• Animals

Spotted Lanternflies Invade Northeastern U.S.

• invasive species
• lanternfly
• Pennsylvania

by Natasha Lasky, ODP Staff Writer The spotted lanternfly, an invasive species endemic to Asia, has been causing damage to crops across the United States since it was first detected in 2014. At least five states have confirmed infestations and four more have noted the presence of the insect.  While it’s striking polka dots make […]

• Ocean

Invasive Species are Hitch-hiking Thousands of Miles on Ocean Plastic

• invasive species
• Ocean Plastic
• plastic pollution

by Amy Lupica, ODP Staff Writer Invasive species are hitching a ride on increasing ocean plastic pollution, surfing to distant shores. For centuries, stowaways like zebra mussels arrived on the hulls of ships, but now, hundreds of species are “rafting” across oceans on marine litter. These invasive species now threaten the balance of ecosystems across the globe and exacerbate biodiversity […]

• Animals

Invasive Zebra Mussels Hitch a Ride on Aquarium Moss Balls

• invasive species
• mussels

by Amy Lupica, ODP Staff Writer Federal officials have found zebra mussels catching a ride on aquarium décor sold across the U.S. Pet stores in 21 states have now recalled moss balls sold as aquarium accessories due to the presence of the invasive species. Zebra mussels, native to Eurasia, were introduced to U.S. waters in the 1980s and have been wreaking […]

• Sustainability

37% of UNESCO Heritage Sites Damaged by Climate Change

• #30x30
• biodiversity
• climate change
• fishing
• Great Barrier Reef
• hunting
• invasive species
• IUCN
• tourism
• World Heritage Sites

Many of the world’s most well-known treasures are UNESCO heritage sites, from the Great Barrier Reef to the Taj Mahal. Yet dozens of these sites are under threat from climate change. Flooding, droughts, fires, and the bleaching of coral reefs have marred 83 of the 252 World Heritage Sites.

Why this Matters: UNESCO World Heritage sites are incredibly important ecosystems and cultural symbols, and it would be a tragedy to lose them.

• Animals

One Cool Thing: Hunting Pythons in the Everglades Even During a Pandemic

• Everglades
• Florida
• invasive species
• python

Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Commission and its Southwest Water Management Division caught a record 2,000 Burmese pythons in Florida’s Everglades in just the first eight months of 2020. The good news is those snakes are gone. The bad news is there are that many Burmese pythons in the Everglades.  Check out the cool photos of […]

• Forests

“Season Creep” is Affecting Fall Folliage

• climate change
• fall
• foliage
• invasive species

If you’ve ever noticed that there’s something off about the timing and duration of fall foliage where you live–you’re not imagining things! As with many ecological processes, human activity is shifting the arrival of our seasons through what’s described as “season creep.“ As the Washington Post wrote this past weekend: “Human activities transform not just […]