Hey all. I just got back to town after an exciting research trip to Tromsø in northern Norway. Amongst other things, I attended a workshop on future possibilities for agriculture. We talked in detail about the idea of "Arctic perennials." Can you envision this future? Stay tuned for more. In the meantime, reviews of my …
When Wildlife is Threatened, You Have to Stop Killing It
Wolverine numbers in parts of British Columbia and Alberta are dropping fast. A study published at the end of October in Scientific Reports found rapid population declines taking place both inside and outside Canada’s National Parks. The authors used remote cameras and DNA sampling of wolverine hair to come up with regional population estimates of …
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Brits and Bison Update
On Friday, October 21st, Wilder Blean announced their herd of three female bison had grown. One of the two younger females had not been seen for a couple of days. When bison ranger Tom Gibbs went looking in the dense undergrowth, he was astonished to find a bison calf peeping out from behind a proud …
Brits and Bison
The U.K.’s new bison are settling in. Three female Bison bonasus (or wisent) have been roaming the overgrown, under-grazed woodland outside Canterbury for three months now. Bison Rangers Tom Gibbs and Donovan Wright seem pleased with their progress. According to the U.K.’s first-ever bison rangers, the horned ecosystem engineers have found plenty of birch, oak, …
On De-extincting the Tasmanian Tiger
The Tasmanian tiger (or Thylacine) was a carnivorous marsupial located near the top of Australia's food chain. Halfway between a tiger and a coyote, its dog-like appearance is used as an example of convergent evolution. It looks similar to a dog, but its genetic lineage is completely different. The thylacine's story is not a happy …
The Decision To Electrify Your Life
I could be one of those annoying people you love to hate. I’m vegetarian, I grow food in the backyard, and I have solar panels on my roof. I offset the natural gas I use for heating each year and keep the thermostat low in winter. I proselytize regularly about the dangers of climate change …
Christopher J. Preston 