Biodiversity

"U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen Williams late Thursday issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting more detainees from coming to the site, barring new construction and giving the state 60 days to remove many of its major elements."

"Fewer than 100 dusky gopher frogs were known to remain. Thanks to some very dedicated humans, numbers are now on the rise."

"Internal documents obtained by Public Domain show that the federal government did not conduct an Endangered Species Act or a National Environmental Policy Act review for the Florida migrant detention facility known as 'Alligator Alcatraz' — further proof that the facility may be operating in violation of federal environmental laws."

"A decades-long battle to transform a Southeast Chicago lakefront property into a public park is starting to bear fruit. But where the new toxic sludge will go has yet to be determined."

"A U.S. appeals court has temporarily blocked the transfer of federal forest land in Arizona to a pair of international companies that plan to mine one of the largest copper deposits in North America. ... The land includes Oak Flat — an area used for centuries for religious ceremonies, prayer and gathering of medicinal plants by the San Carlos Apache people and other Native American tribes."

"The medical world relies on horseshoe crab blood in the production of vaccines and equipment. A synthetic is available, but companies have been slow to adopt it."

"A Texas-based federal judge assented to a Trump administration request Tuesday and ended Endangered Species Act protections for the lesser prairie chicken."

"Healthy fungal networks help trees and plants grow, making them key to successful reforestation. The only problem? Almost nothing is known about this subterranean ecology"

"The Trump administration is also looking to revive mining in the popular wilderness area" 

"California has approved an unprecedented plan to protect the iconic Joshua tree from climate change and development."