cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/28014609

The best-known wildlife recoveries in the U.S. are often associated with the West. Yet some important gains have occurred east of the Mississippi, among cities, roads, farms, and landscapes altered over several centuries.

Andrew Moore’s new book, Beasts of the East: The Fall and Rise of America’s Eastern Wilderness, examines the decline and partial return of animals that once occupied the region in abundance. Before European settlement and large-scale land conversion, eastern habitats supported bison, elk, moose, woodland caribou, cranes, black bears, passenger pigeons, and Carolina parakeets. Many disappeared as forests were cleared, wetlands drained, and wildlife hunted.

Some losses were permanent. Other species have returned through reintroductions, habitat restoration, hunting restrictions, and long-term management, reports Mongabay’s Erik Hoffner. The state of Kentucky now has roughly 10,000 elk (Cervus canadensis) across a 16-county restoration zone, the largest herd east of the Mississippi. At Nachusa Grasslands in the state of Illinois, conservationists have restored tallgrass prairie on former farmland and reintroduced bison (Bison bison). Forest regrowth across parts of New England has helped moose, bears, fishers, and otters expand their ranges.

An interesting history of the main threats to some iconic American trees and the efforts to save them.

As an arborist I largely agree with the video's thesis that introduced pests and diseases remain the largest threat to our trees, ahead of some of the things that people more often think of, like logging or climate change.

How many lives would have been saved if European cities had taken urban forestry seriously over the past few decades?

Comedy video about going vegan that has a positive message I think people who care about animal welfare and the environment should be adopting more.

cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/52949103

Joey nailing it yet again. Landscaping industry is in shambles.

Immigrant rights groups across the Central Coast are speaking out in response to early-morning raids conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on May 13, when federal agents served search warrants at several locations connected to community defense organization VC Defensa.

Federal agents knocked open doors to search four locations, including the VC Defensa’s business spaces and the home of organizer Leo Martinez, one of the most vocal immigrant rights advocates in the region. In a press conference the next day, Martinez said federal agents pointed guns at both him and his mother during the raids. While nobody was arrested, Martinez said the search warrants served as an example of ICE and DHS “bullying” community defense volunteers.

cross-posted from: https://discuss.online/post/39428437

Scientists have identified a rare Andean forest tree related to tomatoes and potatoes as a plant group never named before.

The discovery redraws part of the nightshade family and ties the tree to plant chemicals with medical power.

The Bee's takes can be hit or miss but this one has them sounding very progressive! I'm impressed.

The Candidate is Mai Vang in case you don't want to read the article. I've met her and she's cool. One of the reasons she decided to run was because democrats were refusing to abolish ICE.

Seems like a good bill despite being introduced by Boebert. Does this have a chance of passing? We'll see. Could be worth contacting your reps. Not sure what sane person would be against this honestly.

Retitled to avoid clickbait

Resident Legal Diva Melba Pearson breaks down the week's most urgent legal-technology story in four acts: ICE just admitted it uses Graphite, a zero-click Israeli spyware that reads your Signal and WhatsApp messages without you ever tapping anything; the FBI used an obscure iPhone notification database to recover deleted Signal messages and convict Prairieland protesters — including for wearing all-black and using encrypted apps; and FISA Section 702 — the surveillance law that enables all of this — expires April 20. You will learn how to protect your phone and how to call your representative before the deadline.

The architect noted that the building's permanent closure actually predates construction, a first for the region.

Shamelessly stolen from /u/sankeytm on Reddit.

Second interview with Anarchist Front on repression and resilience, regional war, and internet shutdowns

I'm not an anarchist but I always appreciate anarchist critiques, and their perspectives on contested foreign events are always insightful. They're often the best equipped people to navigate around the propaganda when states are at war with one another.

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/56597143

On the second day of the ceremony, Feay said officers from the Sacramento Police Department broke up the gathering. After that, they charged her fiance, who was leading the morning sunrise song and prayers, with two misdemeanors – unlawful camping and obstructing the street.

The same day, police seized the tipi and labeled it as a tarp and bamboo sticks, according to the agency’s Feb. 5 booking receipt reviewed by CapRadio.

“I’m hurt, I feel disrespected. My treaty rights were violated,” Feay said. “They took my church. Where am I going to go pray?"