Pelecanus

In this episode of Conservation Conversations we continue our mini series Conservation on Fire!

We talk with the award winning and best-selling author and artist Obi Kaufmann. Obi Kaufmann has authored six books that present the magic that is the network of living systems in California in the most beautiful way. His latest work “The State of Fire - Why California Burns” confronts one of California’s most pressing social and ecological challenges while sharing a deepened love for the natural world and a refreshingly hopeful vision of California’s future.

Please enjoy our conversation with Obi!

Please do yourself a favor and follow him on social media @coyotethunder and purchase his new book The State of Fire - Why California Burns. But we also recommend looking into the rest of his work as they are all great.

https://coyoteandthunder.com

https://californiafieldatlas.com/shop/ols/products/the-state-of-fire-why-california-burns

Host and producer is Austin Parker and Taylor Parker

Music was provided by A Picture Book studio

Don't forget to like comment and subscribe if you want to help

We’ll talk to you next time!

This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Tidal Influence, a Californian ecological consulting firm who proudly supports environmental education and all of the diverse conservation efforts that Pelecanus works to highlight. Visit their website at www.tidalinfluence.com to learn more about what they do to conserve our coastal resources and how you can get involved

Biodiversity

California's endangered gray wolf population doubles with year's new pups

https://www.sfchronicle.com/california/article/gray-wolf-pups-endangered-19751323.php

Apache trout, Arizona's state fish, dropped from endangered species list after 50-year comeback

https://www.fws.gov/press-release/2024-09/removal-apache-trout-endangered-species-list

Drawdown

'Paper or plastic?' will no longer be a choice at California grocery stores

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/paper-or-plastic-will-no-longer-be-a-choice-at-california-grocery-stores/ar-AA1pJuIQ

South Australia ramps up net 100% renewables target

https://www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2024/02/28/south-australia-ramps-up-net-100-renewables-target/

Teens being awesome

Teens invent incredible device while searching for way to tackle one of the world's most challenging sources of pollution:

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/teens-invent-incredible-device-while-003000531.html

Zoos being awesome

Critically endangered pangolin pup born at Illinois zoo

https://www.bnd.com/news/state/illinois/article291118195.html

Oregon Zoo releases endangered frogs into the wild

https://www.oregonzoo.org/news/endangered-frogs-hop-zoo-back-wild

Discovery of endangered cats

Rare Footage Shows Elusive Endangered Species Spotted for First Time in More Than 50 Years

https://www.yahoo.com/news/rare-footage-shows-elusive-endangered-220910809.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZWNvc2lhLm9yZy8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJ9vDCng51YwZcXjcpTcnXqTlRspKJmevErxGOdhj0OeF0LzjfAqCdf5rlehlNuCRdCeFghJ9cNnF6wEwO2XjTW0YcHdDGnQiSCu7sJ8dD4rKwXUFU5nZVmnLl3GVMwx53qu41GCSYAMTsV_zOYxEi0xyXmaMYtR_sblS6uhUAe6

Endangered lynx makes its first appearance in Vermont in years

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/endangered-lynx-makes-its-first-appearance-in-vermont-in-years/ar-AA1pkUrz

In this episode of Conservation Conversations we continue our mini series Conservation on Fire! We talked with Justin Britton, a Forester from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, more commonly known as CalFire. He talks all about his programs in forestry health and workforce development in the forests of California!

Thank you again to Justin for talking all about what he and so many great people do for CalFire. If you’re interested in the programs we discussed, please go to their website https://www.fire.ca.gov/ and see how you can get involved!

Host and producer is Austin Parker and Taylor Parker

Music was provided by A Picture Book studio

Don't forget to like comment and subscribe if you want to help

We’ll talk to you next time!

This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Tidal Influence, a Californian ecological consulting firm who proudly supports environmental education and all of the diverse conservation efforts that Pelecanus works to highlight. Visit their website at www.tidalinfluence.com to learn more about what they do to conserve our coastal resources and how you can get involved

Environmental Justice

In historic move, EPA bans pesticide; cites alarming setbacks for fetuses

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/in-historic-move-epa-bans-pesticide-cites-alarming-setbacks-for-fetuses/ar-AA1ol4HT

Water

World’s largest dam removal project nears completion

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/world-s-largest-dam-removal-project-nears-completion/ar-BB1qZmF8

Arrowhead water bottler ordered to stop operations in San Bernardino Mountains

https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/08/09/forest-service-orders-arrowhead-brand-water-bottler-to-cease-operating-in-san-bernardino-mountains/

Rewilding

Conservationists thrilled after species reintroduction yields first lion cub birth in over 150 years

https://www.thecooldown.com/outdoors/lion-cubs-babanango-game-reserve-south-africa/

Los Angeles Zoo sets record with 17 California condor chicks hatched in 2024 https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-zoo-california-condors-record-69c1dbfbdd70b7634c44fc929905d084

State wildlife officials make big announcement about wolves in Colorado: 'This pup's arrival is a huge conservation milestone

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/state-wildlife-officials-make-big-announcement-about-wolves-in-colorado-this-pups-arrival-is-a-huge-conservation-milestone/ar-AA1om9YG

River Otters Were Once Nearly Extinct In Illinois — But Now They Roam Chicago Waterways

https://wgntv.com/morning-news/wgn-morning-news-9-at-9/river-otters-are-making-a-comeback-in-chicago-area/

Two Critically Endangered Chicks Hatch at Audubon Zoo

https://newsroom.audubonnatureinstitute.org/two-critically-endangered-chicks-hatch-at-audubon-zoo/

Welcome to a Bonus Pelecanus episode where we highlight the 2024 recipient of our Carrie Wilson Memorial Scholarship, Emily Summers, a graduate student with Project Dragonfly. Emily has done great work already and we're very proud to award her this scholarship.

Carrie R. Wilson was a staple of the community of San Diego for the last 50+ years. Carrie believed in community inspiration through direct and intentional action. Pelecanus would never have come to fruition without Carrie, and the same can be said for so many people throughout San Diego. As the Dean of Students of the University of San Diego Law School, she was able to make a lasting impact on thousands of students' lives. Carrie asked us to let anyone looking to honor her memory know that she hopes they would make a "heartfelt gift to make the world a better place." She simply hoped for her legacy to be one of paying it forward. We aim to award this scholarship to students who embody the Pelecanus mission of demonstrating optimism through science and align with Carrie R. Wilson’s passion for education, charity and service.

The Carrie Wilson Memorial Scholarship will be open for applications for project dragonfly students again in the Spring of 2025, check our Pelecanus.org scholarship page for more information. Pelecanus is a 501C3 non-profit organization that takes tax deductible donations. You will also find a link to the donate button on our website if you’d like to contribute to the Carrie Wilson memorial programs or to Pelecanus in general.

Host and producer: Austin Parker

Music: A Picture Book Studios

Anti-deforestation

Deforestation in Colombia falls to lowest level in 23 years

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/colombia-deforestation-fell-23-year-low-2023-2024-07-08/

Biodiversity

‘Cause for shellebration’: OKC Zoo announces birth of rare giant tortoises

https://kfor.com/news/local/okc-zoo-announces-birth-of-rare-giant-tortoises/

Decades of conservation efforts lead to 'landmark' hatching of 60 nearly extinct crocodiles

https://www.yahoo.com/news/decades-conservation-efforts-lead-landmark-000000063.html

Drawdown

California experiences its 100th day of renewable energy sources meeting 100% of electricity demand

https://environmentamerica.org/california/media-center/release-100-days-renewable/

Marathon Oil Agrees to Record Penalty for Alleged Clean Air Act Violations

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/marathon-oil-record-penalty-oil-and-gas-pollution/

In this episode of Conservation Conversations we continue our mini series Conservation on Fire! We talked with Lenya Quinn-Davidson of the UCANR Fire extension. Join us as we delve into the world of prescribed fire, diversity in fire management, traditional cultural fire practices, and more. Lenya's insights are invaluable, and we're incredibly grateful to have had this enlightening conversation with her. Enjoy!

Please check out their websites: https://ucanr.edu/sites/fire/ https://calpba.org/ https://firenetworks.org/wtrex/ and get involved with them, or wherever you can. Also check out @womenstrex, @lenyaqd, and @ucanr on social media

Host and producer is Austin Parker

Music was provided by A Picture Book studio

Don't forget to like comment and subscribe if you want to help

We’ll talk to you next time!

This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Tidal Influence, a Californian ecological consulting firm who proudly supports environmental education and all of the diverse conservation efforts that Pelecanus works to highlight. Visit their website at www.tidalinfluence.com to learn more about what they do to conserve our coastal resources and how you can get involved

Drawdown

Heirloom to build two Direct Air Capture facilities in Northwest Louisiana

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/heirloom-build-two-direct-air-120000823.html

Water

California adopts statewide water conservation framework

https://www.yahoo.com/news/california-adopts-sweeping-statewide-water-213447587.html

Rewilding

First North African Ostrich nest in the wild in Morocco

https://magornitho.org/2024/07/north-african-ostrich-nests-morocco/

Sea otters spotted off Oregon coast, a rare sight after a century of near-extinction

https://www.opb.org/article/2024/07/03/sea-otters-spotted-off-oregon-coast-a-rare-sight-after-a-century-of-near-extinction/

History made as critically endangered baby western lowland gorilla born at Columbus Zoo

https://abcnews.go.com/US/history-made-critically-endangered-baby-western-lowland-gorilla/story?id=111667871

Rare white rhino born in Chilean zoo, boosting the near-endangered species

https://time.com/6994693/white-rhino-born-chilean-zoo-endangered-species/

Indigenous

California to return ancestral land to Shasta Indian Nation

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/06/18/governor-newsom-announces-historic-land-return-effort-on-the-5th-anniversary-of-californias-apology-to-native-americans/

Biodiversity

Iberian lynx rebounds from brink of extinction, hailed as the "greatest recovery of a cat species ever achieved"

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iberian-lynx-no-longer-endangered-greatest-recovery-cat-species-ever/

‘A momentous day for nature’: EU approves first-of-its-kind law that could bring back biodiversity

https://www.euronews.com/green/2024/06/17/what-is-the-nature-restoration-law-inside-the-first-of-its-kind-regulation-approved-in-eur

Drawdown

Bill Gates-backed startup creates Lego-like brick that can store air pollution for centuries: 'A milestone for affordably removing carbon dioxide from the air

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/bill-gates-backed-startup-creates-020000741.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZWNvc2lhLm9yZy8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJ9vDCng51YwZcXjcpTcnXqTlRspKJmevErxGOdhj0OeF0LzjfAqCdf5rlehlNuCRdCeFghJ9cNnF6wEwO2XjTW0YcHdDGnQiSCu7sJ8dD4rKwXUFU5nZVmnLl3GVMwx53qu41GCSYAMTsV_zOYxEi0xyXmaMYtR_sblS6uhUAe6

Researchers harvest acid from seawater to feed beneficial algae

https://www.pnnl.gov/news-media/researchers-harvest-acid-seawater-feed-beneficial-algae