Biofuels Converting U.S. Prairielands at Dust Bowl Rates

Posted on March 1, 2013 by admin

By Joe Hitchon

WASHINGTON, Feb 23 2013 (IPS) – The rush for biofuels in the United States has seen farmers converting the United States’ prairie lands to farms at rates comparable with deforestation levels in Brazil, Malaysia and Indonesia – rates not seen here since the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.

A new study finds that, between 2006 and 2011, U.S. farmers converted more than 1.3 million acres of grassland into corn and soybean fields. Driven by high crop prices, biofuel subsidies and a confluence of other factors, states like Iowa and South Dakota have been turning some five percent of prairie into cropland each year, according to the report’s authors, Christopher Wright and Michael Wimberly of South Dakota State University.

The researchers suggest that farmers are growing crops on increasingly marginal land, in part because the federal government offers subsidised crop insurance in case of failure. In Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota, for instance, corn and soy are planted in areas that are especially vulnerable to drought. Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Climate change, Farm Bill, Wildlife Legislation | Comments Off on Biofuels Converting U.S. Prairielands at Dust Bowl Rates

States Initiating Research on Moose Declines; Minnesota Halts Hunt

Posted on February 18, 2013 by admin

Outdoor News Bulletin   February, 2013 

Moose are the iconic big game species of the north woods. The largest subspecies is found throughout much of Canada and Alaska, while the lower 48 states have populations of three different subspecies in New England, the Upper Midwest, and Rocky Mountain states. Moose had largely been extirpated through much of their southern range by the late 1800’s, but populations rebounded due to conservation efforts by wildlife managers. Within the last twenty to thirty years, limited hunting programs were established in most states with moose populations. However, in recent years managers have seen declines in moose across most of their range in the lower 48 states causing concern and spurring new research efforts and hunting restrictions. This increased focus should help managers better understand what factors are contributing to the population declines, reports the Wildlife Management Institute. Continue reading →
Posted in Climate change, Deer, Disease, Species Management | Comments Off on States Initiating Research on Moose Declines; Minnesota Halts Hunt

Animal welfare groups sue to end Midwest wolf hunt

Posted on February 13, 2013 by admin

 

Posted: Feb 12, 2013 11:50 AM CST Updated: Feb 12, 2013 4:50 PM CST

  By STEVE KARNOWSKI
Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The Humane Society of the United States and other animal welfare groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday to restore federal protections for gray wolves in the western Great Lakes region that were lifted last year.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in the District of Columbia against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its parent agency, the U.S. Department of the Interior, said the decision to take wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan off the endangered list threatens the animals’ recovery throughout most of their historic range. At one time, the animals roamed nearly all of North America. Continue reading →

Posted in Nuisance Species, Species Management, Wolves | Comments Off on Animal welfare groups sue to end Midwest wolf hunt

Wildlife Stressed Out

Posted on January 31, 2013 by admin

Posted on January 30, 2013 by greatlakesoutdoors

As I write this, it’s almost 60 degrees outside.  Its January 30th.  I live in Michigan.  This isn’t right.

No doubt, our warming climate is not only weird, but it poses’ a huge threat to the future of our fish and game up here in the Great Lakes and across the country. Continue reading →

Posted in Climate change, Wildlife Legislation | Comments Off on Wildlife Stressed Out

Milwaukee aldermen urge separation of Chicago River, Mississippi basin

Posted on December 20, 2012 by admin

 

December 18, 2012

 

 

The Milwaukee Common Council has had enough of the Chicago River and the threat it poses to all of the Great Lakes. The council passed a unanimous resolution Tuesday that calls for separating the Chicago River system from the Asian carp-infested Mississippi River basin, and the leader of a group representing the region’s mayors said he expects other Great Lakes cities to follow suit. Continue reading →

Posted in Asian Carp, Invasive Species, The Great Lakes | Comments Off on Milwaukee aldermen urge separation of Chicago River, Mississippi basin