepers and scientists.
Krasnodar, Krasnodarskiy, Russia
The Moscow Times

Spruce bark beetle damage shuts down 2 popular Alaska campgrounds
The closures of the campgrounds, facing the threat of falling trees, likely will last through summer, the state parks division said.
Fishhook, Alaska, United States

Record Temps in Goldstream
Warm temperatures are rapidly melting snow and creating ice, which creates difficult conditions for dog mushers. Migratory birds are arriving early, and a mosquito emerged months early. Small owls dead around the Goldstream Valley that looked unusually thin.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Unusually heavy pollen season getting underway in Finland
Alder catkins (the pollen-rich flowers on alder trees) haven't reached their peak yet, but there are a lot of them. There can be four to five million pollen particles in a single catkin.

Pussy Willows (genus Salix) Make Early Showing
Warmer than normal temperatures in Anchorage may be causing willows (genus *Salix*) to bud early.

Willows (genus Salix) Budding in March
Willows budding about a month early 30 miles above the Arctic Circle.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Intrusion of Beach Stones and Saltwater into the Coastal Forest
French Beach Provincial Park

30 year temperature record broken
Warm temperatures break 30 year record.
Svelgen, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
NRK Sogn- og Fjordane

Spring flowers bloom very early
The winter holiday offers 15 degrees (C) of heat and spring flowers.
Lavik, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Company) Sogn og Fjordane

Weather and wildlife changes
Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana

Rising sea levels could kill off 500-year-old trees in New Jersey forest
Dark water formed an eddy around Steve Eisenhauer's boots as they sank into the muck at the base of a 90-foot black gum tree so old, its roots were deep in this ground when the Pilgrims landed.
Bear Swamp, Cedarville, New Jersey, United States
Phys.org

Another bad year for sargassum seaweed forecast for Quintana Roo
Large quantities of sargassum are likely to wash up on the beaches of Mexico’s Caribbean coast in 2019, according to a researcher.
Atlantic Ocean
Mexico News Daily

Windstorm and Widespread Forest Blowdown
Damage assessment underway due to fallen trees, hanging debris
Whisky Creek, British Columbia
Port Alberni Valley News

Amid environmental grief, finding hope in a graveyard of yellow cedar
One ecologist wonders, for the yellow cedar forests and the people who care about them, what comes after climate change and environmental loss in Southeast Alaska?
Elizabeth Jenkins, Alaska's Energy Desk - Juneau

Decline of mountain bird populations
Some species have experienced a much greater decline than average. For the snowflake in Scandinavia there is talk of approx. 35 percent, patchwork 25 percent.
Vadsø, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
NRK, Norwegian Broadcasting Company

First ever winter sighting of blue-green algae in Gulf of Finland
In the frigid waters of the Gulf of Finland, cyanobacteria has been observed for the first time during the winter months.
Pernå, Uusimaa, Finland

The changing nature of Canada's forest supply as fires, bugs, and climate bite
Mills in the heart of Canada's timber industry have fallen quieter this winter as wildfires and infestations made worse by climate change have made vast tracts of once valuable forest into barren stands of dead trees.
Fraser Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Alaska Highway News

Hurricane force winds recorded near Tofino
Typically these storms remain off the coast of Vancouver Island and we only see the frontal systems move ashore.
Lennard Island Lighthouse, British Columbia, Canada
CHEK

Vegetation in Barents Region disturbed by mid-autumn thaw
After frost comes spring, but when it happens in mid-November plants get confused. That is not good news.
Kirkenes, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
The Independent Barents Observer

Caribbean swamped by seaweed that smells like rotten eggs
From Belize to Barbados, tourist beaches have been swamped by huge tides of foul-smelling sargassum – and climate change could make the problem worse
Ambergris Caye, Belize, Belize
the Guardian

Chemically-cleaned Finnish lake still clear, but now overrun by waterweed
Littoinen Lake made headlines in 2017 when it was chemically treated because it was overwhelmed with phosphorous and algae. Now there is a new problem.
Turku, Varsinais-Suomi, Finland

Ecological collapse of Toronto's ravine system has begun, researcher says
Ravines in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
CBC News

Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) die-off French Beach
Many mature Sitka spruce trees dying off from French Beach south into Sooke along waterfront. Many dead partway up and needles thin.
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
Elizabeth Graham, Jacob Earnshaw, Robin Mulvey

Rising Seas Forcing Changes on Maryland's Historic Eastern Shore Farms
Scientists search for options as coastal farms surrender to salt water
Princess Anne, Maryland, United States
VOA

Missing Bull Kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) Bed
Large bull kelp (*Nereocystis luetkeana*) bed near the 1st channel marker, which used to attract sea otters, has disappeared.
Larsen Bay, Alaska, United States
David Harmes, Joy Britt, Mandy Lindeberg

European aspen still in summer foliage
Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland

Late blooming iris (Iris setosa) and lowbush cranberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)
During fall time, we only hand pick when the blackberries turn brown. As I was picking I saw this wild iris, like it bloomed just a few days ago. I was very awed to see this flower in October.
Toksook Bay, Alaska, United States

Drought in a Rain Forest
The Tongass Forest in southeast Alaska, a temperate rain forest, is experiencing record-low precipitation and severe drought conditions, impacting community hydroelectricity production.
Metlakatla, Alaska, United States

Hot weather impacts growing conditions in Pakistan
Weather conditions including drought are effecting vegetation in Punjab and other areas of Pakistan.
Gojra, Punjab, Pakistan

Beetle damage skyrockets to nearly 1 million acres in Southcentral Alaska
The latest tally of beetle kill shows more than 550,000 acres of forest with dead spruce from the ongoing infestation this year alone, much of it in Mat-Su.
Knik-Fairview, Alaska, United States

Delphiniums (Delphinium glaucum) Growing Again
Delphiniums (*Delphinium glaucum*) are still growing late in to the season.
Grayling, Alaska, United States

Late-blooming Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium)
Fireweed blooming in mid-late September after other plants have gone to seed.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States

Discolored Spruce (Picea sitchensi) in Seldovia
Spruce branch girdling causing discoloration in tree.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States

Discolored Spruce (Picea sitchensis) Trees
Discolored spruce (*Picea sitchensis*) needles

'Absolutely abysmal': Alberta farmers lament early arrival of snow in harvest season
Farmers in Edmonton and into northern Alberta, still have plenty of crop out on the fields and the early arrival of winter conditions does not bode well for harvest season.
Gibbons, Alberta, Canada
Edmonton Journal

Prickly Rose (Rosa acicularis) in Bloom WAY Out of Season
Prickly rose plant is blooming when others have gone to hips.

Indian Summer: Unusually Warm September
Unusually warm September temperatures.
Nelson Lagoon, Alaska, United States

Late-blooming Clover (Trifolium pratense L.?) or Perhaps Second Bloom?
"They are extremely fresh-looking, as if it were the springtime."

Sargassum harasses South Florida during worst seaweed assault on record
South Florida beaches faced a sargassum assault this summer that some scientists believe is part of the largest spread of the nomadic marine weed on record, and one that could continue through September.
Palm Beach, Florida, United States
Palm Beach Post

Gulf of Maine Water Temperatures Soar Near Record Highs After Ocean 'Heat Wave'
NOAA and NASA satellites measured an average sea-surface temperature of 68.93 degrees Fahrenheit in the Gulf of Maine on Aug. 8, only 0.05 degrees below the all-time record high of 68.98 set in 2012. It is the epicenter of the U.S. lobster fishing industry, an important feeding ground for rare North Atlantic right whales .
Gulf of Maine
The Weather Channel

Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) mortality from drought stress
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Late Blooming Rose (Rosa acicularis) Documented in Newspaper
Front page of the Daily News-Miner documents a late blooming rose during a colder than average August.

Spruce Rust (Chrysomyxa ledicola) Appearing on Spruce Trees (Picea mariana)
The spruce along the highway between mile 157 and 162 show signs of stress, the tips of the branches are orangish and the deep green of the trees are fading.
Slana, Alaska, United States

Hot, arid summer guts a third of Sweden's cereal harvest
An unusually dry, hot summer means Sweden will see smaller yields of crops like wheat, barley and oats.
Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden
Eye on the Arctic

B.C. declares state of emergency as hundreds of wildfires burn across province
The British Columbia government has declared a state of emergency to support the provincewide response to the ongoing wildfire situation.
British Columbia, Canada

The seaweed deluge hitting Caribbean shores
Sargassum, a type of seaweed, is creating problems as it washes up across the Caribbean.
Caribbean Shores
BBC News

Spruce Rust (Chrysomyxa ledicola) Found on Kuskokwim River Bank
Spruce rust (*Chrysomyxa ledicola*) fungal spores found along the banks on the Kuskokwim River
Red Devil, Alaska, United States

Massive Arrival of Sargasso Weed
Mexico, Jul 30 (Prensa Latina) The massive arrival of sargasso on the coasts of Quintana Roo, one of Mexico's main tourist centers, is causing concern among tourists, researchers, authorities, businessmen and residents.
Quintana Roo, Mexico
Prensa Latina

Swedish town on the frontline of the Arctic wildfires
A sleepy Lapland fire station is calling in help from all corners to fight the unprecedented wildfires sweeping the region.
Jokkmokk, Norrbottens län, Sweden
The Guardian

With 28 fires out of control, Ontario gets help from U.S., Mexico, other provinces
Crews fighting forest fires in northern Ontario are receiving help from other provinces, the U.S. and Mexico as they try to contain several blazes after days of hot and humid weather.
Hartley Bay, Ontario, Canada

Wildfires rage in Arctic Circle as Sweden calls for help
Sweden worst hit as hot, dry summer sparks unusual number of fires, with at least 11 in the far north.
Älvdalen, Dalarnas län, Sweden
the Guardian

5,000 percent increase in native trees on rat-free Palmyra Atoll
New research published in PLOS ONE this week demonstrates dramatic positive benefits for native trees following rat removal at Palmyra Atoll, a magnificent National Wildlife Refuge and natural research laboratory located about 1000 miles south of Hawaii. For five native tree species, including Pisonia grandis, fewer than 150 seedlings were counted in the presence of rats, and more than 7700 seedlings were counted five years after rats were removed.
Palmyra Atoll
EurekAlert!

Mountain pine beetle takes over Jasper National Park forests
The iconic pine trees blanketing Jasper National Park may never be the same as a mountain pine beetle epidemic has infected nearly half of the park's pine forest.
Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada
Edmonton Journal

First Observation of Northern Groundcone (Boschniakia rossica)
The northern gorundcone (*Boschniakia rossica*)s not commonly found in this area.
Crooked Creek, Alaska, United States

Almost every part of Canada’s largest national park is deteriorating
The report on Wood Buffalo National Park says industry, dams, climate change and natural cycles are sucking the lifeblood from the vast delta of northeastern Alberta's Peace and Athabasca rivers
Wood Buffalo National Park
National Post

Concern over raging wildfires as smoke from Siberia crosses Alaska and Canada, reaching New England
Latest reports show 27 fires across Krasnoyarsk region covering 8,682 hectares in. Areas potentially threatening settlements. The forest fire situation is most difficult in Siberia and the Far East, in the Sakha region.
Красноярск, Красноярский край, Russia
Siberian Times

Ecosystems across Australia are collapsing under climate change
Australia has seen an unprecedented number of widespread, catastrophic transformations in response to extreme weather events.
Australia
The Conversation

Arrival of Sargassum on Florida's Central East Coast Beaches
We observed large patches of marine macro-algae (*Sargassum* sp.) floating just offshore, drifting north, and getting stranded on the beach.
Hutchinson Island, Florida, United States

South Florida beaches see a surge in seaweed
Sargassum, a type of marine algae, is washing up en masse on Caribbean beaches, closing them down to the public. The same sargassum is here in Miami, lining Miami beaches.
Dania Beach, Hollywood, Florida, United States
Miami Herald

Drought May Be Cause Of Colorado Aspen Tree Die-Off
A mysterious malady has killed off nearly one-fifth of Colorado's aspens. But forest ecologists have struggled to explain the widespread die-off, known as Sudden Aspen Decline.
Aspen, Colorado, United States
CBS 4 Denver

Brown Seaweed Appears in Massive Amounts on Florida, Caribbean Beaches
The foul-smelling seaweed is back yet again.
Miami Beach, Florida, United States
The Weather Channel

Sargassum (Phaeophyceae) Weed in Dominican Republic
Evidence from Dominican Republic of the larger regional weed event.
Boca de Yuma, La Altagracia, Dominican Republic

Holy Sargassum! Seaweed Invasion
A species of seaweed has been washing up on beaches across the Caribbean and South Florida.
South Miami, Florida, United States
University of Miami News and Events

Sargassum seaweed forces closure of St. James’s Club in Antigua
St. James Club, Saint John, Antigua and Barbuda
St. Lucia News Online

Heading to the beach? Get ready for thick, slimy seaweed
Heavy mats of seaweed are washing up on South Florida beaches, creating thick barriers to the ocean.
Delray Beach, Florida, United States
Sun-Sentinel.com

Sweden faces midsummer strawberry shortage due to unfavourable weather
Would Midsommar even be Midsommar without Swedish strawberries? Well millions may be about to find out.
Skåne län, Sweden
Radio Sweden

Tent caterpillar in Yellowknife
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Mysterious masses of seaweed assault Caribbean islands
Scientists scramble to explain unusual bloom of Sargassum
Caribbean Islands
Science | AAAS

Voracious spruce bark beetles are back in force in Southcentral Alaska
Dead, red trees signal an increasingly dire outbreak driven by warm summers and plentiful spruce, especially in the Susitna Valley.
Trapper Creek, Alaska, United States

Pollen Levels Well Above Average in Akureyri
According to the Icelandic Institute of Natural History, pollen levels are considerably above the average for this time of year, causing considerable irritation for those with pollen allergies.
Akureyri, Norðurland eystra, Iceland

What is Eating Garry Oak (Quercus garryana) Leaves?
Mount Tolmie, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Old-growth logging in Nahmint Valley
Questions have been raised after the 10th widest Douglas fir tree in BC BigTree Registry is cut down.
Nahmint Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Eagles Deck Out Their Nest With Kelp
Gosling Rocks
Hakai Magazine

Finland experiencing worst birch pollen season in years
As many allergy-sufferers across Finland may have already suspected, birch pollen levels were very high on Wednesday, according to the University of Turku.
Turku, Varsinais-Suomi, Finland

Armageddon as wildfires ignite forest around Komsomolsk-on-Amur
City a ‘smoky hell’ as hill on opposite side of Amur River is in flames while driver films inferno on train track.
Комсомольск-на-Амуре, Хабаровский край, Russia
Siberian Times

Wind And More Wind
We have over two weeks of cold windy weather. It started in mid April around the time of the big wind storm. And in relation of the wind storm on April 24th, Rick Thoman wrote: "Winds this strong in the Anchorage are rare at this time of year. An unusually strong storm for the season in the southeastern Bering Sea produced southeast strong winds blowing across the Chugach Mountains. However, being April, the temperature profile of the atmosphere close to the ground was more conducive than in winter for allowing the very strong winds aloft to reach down to the ground.

Communities innovate to address Sargassum seaweed on coasts of Saint Lucia
Sargassum is free-floating brown macro-algae that lives in the temperate and tropical oceans of the world. In the open ocean, the floating seaweed provides important ecosystem services by acting as habitats for a diverse group of marine animals. It provides food, shade, and shelter to many types of specialized fish, crustaceans, and turtles.
East Coast of Saint Lucia
Global Environment Facility

B.C. wildfires triggered mega thunderstorm with volcano-like effects
In the midst of B.C.'s record-breaking wildfire season, the heat from four fires triggered huge thunderstorms that sent smoke flying into the stratosphere, eventually spreading through the entire Northern Hemisphere.
Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada

Spruce bark beetles are back with a vengeance. Here’s how to defend your trees.
There is a spruce beetle outbreak in Southcentral Alaska. Since the beetles don't emerge for a few weeks, we might as well start thinking about the problem.
Southcentral, Alaska, United States

Climate change opening up the door for invasive species in the North
Invasive species are a more important issue as increasingly warm winters and wetter summers help grasslands and forests in the North grow like never before, changing the very fabric of the North’s ecosystem.
Paulatuk, Northwest Territories, Canada

Ask a Climatologist: Snow melt around the state is right on schedule
An early melt-out date can make for an especially bad wildfire season, but this year, it’s right on schedule for much of the state. Listen now
Annie Feidt, Alaska's Energy Desk - Anchorage

Most Expensive Weather Disaster of 2018: a $3.9 Billion Drought in Argentina and Uruguay by Dr. Jeff Masters | Category 6
A severe lack of rainfall during over southern South America during the summer of 2017 - 2018 has led to the worst drought in decades over portions of Argentina and Uruguay.
Argentina and Uruguay
Weather Underground

Half of Alberta's Boreal Forest Could Disappear due to Fires, Climate Change
If you factor in wildlife changes, it could be even more.
Fort Mcmurray, Alberta, Canada
HuffPost Canada

Easter Island Is Eroding
Rising ocean levels are causing waves to break on the statues and platforms built a thousand years ago. The island risks losing its cultural heritage. Again.
Easter Island, Chile
New York Times

"Perfect Storm" Has North Coast Marine Ecosystem Reeling, Abalone in Crisis
In just a few short years, the Northern California waters stretching from Sonoma to Southern Humboldt have undergone a dramatic transformation, with stretches stripped bare of their once varied marine life in a phenomenon known as "urchin barren."
North Coast Journal

Climate Change Could Ruin California's Farming Industry
As its vital snowpack shrinks and droughts intensify, Californias giant $50 billion agricultural industry is at a crossroads: how to keep feeding the nation while adapting to the reality of …
California's Central Valley, United States
Courthouse News Service

Svalbard’s ‘Doomsday’ seed vault marks 10th anniversary with upgrades to protect it from climate change - Arctic Today
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault celebrates its first decade in operation by accepting its millionth sample—and a grant for work to keep those samples safe despite melting permafrost.
Svalbard, Norwegian Archipelago, Arctic Ocean
Arctic Today

Beech booming as climate changes, and that's bad for forests
A group of scientists says beech trees are dominating the woodlands of the northeastern United States as the climate changes, and that could be bad news for the forests.
northeastern U.S. and southeastern Canada
Myrtle Beach Online

An unfrozen North
The world’s permafrost holds vast stores of carbon. What happens when it thaws?
Toolik Lake Field Station
High Country News

Unseasonably early daffodils prompt wish for cold weather on B.C. farm
Longview Farms just north of Victoria says mild weather a problem for seasonal farming
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
Lake Cowichan Gazette

Unwanted visitor - Sargassum seaweed
Barbados’ most unwanted visitor has returned to its shores. The dreaded Sargassum seaweed is back. Since 2015 an influx of the unwelcome brown micro-algae has proven to be a major headache for the tourism industry. The seaweed, which invaded a number of beaches in Barbados, caused an awful stench, as the vegetable matter rotted after …
River Bay, Saint Lucy Parish, Barbados
Barbados Today

Is There A Ticking Time Bomb Under The Arctic?
Just what exactly is permafrost? And what is happening now that it's warming up? To find out, we enter the Arctic Circle's secret world of ice and frozen history.
Northern Alaska, United States
NPR

Invasive species are still rare in the Arctic — but that could soon change
Environmental and economic changes could make it easier for non-native plants and animals to gain a foothold in the North.
Katla Volcano, South, Iceland
Arctic Now

State report details potential health impacts of climate change
How will climate change affect health in Alaska? Dangerous travel conditions could cause more accidents, warmer temperatures could spread new diseases and the topsy-turvy weather could worsen mental health. Those are some conclusions from a new state report released Monday. Listen now
Newtok, Alaska, United States
Rachel Waldholz, Alaska's Energy Desk - Anchorage

Warm, Windy, Snowy, Wet, Cool Days!
"Our roads are slippery when there would be snow to where the children were out with their sled. Planes never cancelled as much as this year to where the flights were backed up to 3 or 4 days. Lately, we've been seeing grasses regrowing after it warms up out there."
Lower Kalskag, Alaska, United States

How Global Warming Fueled Five Extreme Weather Events
Scientists analyzed 27 extreme weather events from 2016 and found that global warming was a “significant driver” for most of them. We look at five cases.
The New York Times

Arctic saw 2nd warmest year, smallest winter sea ice coverage on record in 2017 | NOAA
A NOAA-sponsored report shows that the warming trend transforming the Arctic persisted in 2017, resulting in the second warmest air temperatures, above average ocean temperatures, loss of sea ice, and a range of human, ocean and ecosystem effects.
Arctic Region, World
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Chinook gusts up to 80 mph knock out power around Interior
Golden Valley Electric Association crews are still working to repair damage to power lines caused by warm chinook winds that blasted the Interior over the weekend, especially around Delta Junction.
Delta Junction, Alaska, United States

Southern California Fires Surpass 115,000 Acres As Santa Ana Winds Drive Flames
Driven by fierce Santa Ana winds, four intense fires near Los Angeles grew to engulf more than 115,000 acres Thursday, and officials say residents should be prepared for even more strong winds through Friday.
Ventura County, California, United States
KCBX Central Coast Public Radio

‘It Burns and It Keeps Burning’: Scenes From Southern California’s Wildfires
Wildfires have burned more than 100,000 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Fighting them were professionals and homeowners with garden hoses.
Los Angeles, California, United States
The New York Times

Chordgrass (Spartina sp.) eradication at Goose Spit
Goose Spit Regional Park, Comox, British Columbia, Canada
Hilary Blackman, Colin Robinson, Tom Okey, Cory Frank, Laura Loucks

Wildfires In Southern California Force Thousands Of People To Flee
Multiple fires are burning in Southern California, claiming hundreds of structures and thousands of acres and closing many freeways and local roadways, according to state fire officials.
Santa Paula, California, United States
NPR
Richard Gonzales, Scott Neuman, Amy Held

Two moose calves die after likely eating poisonous ornamental plants
Two moose calves found dead outside separate Anchorage homes on Friday are believed to have died from eating poisonous ornamental plants.
KTUU

Paper Mill Dam: Swimming Hole Monitoring
Paper Mill Dam, Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada

Warm & Rainy Fall Season
The past couple years have been warmer than normal contributing to where the river is still flowing ice and with some of the plants still green.
Lower Kalskag, Alaska, United States

As Oceans Warm, the World’s Kelp Forests Begin to Disappear
Tasmania, Australia
Yale Environment 360

Breathing Fire
As climate change fuels large wildfires, the pollution they're releasing is making Americans sick and undermining decades of progress in cleaning the air.
California to Pacific Northwest, United States
Climate Central

Climate change may boost wine production in southern Sweden
Founder Håkan Hansson convinced this is the world’s new wine region.
Malmö, Skåne, Sweden

Wind storm batters Maine
We put out the call for images of storm damage across the state Monday morning and our readers answered with some great shots.
Yarmouth, Maine, United States
Press Herald

A Not So Normal Summer
Drought, causing low waters in Goodnews River, no blackberries, and early cool weather.
Goodnews Bay, Alaska, United States

Late Bloomer-Wild Rose
An afterschool club have been monitoring rosehips and found this late-blooming flower.

Late Blooming Flowers
We do not ever recall having flowers blooming this late in the year.
Golovin, Alaska, United States

Slow going in fight against deadly fires in California
The wind known as the Diablo is picking up again, the air is dry, there is no rain in sight and the killer wildfires that have scorched the wine country of Northern California remain almost completely uncontained. Officials warned Wednesday that some of the big fires could merge. Amid these grim bulletins, the huge utility company PG&E acknowledged that the extreme winds late Sunday and early Monday had knocked trees into power lines in conditions conducive to wildfires.
North Bay, California, United States
GoErie.com
Cleve R. Wootson Jr., Kristine Phillips, Joel Achenbach - The Washington Post

Slugs plague Dillingham gardeners
Dillingham gardeners say that an uptick in slimy pests in recent years is making growing greens more difficult.
Dillingham, Alaska, United States
KDLG Dillingham

Unexpected birch forest grows on sand plain
An unexpected birch forest is growing on Skeiðarársandur sand plain, South Iceland.
Skeiðarársandur Sand Plain, Iceland

Poor harvest hikes bilberry prices worldwide
Bilberry harvests have been poor in several key regions, and the dearth of berries in Eastern Europe especially has raised prices by as much as 70 percent in a year.
Scandinavia, Finland

Video shows methane leaking from beneath an Arctic river after spectacular eruption
Gas bubbles from waters filling crater hole on Yamal peninsula two months after volcanic-style explosion in thawing permafrost.
Yamal-Nenets District, Russia
Siberian Times

Late Bloomer - Wild Rose Enjoying the Fall
Fairbanks rose bush blooming in early September, 2017.

Nahanni Butte residents told to stay out of community, as officials monitor nearby wildfire
Residents are now being asked to stay away from Nahanni Butte, N.W.T., after being forced out Thursday night by a forest fire burning close to the community.
Nahannie Butte, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC News

Small potatoes, big need: food bank blames bad weather for poor yield
The head of the Ottawa Food Bank says their ability to provide fresh produce to people in need has taken a hit this summer after a wet and cold growing season stunted production of staple foods like potatoes and carrots.
Stittsville, Ontario, Canada

Late Bloomer - Salal / Laughing Berry (Gaultheria shallon)
Late blooming Laughing Berry (*Gaultheria shallon*) in Metlakatla
Metlakatla, Alaska, United States

Skagway rocked by second landslide in under 2 weeks
Early Tuesday morning, a rockslide crashed into Skagway’s largest cruise ship dock. It was the second slide event in less than two weeks and caused a pair of cruise ships to divert to other ports. Some Skagway residents are calling on the city and the private company that owns the dock to take action.
Skagway, Alaska, United States

Landslides, floods, smoke: Prepare for climate change effects in Denali National Park
A new report identifies climate change as one of the challenges facing transportation in Alaska's most famous national park.
Denali National Park, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Cloudberries (Rubus chamaemorus) in Seldovia
Cloudberries observed in new area around Seldovia.
Jakolof Bay Headwaters, Alaska, United States

Day of reckoning for marine invaders
For centuries, marine species have moved around either by hitching ride on the hulls of ships or as stowaways in ballast water. In many instances, species have been deliberately introduced for aquaculture or other commercial purposes.
United Kingdom
Phys.org

Spruce beetle devastation returns to Southcentral Alaska — and moves north
Beetles that killed millions of acres of trees in the 1990s were a first sign of climate change. In a new flare-up, they continue marching north as Alaska warms.
Cantwell, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Researcher Strikes Alarm: May Mean Death to the Reindeer
A small caterpillar has already infected large areas of Norway's largest county. Scientists fear this may be the beginning of something far worse.
Alta, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
NRK Sápmi

Life returning to normal in Kamloops as wildfire evacuees head home
Looking around the deserted plaza in front of the Sandman Centre arena in Kamloops on Monday, it’s hard to believe that last month it was crammed with thousands of people who were looking for help after being forced from their homes by wildfires.
Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Wildfires are a climate change wake-up call
Wildfires are sweeping B.C.
British Columbia, Canada
Lake Cowichan Gazette

Hundreds of firefighters battling largest wildfire ever recorded in B.C.
Hundreds of firefighters and dozens of aircraft are working to contain the largest wildfire ever recorded in British Columbia's history, and it could take weeks to get it under control.
Chilcotin Plateau, British Columbia

Alaska's Grizzly Bears Drop Salmon for Berries as Climate Changes
When Kodiak Island's elderberries started ripening earlier, its iconic bears changed their diet. It's another ecological shift amid climate change, scientists say.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States

Hazy, smokey skies continue to blanket parts of the N.W.T. prompting health advisories
Lutselk'e, N.W.T. is one of several communities in the Northwest Territories that has been blanketed by smoke over the past few days thanks to strong south winds blowing smoke up north from fires burning south of Great Slave Lake.
Lutselk'e, Northwest Territories, Canada

Unknown Plant Growing on Nanwalek Beach
Unidentified plant found on Nanwalek Beach
Nanwalek, Alaska, United States

Changing Pingo (Palsa) Conditions
Enontekiö, Lapland, Finland

Permafrost Melt Causing River Erosion
Severe permafrost thaw and erosion along Koyukuk River banks.
Allakaket, Alaska, United States

Smoke from unusual Greenland wildfire hampers reindeer hunt
Smoke from a wildfire in southwestern Greenland is hampering the wild reindeer hunt on the Arctic island, best known for its ice rather than burning grass and bushes.
Nassuttooq Fjord, Greenland

Arctic Greenland is burning, hunters blinded by smoke
Smoke from a wildfire in southwestern Greenland is hampering the wild reindeer hunt on the Arctic island.
Nassuttooq Fjord, Greenland
ABC News

No end in sight for B.C. wildfires, one month since state of emergency declared
Wildfire conditions remained 'static' during the long weekend but fires still a concern through August
Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada
Yukon News

Human influence in the Amazon's third 1-in-100 year drought since 2005
Deforestation and climate change appear to be amplifying droughts in the Amazon
Amazon River
the Guardian

Climate change before your eyes: Seas rise and trees die
Savannah River, United States
ABC News

Growth on Rose Bush (Rosa acicularis)
Reddish growth on rosehip leaves
Gakona, Alaska, United States

Officials resort to artificial rain to tackle raging wildfires in Siberia
Fires have wreaked havoc this summer with Yakutia and the Yamalo-Nenets autonomous the latest to be hard hit.
Yakutsk, Sakha, Russia
The Siberian Times

Wildfire season living longer than usual due to hot dry weather
Hot, dry weather over the northern Interior is keeping wildfire season alive longer than normal.
White Mountains, Alaska, United States

Indigenous fire clearing could prevent future wildfire infernos
One B.C. First Nation is preparing to revive traditional firekeeping to rejuvenate the forest and reduce the risk of destructive forest fires.
Peachland, British Columbia, Canada
Metro Vancouver

Beach Sand - Coastal Erosion
We are losing coastline due to erosion and this is a sad sight to witness.
Hooper Bay, Alaska, United States
Sandra Hill, Jacquelyn Overbeck, Mary Mullan

BC wildfires caused in part by and contributing to climate change
In some recent years, GHG emissions from BC wildfires have been more than from all other sectors put together
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
The Climate Examiner

First Ripe Blueberries (Vaccinium ovalifolium), South side of Wickersham Dome
Little early for blueberry to be ripe.
White Mountains National Recreation Area, Alaska, United States

Death cap mushrooms beginning to return to Victoria
A mycologist said the Amanita phalloides has sprouted up in Victoria again.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

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

'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

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

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

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.
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

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.
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

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

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

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

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)

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

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)

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)

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.

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.

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.

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.
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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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 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

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

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

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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