Polar Bear "Threatened" Listing Comes with Strings Attached

Today the Dept. of Interior announced it would list the polar bear as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. Sounds great, right?

Unfortunately, the decision came with administrative guidance -- better known as strings attached. Despite its own admission that the polar bear is threatened by global warming, the Bush administration insists the ruling can't be used to limit greenhouse gas emissions. And even though the Minerals Management Service says oil and gas leases in Alaska's Chukchi Sea come with a 33-51% chance of a major oil spill, Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne claims the polar bear's threatened status shouldn't be allowed to interfere with fossil fuel drilling in their backyard.

So if the Bush administration won't go far enough to protect the polar bear, what can we do? As the National Wildlife Federation's Karla Raettig told CBS News today, Congress needs to pass the Climate Security Act:

You can read more National Wildlife Federation reaction to the ruling in our Newsroom.

As for the oil and gas leases, Grist's Kate Sheppard reports, "On Wednesday afternoon, Reps. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) and Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) filed the Polar Bear Seas Protection Act, a bill that would direct the National Research Council to study the impacts of climate change and of oil and gas exploration on species in Alaska's Chukchi and Beaufort seas."

Learn more about global warming's threats to wildlife and contact your senator in the National Wildlife Federation's Climate Action Center!

Add Another Moderate to Climate Security Act?

Will Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) vote for the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act when it comes to the Senate floor? Sounds a lot more likely:

The presumptive GOP nominee didn't say for sure that he would vote for the bill, authored by Sens. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) and John Warner (R-Va.), both of whom have campaigned actively for him. But McCain said they were coming closer to satisfying his concerns about the bill. The measure, slated for a vote in early June, does not boast the same generous subsidies for nuclear power as previous bills.

"I'm pleased in negotiations and discussion with Senator Lieberman that there will be a far more important nuclear component of this legislation that's going to be coming to the floor," McCain said in a news conference at Jersey City's Liberty Science Center. "I hope that it will be passed, and I hope that the entire Congress will join in supporting it and the president of the United States would sign it."

It'll be interesting to see if the support of Sen. Lieberman and Sen. McCain helps lead Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to back the Climate Security Act. The three work closely on other issues like Iraq.

Have you checked out the National Wildlife Federation's new Climate Action Center? Lots of cool videos and easy links to contact your member of Congress. Check it out!

West Coast Salmon Feeling the Heat

California's outdoors industry -- wildlife watching, hunting and fishing -- is an $8.2 billion a year business. That's roughly equivalent to the GDP of Cambodia.

So imagine the shockwaves sent by the state's first salmon shutdown:

Salmon fishing was banned along the West Coast for the first time in 160 years Thursday, a decision that is expected to have a devastating economic impact on fishermen, dozens of businesses, tourism and boating.

Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez immediately declared a commercial fishery disaster, opening the door for Congress to appropriate money for anyone who will be economically harmed.

Unfortunately, the forecast for salmon doesn't get much better from there, according to a new report released Thursday by the National Wildlife Federation and Planning and Conservation League Foundation. With their habitat already decimated by dams, climate change now threatens to warm the salmon's remaining cold water spawning grounds.

So what can be done to reverse the trend?

• Develop comprehensive and aggressive greenhouse gas reduction policies that steadily cut global warming pollution 2 percent per year to meet an 80 percent reduction goal by mid-century that scientists say is necessary to avoid the most damaging effects of climate change;


• Include all major sources of global warming pollution: electric power companies, factories, and the transportation sector (the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in California);


• Ensure polluters pay to pollute, with some of the revenue generated dedicated to fund programs to protect California's critical natural resources, invest in clean technology and mitigate impacts on low-income communities;


• Create a new water management regime for California that benefits people, fish and wildlife; and


• Help wildlife survive impacts now considered inevitable due to past and current global warming pollution.

"Most of California's ecosystems are already fragile, having withstood years of pressure from human activities. Without decisive action, global warming could push them over the edge," said the Planning and Conservation League Foundation's Matt Vander Sluis. "The single most important conservation action we can take is to quickly reverse the growth of global warming pollution."

Use this Weekend To Wildlife Watch

Earth Day is over but we've still got this weekend to celebrate  National Wildlife Week. National Wildlife Federation has been holding this annual event for 70 years to celebrate wildlife and help people connect with nature. This year, we're encouraging everyone to get outside and look for wildlife by participating in WILDLIFE WATCH.

How it Works

1.  Download a checklist of species for your state.

2.  Find a place to look for wildlife in your community.

3.  Spend time outside looking for the plants and animals on the list.

4.  Tell us about what you saw and add your sighting to our map.

Here are some great animals to watch for!

Northeast Spring Peeper	Midwest Groundhog
Southwest Pink Evening Primrose	Southeast American Robin
Hawaii Ohia Tree	Alaska Wood Frog

Video: CBS News on NWF's Carbon-Neutral Sailfish Tournament

Watch this great coverage from CBS News of The Sailfish Tournament in Miami, organized by the Florida Wildlife Federation's Capt. Dan Kipnis and co-sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation!

The tournament was entirely catch-and-release. The sailfish were never even brought on the boat. To score points, anglers took photos of their jumping sailfish. That's why towards the end of the piece you can hear the mate yelling, "Did you get a picture?" Once a picture is secured, the line is cut and the sailfish swim free.

Harry Smith's introduction to the piece makes it seem like organizations that pay for carbon offsets are paying for the right to pollute additionally. Not true. Fishing tournaments like this one happen literally every weekend in every port on Florida's coast. Capt. Kipnis was the first organizer to use proceeds from the tournament to reduce its environmental impact. Here's hoping he's started a trend!

NWF Scientist Details Climate Change's Threats to Chesapeake Bay

The National Wildlife Federation's Dr. Doug Inkley testified before the Virginia Commission on Climate Change yesterday, detailing the effects of warming temperatures and rising sea levels on fish and wildlife. Virginia's trout and duck populations are particularly at risk. And in the Chesapeake Bay, climate change is just one of many threats to oysters and crabs.

The hearing also presented some startling previews of how rising sea levels will impact Virginia's Hampton Roads area. When it comes to hurricanes and flooding, Hampton Roads is already one of America's most vulnerable places. Higher water and stronger storms brought on by global warming will only make things worse.

You can view the slides from Dr. Inkley's presentation below or here (2.7MB PDF) or read the National Wildlife Federation's recent report on sea level rise and the Chesapeake Bay.

Earth Day Checklist

Who said it wasn't easy being green?

This Earth Day it's easier to be "green" than ever before. And that is a true reason to celebrate. So grab your pen and paper and write down a few fun activities you'd like to accomplish. I'd love to hear what other people are doing for Earth Day! Here's my list:

My Earth Day Checklist:

1. Turning Off My Computer to Walk Outside (preferably on a bike path): There's so much noise during the day that I'm feeling the need to find a quiet place and listen to sounds that don't resemble a keyboard. I'm sure most people aren't online as much as I am, but I truly feel recharged when I'm away from plugs that feed my laptop. And since it's Earth Day I'm going to try and make it longer than just a green hour.

2. Identify Wildlife I Can't Recognize: On said walk, I'm making it a goal to learn at least one new species. I usually am such a field guide fanatic that I don't wander far without them, but I've also been known to take pictures with my cell phone and reference the birds or plants through their traits when I return. Either way, I'm planing to wildlife watch because that's something I am absolutely fascinated with.

3. Knock Off a Few Magazines I Don't Need: At some point today I plan to visit my Catalog Choice account and mark off a few more magazines that I don't want anymore. While there are some magazines that are great for learning purposes, catalogs are something I don't need!

4. Start a New Compost Pile: Since my move I hadn't had the chance to figure out where my new compost pile is going to be. I've dedicated this afternoon to laying down the foundation.

5. Feed the Birds (squirrels) in My Yard: Ok, so this one is cheating because I have bird seed already,  and pretty much already feed the squirr--er birds, in my yard. But it's important I refill the feeder especially on Earth Day. I also should look into a more effective feeder so the birds get some seed.

6. Take Some Nature Photographs: I've been meaning to do this recently but just haven't had the chance. I took Nature Photography in college, and think it's a really neat way to enjoy the outdoors. So even though I can't enter the contest, it's a great day to capture the beauty of nature!

7. Drop Off My Used Batteries: I collect these guys for an extended period of time and eventually I must turn them in. I know it's not very 'earthy' but I am attempting to dispose of the little energy suppliers correctly.

8. Free My Inner Activist: Since working at NWF I've had the opportunity to take action more than the average person. But that doesn't make it less important. I plan on catching up on action alerts and making a few calls today in hopes to make my case for Mother Earth.

Earth Day can be just as cheery as Christmas --  but the trees stay in the forest. What I mean is, this can be a time where we celebrate our successes and how we've grown in understanding our impact. I hope everyone considers making a checklist or at least giving me a few pointers with mine. Don't forget to get outside today! It's Earth Day and National Wildlife Week and we should all be very proud and excited for life and all it's glorious biodiversity.

Celebrate National Wildlife Week in Style Like Shirley Temple

So what do Shirley Temple, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Walt Disney have in common? Nothing. Haha, just kidding, they have all had roles strongly supporting National Wildlife Week! For those of you who haven't marked it on your calendar yet it's
April 19 - 27.

The skinny on this cool and fun tradition is that it's been around for 70 years and, while the themes have covered everything from clean water to endangered species protection, the purpose remains true: "uniting the efforts of all friends of outdoor America to the end that future generations shall have their rightful heritage of wildlife." It's also a great excuse to do something for your world!
This year's theme is GETTING OUTDOORS. That's right. So immediately after learning about this event I want you to properly clothe yourself to step outside and breathe fresh air! NWF really wants to make the outdoor experience worthwhile by helping you watch and record the wildlife you see. We are helping people locate nearby parks and encouraging everyone to share their stories. Especially for those that are computer bound (me) but love the outdoors. Let me tell you, I had no idea I lived near so many trees. 

There are also tips and resources for individuals, groups, and communities to develop their very own service projects. Download a watch list that has flora and fauna local to you! If you're in need of a thorough wildlife resource be sure to use enature.com.  After all, Jeremy has the right idea, let's use this to prepare for (blogger and regular) bioblitz :).

To sum it all up, make sure you spend a significant amount of time outside next week and you won't regret it! If you see an animal, try to remember it and share it with us. But if not, just enjoy the time getting closer to your roots...literally. The outdoors is calling, and while people like Robert Redford have celebrated this in the past, what's most important is that you celebrate it now!

If you're interested in promoting it or if you link to it let me know and I'll add you on here!



For your enjoyment I've also added videos of Zorro (Guy Williams) and Disney talking about National Wildlife Week!

                                   ZORRO

                                 DISNEY

Spring Bird Migration is in Full Swing!

Spring bird migration is in full swing.  Here are just a few of the species to be on the lookout for in your region this week.

Northeast

Ruby throated hummingbird

Broad-winged hawk

Eastern kingbird

Midwest

Bobolink

Barn swallow

Red-eyed vireo

West

Yellow-headed blackbird

Bullock’s oriole

Cliff swallow

South

Purple martin

Scarlet tanager

Eastern wood pewee

A lost treasure found!

In a scenario reminiscent of the Antiques Roadshow, a staff member at the National Wildlife Federation has discovered an original watercolor of ivory billed woodpeckers by the very artist universally acknowledged as the last person to see the now presumed extinct bird. The large format, pristine image is going up for auction next month and already has an opening bid of $7,500.