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- Desert News, 8/26
Desert News, 8/26
Fire, floods, and fauna
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Hikers see a family of black bears out at Big Bend National Park
This would be a non-story in many other National Parks, but black bears were extirpated from the Big Bend area in the 1950s. Since the 1980s, the critters have been slowly repopulating the park’s more suitable habitat, especially in the Chisos Mountains. To do so, the bears had to traverse at least 30 miles of open desert from the lofty Sierra del Carmen in Coahuila, Mexico.
Invasive bees shut down major Joshua Tree campground
The National Park Service has closed facilities in the Cottonwood Spring area of the popular park as introduced European honeybees mass in search of water during a spate of triple-digit record temperatures. (Chris has a story about bees in Joshua Tree that he may tell sometime if you’re good.)
For the first time since 2017, Nevada removes numerous feral horses from Virginia Range
20 horses were removed from a property under development in southeast Reno, an area known for ongoing horse and human conflict as the feral population continues to grow. Between 2012 and 2016, the Nevada Department of Transportation reported 116 horse-related crashes on all roads in the Virginia Range. A rescue group will relocate the horses.
The Climate Agenda: Can't take the heat
Pima county officials are taking action to protect staff and contracted workers from heat illness and more, becoming the first county in Arizona to adopt a heat safety ordinance. The plan requires all county workers and contracted employees to have access to cool water, shade and regular breaks during their shifts.
On wildfires, experts say the West needs to rethink its response
Fire Scientists, land managers, water experts and utility reps came together to discuss wildfire safety and adaptation at the Desert Research Institute’s Adaptable World Environment summit in Las Vegas. They all agreed that the status quo isn’t working.
5 proposed bills to watch on water, the environment in Nevada
Bills on transforming water rights, coping with wildfire, making ag more sustainable, increasing public transit access to trails, and wildlife crossings are being considered by the Nevada Legislature.
Zion National Park’s first wild California condor suffers a ‘horrible death’
Five-year-old male “1K,” named for being the thousandth condor hatched in the species’ federal recovery program, was found dead of lead poisoning in the park. Buckshot used by hunters is the reason.
Cold water shots into the Colorado River slow a bass invasion in the Grand Canyon
Smallmouth bass have been colonizing the Colorado river, posing an existential threat to the threatened humpback chub, which the bass eat. In July Federal officials released cold water from “Lake” Powell through the Glen Canyon Dam, which seems to have prevented the bass from spawning this year.
El Paso solar cooperative helps homeowners save thousands on rooftop solar.
When the co-op opened for participants in January, about 30 people signed up and 10 bought a solar panel system, a marked decline from the El Paso co-op’s first year when 120 people signed up. Organizers said elevated inflation and costly interest rates dampened interest in the solar co-op this past year.
Hiker dies, more than 100 people rescued after Grand Canyon flash flooding
Monsoon storms caused deadly flash flooding in the Havasu Canyon area of the Havasupai Indian Reservation, forcing the rescue of dozens of tourists and tribal members. 33-year-old hiker Chenoa Nickerson of Gilbert was swept into Havasu Creek by floodwaters on Thursday; her body was found Sunday almost 20 miles downstream.