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MINAE Takes Stand Against Illegal Mining in Costa Rica’s Protected Areas

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Tuesday, September 10, 2024

The Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) issued a statement denying any intention to conduct gold mining in Corcovado National Park. This clarification came after Mario Gómez Venegas, director of the Directorate of Geology and Mines (DGM) at MINAE, submitted a request to Paula Mena Corea, director of the Osa Conservation Area, asking for a delegation to enter the park as part of the PlanetGOLD Costa Rica project. Earlier this year, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) approved MINAE’s project, “Global Opportunities for the Long-term Development of the Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining Sector (ASM) – PlanetGOLD Costa Rica.” In a press release, MINAE denied the information being circulated and clarified the situation. “We strongly deny this statement and clarify that, in response to the illegal gold mining problem in the country, MINAE, with the support of GEF and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), launched a series of workshops in July to implement a project aimed at eliminating the use of mercury in gold mining,” the statement read. Document DGM-OD-368-2024 further explained that the PlanetGOLD program is in its initial phase, which requires field visits by the consulting team. The purpose of these visits is to inspect gold extraction sites, identify potential mineralization sources, collect samples, evaluate gold recovery processes, and verify whether mercury is being used. MINAE emphasized that the document signed by Mario Gómez is aimed at studying artisanal and small-scale mining associations, establishing gold value chains, and assessing environmental impacts in the cantons of Jiménez and Osa, all of which are linked to illegal mining activities. “This project tackles the issue of illegal mining and promotes safer methods in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), which currently employs extraction techniques that pose health risks, such as mercury use,” the statement added. MINAE also assured that, in collaboration with law enforcement, it will continue to address the problem of illegal gold mining, which extends beyond Corcovado National Park. The ministry will further promote initiatives to eliminate the use of hazardous substances, such as mercury, to protect human health and the environment. The post MINAE Takes Stand Against Illegal Mining in Costa Rica’s Protected Areas appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

Earlier this year, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) approved MINAE’s project, “Global Opportunities for the Long-term Development of the Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining Sector (ASM) – PlanetGOLD Costa Rica.”

In a press release, MINAE denied the information being circulated and clarified the situation.

“We strongly deny this statement and clarify that, in response to the illegal gold mining problem in the country, MINAE, with the support of GEF and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), launched a series of workshops in July to implement a project aimed at eliminating the use of mercury in gold mining,” the statement read.

Document DGM-OD-368-2024 further explained that the PlanetGOLD program is in its initial phase, which requires field visits by the consulting team. The purpose of these visits is to inspect gold extraction sites, identify potential mineralization sources, collect samples, evaluate gold recovery processes, and verify whether mercury is being used.

MINAE emphasized that the document signed by Mario Gómez is aimed at studying artisanal and small-scale mining associations, establishing gold value chains, and assessing environmental impacts in the cantons of Jiménez and Osa, all of which are linked to illegal mining activities.

“This project tackles the issue of illegal mining and promotes safer methods in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), which currently employs extraction techniques that pose health risks, such as mercury use,” the statement added.

MINAE also assured that, in collaboration with law enforcement, it will continue to address the problem of illegal gold mining, which extends beyond Corcovado National Park. The ministry will further promote initiatives to eliminate the use of hazardous substances, such as mercury, to protect human health and the environment.

The post MINAE Takes Stand Against Illegal Mining in Costa Rica’s Protected Areas appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

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Graeme Samuel calls for Labor to ditch ‘national interest’ workaround for environment laws

Former ACCC chair condemns proposed exemption allowing minister to approve projects that don’t comply with lawGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe former competition watchdog chief Graeme Samuel says the government should axe its proposal to allow the environment minister to make decisions in breach of national laws if it is deemed in the “national interest”.Samuel, who led a 2020 review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, also argued a loophole that effectively exempts native forest logging from the laws “shouldn’t be there”. Continue reading...

The former competition watchdog chief Graeme Samuel says the government should axe its proposal to allow the environment minister to make decisions in breach of national laws if it is deemed in the “national interest”.Samuel, who led a 2020 review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, also argued a loophole that effectively exempts native forest logging from the laws “shouldn’t be there”.In his written submission to the inquiry, Samuel said “national interest” should instead be incorporated as a consideration in new national environmental standards.He made the comments to a Senate committee examining the Albanese government’s bills to reform national nature laws, which Labor hopes to pass before parliament rises for Christmas.Samuel was also concerned the legislation retained a loophole that effectively exempts native forest logging covered by a regional forest agreement (RFA) from national environmental laws.“I hate the RFA exemption. It shouldn’t be there,” Samuel told the committee.He said if the government did retain it, the agreements “should be governed by a very tough national environmental standard”.Sign up: AU Breaking News emailThe former Howard government environment minister Robert Hill – who introduced the original act – said tighter regulation of land-clearing should be the “highest priority” of the reforms.In his submission to the inquiry, Hill also said that there was “no credible argument” for retaining the logging exemption.What does net zero emissions actually mean? And is it different to the Paris agreement? – videoWhile welcoming the bills as achieving “80% of the aspirations” of a consultative group formed during the review process, Samuel said the government’s proposed national interest exemption could lead to the abuse of the power vested in the minister.Adopting similar language to the former treasury secretary Ken Henry, Samuel warned the exemption could lead to lobbyists seeking favourable decisions.The proposed exemption would allow the minister to approve projects that do not comply with environmental laws if the approval was considered in the national interest.“There’ll be a conga line of lobbyists that will be outside their door saying, ‘Well, look, you just use the national interest exemption’,” he said.“So I would take it out of the legislation and simply say it is now a balancing matter that ought to be taken into account in determining approvals and assessments.”Hill, in a submission co-written with Atticus Fleming, a former deputy secretary of the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service, wrote that the “primary shortcoming” of the existing laws had been their failure to address the impact of land-clearing on Australia’s biodiversity.“Given the impact on biodiversity, and the failure of state governments, the effective regulation of land clearing must be the highest priority for the EPBC Act,” the submission states.Hill and Fleming suggested changes including provisions that would require land-clearing above certain thresholds to be assessed for impacts on threatened species and ecosystems.They also said “there is no credible argument for maintaining a blanket exemption for the logging of native forests” and the bills should be amended to remove it.“Logging operations should be subject to the same rules as mining, agriculture, urban development and so on,” they wrote.

Conservation

Forests

Government

Conservationists Make An (Intentional) Mess In Mendocino

And coho salmon love it. The post Conservationists Make An (Intentional) Mess In Mendocino appeared first on Bay Nature.

Photographs by Christie Hemm Klok. This story was produced by High Country News, hcn.org, with support from Bay Nature. Conservationists restoring salmon along California’s North Coast have a mantra: A good coho salmon stream looks like a teenager’s bedroom—if teenagers discarded logs and branches instead of dirty clothes. Surveying a stretch of the Navarro River one morning last spring, Anna Halligan, a conservation biologist with Trout Unlimited, was delighted. “This is exactly what we want,” she said, examining the debris-filled water. The twigs, dirt and branches around a fallen redwood had slowed the river to a crawl and carved out a deep, sun-dappled pool underneath the trunk. In September 2020, Trout Unlimited’s partners spent days selecting a redwood and then carefully maneuvering it into the river to make it more coho-friendly. That tree has now vanished—crushed under this much larger redwood, likely carried downriver by this winter’s rains. The collision has created even more of a “mess” than Halligan could have planned. Halligan climbed down for a closer look. Within minutes, a young, silvery coho flashed into view in the new pool. The North Fork of the Navarro River is chock full of restoration projects implemented by Trout Unlimited with federal funding from NOAA. (Christie Hemm Klok) Coho salmon, which migrate between freshwater creeks and the open ocean, have nourished people, plants and animals along the Pacific Coast since time immemorial. Fred Simmons, an environmental technician for the Cahto Tribe of Laytonville Rancheria, recalled growing up along coho runs “jammed up so thick that you could go out there any time of evening and just get whatever you needed for your family.” But logging, development and climate change have devastated the coastal streams, and Simmons—now in his 60s—has seen coho pushed to the brink. The population in and around Mendocino County, toward the southern end of the species’ range, was declared threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1996 and endangered in 2005. That young coho in the Navarro River was part of a resurgence: For two years now, conservationists have watched the species return to the coast in notably large numbers. For the first time, “recovery seems possible,” said Peter Van De Burgt, a restoration manager with The Nature Conservancy. “We’re on the right track.” Fred Simmons and Anna Halligan. (Christie Hemm Klok) The first attempts to restore Mendocino’s streams for coho and other salmon began in the 1960s. Decades of logging in the area’s old-growth forests left woody debris in stream channels, creating miles-long barriers. Well-intentioned state conservationists decided to remove it. “They had this Western concept, like sweeping the floor,” said Anira G’Acha, environmental director for the Cahto Tribe of Laytonville Rancheria. They left behind hundreds of miles of tidy streams—simplified channels like bowling-alley lanes filled with fast-flowing water. And fish kept dying. “It’s hard to be a salmon,” said Van De Burgt. Everything wants to eat you—birds, otters, even other fish. Without fallen logs to slow their flow, streams lack the overhanging banks, woody debris and deep pools that young salmon need to hide from predators. Gradually, researchers realized that salmon needed the shelter provided by logjams. By the time coho salmon populations were protected by the Endangered Species Act, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife “basically did an ‘Oops’ and said, ‘Well, let’s put them back in again,’” said John Andersen, a California forester and policy director of the Mendocino and Humboldt Redwood Companies. Along the Albion River in Mendocino County, California Conservation Corps members put wood back into the river. Because the location is so remote, all the work is done by hand, with a pulley system to place the logs. (Christie Hemm Klok)Historically, fire helped fell the trees salmon needed. “Stream habitat evolved around fire for thousands of years,” said Ron Reed, a Karuk tribal member who is a cultural biologist and dipnet fisherman. But as the logging industry grew, so did wildfire suppression. Conservationists had to cut down some trees to create new logjams. In the late 1990s, Mendocino Redwood and other logging companies began partnering with Trout Unlimited to restore coho back to the land they owned; soon, The Nature Conservancy and other groups, supported by state and federal grants, began restoring streams elsewhere in the region. Halligan noted that an “ecological system” of collaborators has sustained this work, directing millions of dollars to local contractors and rural economies. But creating logjams is harder than clearing them. Projects initially went through the same state environmental permitting processes required for conventional logging projects, despite their substantially different goals. Some took more than a decade to see through. Other challenges were more practical. “We learned very quickly,” said forester Chris Blencowe, who consults on Nature Conservancy and Trout Unlimited projects. Blencowe initially relied on second-growth redwoods but noticed that when they toppled into a streambed, they would “often just break like an overweight watermelon.” He’s since switched to Douglas fir for many of his projects. Blencowe has also learned to wedge logs between standing trees so that the wood doesn’t wash away in the winter rains, as it did in the early years. The Nature Conservancy has come to rely on a machine that uses vibrations to sink logs into the sediment, since the sound of a power hammer could stun or kill nearby fish. Even after 20 years, not everything goes according to plan. Van De Burgt said this unpredictability is a feature, not a bug: “We want to implement projects that create chaos in the river.” The more chaos, the more places young coho will have to live and survive—and the more coho will make their way downstream to the ocean. The projects can benefit other salmon and steelhead species, too, as well as the streamside forests. Felling nearby second-growth trees for logjams “encourages understory plant relatives to grow,” Marisa McGrew, a Karuk and Yurok woman and assistant natural resources director for the Wiyot Tribe, said over email. “Stream restoration and forest restoration go hand in hand.” Bay Nature’s email newsletter delivers local nature stories, hikes, and events to your inbox each week. Sign up today! On the 10 Mile River in Mendocino County, biologists Lydia Brown and Evan Broberg insert PIT (Passive Integrated Transponder) tags into the underside of juvenile coho salmon, which allows them to track its growth for its lifetime. (Christie Hemm Klok)In the winter of 2023-2024, 15,000 coho salmon returned to spawn along the Mendocino coast, the highest number recorded by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in 16 years of monitoring the population. Last winter, according to preliminary estimates, that number nearly doubled. “I think we got the perfect alignment,” said Sarah Gallagher, who leads the agency’s monitoring program. Good ocean conditions, a reprieve from several years of drought, and hundreds of miles of restored streams have combined to foster a flush of coho. Still, this recovering population represents a fraction of historic runs. Once, hundreds of thousands of coho returned to California streams each year. But chinook and steelhead continue to dwindle. In mid-April, the interstate Pacific Fishery Management Council extended its ban on ocean salmon fishing for a third year. And hundreds more miles of North Coast streams still need wood. “Sometimes, when you look at it on a map, it looks like we’ve barely done anything at all,” said Halligan of Trout Unlimited. Even as this year’s population is tallied, its habitat’s future is uncertain. Earlier this year, the Trump administration proposed deep cuts to the budget of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, whose Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund has supported much of the restoration work along with Gallagher’s coho monitoring. Meanwhile, Northern California conservationists are exploring alternatives, such as the $10 billion for climate resilience projects in Proposition Four, which California voters approved last November. With recovery underway, they’re determined to continue bringing coho back. The coho “are realizing this is their homeland where they were born,” Simmons said. “It seems like they’re trying to heal.” Christie Hemm Klok is a San Francisco-based photojournalist. She is passionate about storytelling that highlights the relationship between nature and humans. This story is part of High Country News’s Conservation Beyond Boundaries project, which is supported by the BAND Foundation. Water reflections on the Navarro River, in the dappled light of the forest. (Christie Hemm Klok)

Conservation

Nature

Climate

Jane Goodall, an extraordinary life well-lived (1934 – 2025)

Jane Goodall, a pioneering primatologist, conservationist and peace advocate, died On October 1, 2025. She was 91 years old. The post Jane Goodall, an extraordinary life well-lived (1934 – 2025) first appeared on EarthSky.

You can watch the memorial service for Jane Goodall on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C., in the player above. The service begins at 11 a.m. EST. Jane Goodall was a trailblazing scientist who revolutionized the study of wild chimpanzees, revealing their complex emotions, tool use and social behaviors. She was a conservationist who founded the Jane Goodall Institute and the Roots & Shoots program, dedicated to wildlife protection, youth empowerment and environmental advocacy. Goodall passed away at age 91 on October 1, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of compassion, scientific discovery and hope for a more harmonious relationship between humans and nature. Jane Goodall lived an extraordinary life Jane Goodall was a pioneer in the study of wild chimpanzees, as well as a much-loved conservationist and UN messenger of peace. On October 1, 2025, she passed away in her sleep in Los Angeles, California, while on a speaking tour. She was 91 years old. On Wednesday, November 12, 2025, her family and friends will gather to honor her at a memorial service at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. You can join in the remembrance by watching the live broadcast on YouTube, at 11 a.m. Eastern Time. Despite not having an undergraduate degree, Goodall completed her PhD at Cambridge University, England, in 1965. While she made her mark as a trailblazer in primate research early in the 1960s, she also went on, in her later years, to be a powerful advocate for young people and conservation. In addition, she was a prolific author and spent most of her time traveling around the world speaking about conservation and peace. Goodall founded the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977, initially to support research on chimpanzees in Gombe, Tanzania, Africa. Later, it evolved into a wider effort to operate diverse conservation projects around the world. One of those notable projects is Roots & Shoots, created to encourage young people of all ages to bring about positive changes in their communities. Jane Goodall is survived by her son, Hugo Eric Louis van Lawick (nicknamed Grub) and her three grandchildren, Merlin, Angel, and Nick. This photo of Jane Goodall is from 2022, when she visited the U.S. Embassy in Uganda. She’s holding a stuffed “chimpanzee” that she took with her on her travels. She called him Mr. H, after Gary Haun, a U.S. Marine who lost his eyesight in a helicopter crash. Goodall carried Mr. H with her to honor Haun, whom she regarded as an inspiration. Image via U.S. Embassy Uganda/ Flickr. (CC by 2.0) A dream come true of studying wildlife in Africa As a child, Goodall dreamed of going to Africa to study animals. Later, in interviews, she often joked that Tarzan had chosen the wrong Jane for his adventures! Goodall worked as a waitress to save enough money for travel to Africa. Her dream finally came true when, in 1957, she set sail for Kenya. There, she met the famed anthropologist Louis Leakey, well-known for his ground-breaking work on early human fossils, and began working as his secretary. Leakey had obtained grant money for a study of chimpanzees. He had hoped that observations of this species, closely related to humans, would yield new insights into our human ancestors. In 1960, he asked Goodall to travel to Gombe, Tanzania, to study chimpanzees. She said, in a documentary she narrated for National Geographic: I had no training, no degree. But Louis did not care about academic credentials. What he was looking for was someone with an open mind, with a passion for knowledge, with a love of animals. And with monumental patience. This touching video from the Jane Goodall Foundation is about the release of a rehabilitated chimpanzee, named Wounda, to a sanctuary island. Jane Goodall’s work with wild chimpanzees Prior to Goodall’s work at Gombe, little was known about wild chimpanzees. Goodall undertook her field work alone, from dawn to dusk, rain or shine, looking for chimpanzees. At first, she could not get close to them because they kept running away. But she stubbornly persisted. After five months, there was a breakthrough. Goodall saw an adult male that she had seen before, and this time, he did not run away. He was the dominant male in the chimpanzee community. She named him David Graybeard, for the distinctive white hair on his chin. Soon, the other chimps also accepted her, and she was able to get closer to them. Goodall learned to identify them and gave them names. Among them was Flo, an older female with a young daughter. Subsequently, these chimps became the focus of her groundbreaking work on their behavior. A new perception of chimps In the early 1960s, many scientists thought that only humans had minds and were capable of rational thought. But in the chimpanzees, Goodall saw beings capable of joy and sorrow, fear and jealousy. They were, she noted, so much like us, in so many ways. She said, in the documentary: Staring into the eyes of a chimpanzee, I saw a thinking, reasoning personality looking back. For the first time, she documented the use of tools in a species other than humans. Prior to that, scientists thought that only humans were capable of making and using tools. But she watched David Graybeard break off leafy twigs, strip out the leaves, and insert them into holes in termite mounds to fish for the insects. Goodall also observed other behaviors never seen before: She saw chimpanzees eating meat. And interestingly, she observed male chimpanzees doing dances in the rain. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jane Goodall Institute ?? (@janegoodallcan) Flo, an influential chimpanzee in Jane Goodall’s research Flo was a notable chimp in Goodall’s studies. She was the top-ranking female in the community. And one day, Goodall became the first person to document the mating behavior of chimpanzees. Flo did not pick one mate. Instead, she allowed all the males that followed her to mate with her. After some months, Flo gave birth to a son thar Goodall named Flint. It was a unique opportunity for Goodall to observe an infant with its mother. In the documentary, an interviewer asked Goodall: What was it about Flo that you admired? She said: Well, she was all things that a chimp mother should be. She was protective but not overprotective. She was affectionate, she was playful but being supportive. That was the key. And of course that’s what my mother was. She supported me. And there’s no question that those first contacts with Flo and her family were very important to my own development. It was just so amazing to have this sort of relationship. Sadly, several years later, Flo died as she crossed a stream. She was about 50 years old. Goodall observed Flint, by then an adolescent, intermittently approach her, as if begging to be groomed and comforted. He eventually left, seemingly depressed, stopped eating and became isolated. Then, he fell sick and about 3 weeks after Flo died, Flint passed away. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dr. Jane Goodall (@janegoodallinst) A dark side of chimpanzee society After Flo died, the community dynamics changed. They divided into smaller factions. Then, vicious fights broke out, and one faction was killed by others. Goodall said: I thought they were like us but nicer than us. I had no idea of the brutality that they can show. It took me a while to come to terms with that. War had always seemed to me to be a purely human behavior. I had come to accept that the dark and evil side of human nature was deeply embedded in our genes, inherited from our ancient primate ancestors. Reflecting on her work with chimpanzees Today, the research station that Goodall and van Lawick started in 1960 is still active, operating in Gombe National Park. In the documentary, Goodall reflected on her work in Gombe: Louis Leakey sent me to Gombe with a hope that a better understanding of chimpanzee behavior might provide us with a window on our past. Our study of chimpanzees had helped to pinpoint not only the similarities between them and us, but also those ways in which we are most different. Admittedly, we are not the only beings with personalities, reasoning powers, altruism, and emotions, nor are we the only beings capable of mental as well as physical suffering. But our intellect has grown mightily in complexity since the first true man branched off from the ape man stock, some two million years ago. And we, and only we, have developed a sophisticated spoken language. For the first time in evolution, a species evolved that was able to teach its young about objects and events not present, to pass on wisdom gleaned from the successes and the mistakes of the past. With language, we can ask as can no other living being those questions about who we are and why we are here. And this highly developed intellect means, surely, we have a responsibility towards the other life forms of our planet, whose continued existence is threatened by the thoughtless behavior of our own human species. Jane Goodall embarked on raising hope later in life In her later years, Goodall traveled widely, 300 days a year, as a passionate advocate for conservation, young people and world peace. She felt strongly that her biggest purpose was to instill hope in people during dark times. She has left a rich and lasting legacy, inspiring millions with her groundbreaking scientific work, her conservation efforts, her compassion and advocacy for world peace. This clip is from a documentary, aired after her death, by Netflix. Jane Goodall left a final message to all of us. Bottom line: Jane Goodall, a pioneering primatologist, conservationist and peace advocate, died On October 1, 2025. She was 91 years old. Via Jane Goodall: An Inside Look (Full Documentary) | National Geographic Via Remembering Jane Read more: Chimpanzees wear blades of grass in their ears and rearsThe post Jane Goodall, an extraordinary life well-lived (1934 – 2025) first appeared on EarthSky.

Conservation

Animals

Nature

New York approves controversial gas pipeline

The state of New York has approved a contentious natural gas pipeline that is expected to bring fuel to New York City residents but is drawing fire from some Democrats. On Friday, New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) issued a permit allowing for the construction of the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) pipeline. This vessel would bring gas from Pennsylvania to Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island. In a written statement, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) cited the state's energy needs and said it is taking an “all-of-the-above” approach. “As Governor, a top priority is making sure the lights and heat stay on for all New Yorkers as we face potential energy shortages downstate as soon as next summer,” Hochul said. “And while I have expressed an openness to natural gas, I have also been crystal clear that all proposed projects must be reviewed impartially by the required agencies to determine compliance with state and federal laws. I am comfortable that in approving the permits, including a water quality certification, for the NESE application, the DEC did just that,” she added. The decision comes after New York’s grid operator recently warned that the state could soon face reliability challenges. The permit’s approval move met with pushback from some Democrats in the state. “I am profoundly disappointed by New York State’s decision to approve the proposed Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) fracked-gas pipeline. This project was rejected three times in the past for failing to meet the state’s own water-quality standards, and nothing about the project has changed,” said Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) in a written statement. "The NESE pipeline will cut through sensitive marine ecosystems off Staten Island and the Rockaway Peninsula, potentially dredging up contaminated sediments that contain arsenic, mercury, lead, and PCBs. It threatens coastal economies that depend on clean water, recreation, and tourism, while exposing nearby communities to unnecessary health and safety risks,” he added. A group of 17 New York Democrats, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, recently wrote a letter to the governor and DEC commissioner expressing “concern” about the pipeline. The state’s decision comes after Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said earlier this year that Hochul expressed “willingness to move forward on critical pipeline capacity.” That comment came as Hochul announced that she was able to save an offshore wind project by working with the Trump administration. However, her office said at the time that “no deal on any natural gas pipeline was reached.” The permit approval comes after the state rejected the pipeline in 2020. It said in a letter accompanying the new approval that while New York usually requires six feet of depth for pipelines in its waters, it has now determined that four feet is acceptable for this project. “The basis for this determination is such a depth further minimizes total suspended sediment, as well as the absence along the Project route of (i) electromagnetic fields associated with high voltage transmission cables and (ii) seafloor areas heavily fished by bottomtending fishing gear,” it said. The pipeline is expected to run through New Jersey, as well as the Raritan Bay and Lower New York Bay to approximately three miles off the coast of Queens’s Rockaway Peninsula.

Conservation

Energy

Water

Scientists Are Releasing the Lovingly Nicknamed 'Snot Otters' Into Ohio Waterways in a Big Success for Conservation

Eastern hellbenders, the largest amphibians in North America, are in trouble, but conservationists are hard at work to help the wrinkled wonders survive

Scientists Are Releasing the Lovingly Nicknamed ‘Snot Otters’ Into Ohio Waterways in a Big Success for Conservation Eastern hellbenders, the largest amphibians in North America, are in trouble, but conservationists are hard at work to help the wrinkled wonders survive Sarah Kuta - Daily Correspondent November 10, 2025 11:20 a.m. Eastern hellbenders are known as "snot otters" because they're covered in a slimy, protective coating. Grahm S. Jones / Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Eastern hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) are unusual creatures. These elusive amphibians can grow up to two feet long, making them the largest salamanders in North America. They breathe exclusively through their wrinkly skin, and are covered in a slimy, protective goo that has earned them the nickname “snot otter.” They’re also in trouble. Their numbers are declining throughout much of their range in the eastern United States, and federal officials say they’ve already gone extinct in some areas. This summer, however, the species got a boost when biologists let loose 116 juveniles into protected waterways in eastern Ohio. Fun Fact: Hellbender or mudpuppy? Despite a distinctive look and name, Eastern hellbenders can easily be confused with another colorfully-named American river salamander, the mudpuppy. Here's how to distinguish the two, per Purdue University's "Help the Hellbender" project: Hellbenders lack gills as adults and have wrinkles, unliked their smooth, gilled counterparts. The release, announced in early October, was part of a state-wide recovery effort called the Ohio Hellbender Partnership, involving the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, The Wilds, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio State University and other collaborators. Since 2012, the partners have reintroduced more than 2,000 captive-raised eastern hellbenders in Ohio—and, so far, their work seems to be paying off. In 2023, researchers discovered that the lab-reared critters were reproducing in the wild, a milestone that has them feeling more optimistic about the species’ future in the state. “This is quiet work that adds up,” says Greg Lipps, a conservation biologist at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium working on the project, in the statement. “One stream, one release, one more sign that clean water and wildlife can thrive together in our community.” Researchers released more than 100 eastern hellbenders in Ohio this summer. Grahm S. Jones / Columbus Zoo and Aquarium As part of the project, researchers also recently installed 30 additional “hellbender huts,” adding to the more than 100 they’ve already positioned in Ohio’s waterways. These manmade dwellings, crafted from concrete, give the salamanders safe places to hide out and lay their eggs. They also make it easier for scientists to keep tabs on the animals and their offspring, according to the zoo, even when the water is murky. While placing the new structures, researchers discovered that eastern hellbenders had taken up residence in 19 of the pre-existing huts. The salamanders even laid eggs in two of them. In addition, scientists gathered more than 2,000 eggs from three nests, some of which are being used to help the creatures rebound in neighboring Indiana. Eastern hellbender recovery efforts hinge primarily on a conservation technique known as “headstarting,” in which biologists temporarily raise young animals in captivity before releasing them into the wild. This approach is meant to give animals a “head start” on life, since they’re protected from predators and disease when they are at their youngest and most vulnerable. Scientists have used headstarting to help the large salamanders for more than a decade. They gather eggs from the species’ native range, bring them back to a lab and hand-rear the juveniles until they’re robust enough to survive in rivers and streams. They tag the youngsters to keep an eye on them after they’ve been released. Eastern hellbenders need fresh, clear water to thrive, so the work also involves partners focused on cleaning up Ohio’s waterways. The salamanders are an indicator species, meaning their numbers can serve as a proxy for environmental health. Healthy eastern hellbender populations mean healthy streams—good news for lots of other animals, including humans. Researchers have long known that habitat issues are driving the species’ decline. Recently, a Kentucky-based team zeroed in on sedimentation—the accumulation of fine sediment—as a major environmental threat. Mud Devil, Allegheny Alligator, Water Dog, Walking Catfish, Old Lasagna Sides, Snot Otter ... In a study published in August in the journal Freshwater Ecology, scientists explain how fine sediment like silt and grain fills in the crevices beneath rocks where eastern hellbenders like to lay their eggs. It also packs the small spaces that larvae use for shelter. The researchers say the findings provide a straightforward, environmental roadmap for conservationists who want to help the eastern hellbenders make a comeback. “First, keep sediment out of streams,” says study co-author Steven Price, an ecologist at the University of Kentucky, in a statement. “Then protect and rebuild rocky beds and forested streambanks. That’s how we give this species a chance.” Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.

Conservation

Water

Extinction

Suggested Viewing

Gopher Games: The Fight to Save the Heart of Florida

As developers slowly squeeze every ounce of profit they can out of the Florida landscape, animals like the gopher tortoise and more than 365 creatures that rely on them are being driven to extinction. Developers have infiltrated every level of government in Florida including the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, an organization supposedly dedicated to protecting Florida's wildlife and wild places. Protections for the tortoise and other species is slowly being chipped away. But there's still hope that we can save this species, and ultimately, ourselves. This film was created on a budget of only $5,000 and using 100% volunteer work, and is a story from told from the collective hearts of thousands of people who care about gopher tortoises and supported the film throughout the production process.

Conservation

Animals

Government

A Year With Northern Owls

We follow five North American owls in different seasons; from summer heat to spring rejuvenation.

Animals

Conservation

Documentary

Vanishing Springs

The Florida you know is a lie. In contrast to what Americans have been told, Florida’s magic is not found in the giant mouse, the rolling green golf courses, or in the beachside palaces. The beauty and uniqueness of Florida is under our feet - the aquifer. This pure, crystal clear water is the life blood of our state and without it, life as we know it in the sunshine state would not exist. This life sustaining force is only seen where it bubbles up to the surface through Florida’s collection of 1,000 springs. These springs were originally what drew society to this land. Wealthy tourists in the 1900’s flooded the Florida springs seeking medicinal cures from its pristine waters. As springs became a popular tourist destination, spring houses were built around these pools of water. When this development began, the springs began flowing less and some eventually stopped altogether. People assumed this was the natural order of this wonder and moved on. Theme parks, golf courses and resorts were erected to entice tourists to visit Florida, the natural beauty of the state soon faded out of our memory. The springs of Florida now silently suffer from the effects of continued development in Florida. The current strain we are placing on the fragile ecosystem is choking the life out of our state. Overdevelopment is one of the leading forces that is damaging the springs. The once pure sources of water no longer boil up like a fountain the way they have for centuries. The water that the springs do produce is polluted by nitrates. This pollution fuels the growth of toxic algae blooms, which are taking over springs and the rivers they feed, thus putting our health at risk. Over 90% of our drinking water gushes out of these sapphire pools. These glorious reservoirs have begun to shrink. If something is not done soon, the springs will simply become part of Florida history. In southern Florida they already have. Springs once bubbled up all across the state. They were wiped out in South Florida decades ago by the ditching and draining of the landscape as well as over-pumping of the aquifer. This water was then sprayed on suburban lawns and farmers' fields, run through showers and flushed down toilets, turned into steam to crank turbines for electricity, or siphoned into plastic bottles for sale around the country. Because of poor use and neglect of our greatest resource, we will soon be without this supply of fresh water. Floridians regard their water supply as abundant and cheap, when the fact is it's neither. Until this attitude changes, the springs will not be rescued.

Water

Conservation

Health

Giants of Big Sur: California Condor Stories Part 3: Born During Troubled Times

Joe shares rare archival footage of the 2008 Basin Complex fire that burned most of the Big Sur wilderness. We see Ventana Wildlife Society biologists climb a burned redwood tree to save baby condor, Phoenix. Later, we meet Iniko, who captured the world’s heart during the Dolan Fire in 2020. We learn the stories of the condors and their incredible resiliency in the face of huge adversity. Kelly Sorenson shares his vision for the future.

Conservation

Extinction

Pollution

Total Disaster

Armed with realistic bird puppets, trickster environmental activists pretend to be oil company Total—staging a satirical press conference to introduce "RéHabitat," a program to rescue animals from the East African Oil Pipeline by relocating them to “more sustainable” habitats. Using humor and mischief, they expose a deadly ecological disaster in a zany effort to help #StopEACOP.

Activism

Energy

Animals

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Suggested Viewing

Gopher Games: The Fight to Save the Heart of Florida

A Year With Northern Owls

Vanishing Springs

Giants of Big Sur: California Condor Stories Part 3: Born During Troubled Times

Total Disaster

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a sustainable future

sign up for our mailing list to stay informed on the latest films and environmental headlines.

Cookies help us run our site more efficiently.

MINAE Takes Stand Against Illegal Mining in Costa Rica’s Protected Areas

Related News

Graeme Samuel calls for Labor to ditch ‘national interest’ workaround for environment laws

Conservationists Make An (Intentional) Mess In Mendocino

Jane Goodall, an extraordinary life well-lived (1934 – 2025)

New York approves controversial gas pipeline

Scientists Are Releasing the Lovingly Nicknamed 'Snot Otters' Into Ohio Waterways in a Big Success for Conservation

Suggested Viewing

Gopher Games: The Fight to Save the Heart of Florida

A Year With Northern Owls

Vanishing Springs

Giants of Big Sur: California Condor Stories Part 3: Born During Troubled Times

Total Disaster

Join us to forgea sustainable future

sign up for our mailing list to stay informed on the latest films and environmental headlines.

Join us to forge
a sustainable future