Nature & Environment – TheMinotVoice.com

In Wyoming, the Eastern Shoshone tribe decided to classify buffalo as wildlife. Here is why

by: MinotVoice | May 20, 2025

For centuries, buffalo roamed freely across the plains, central to life for many Indigenous nations. This month, the Eastern Shoshone took a step toward restoring that bond—voting to reclassify buffalo as wildlife rather than livestock. It’s a legal shift, yes—but also a cultural one, challenging the framework that views animals primarily as products. With climate

Read & Share sourced from: Associated Press

Plastics companies know about chemical recycling’s shortcomings — but still sell it as a solution

by: MinotVoice | May 13, 2025

A new report from the Center for Climate Integrity is challenging the plastics industry’s latest promise: chemical recycling. While touted as a breakthrough that could make plastics infinitely reusable, the report argues the technology remains costly, inefficient, and largely unproven at scale. Internal documents from industry giants, including Exxon Mobil, reveal long-standing doubts about its

Read & Share sourced from: Grist

It’s Invasive Species Awareness Week: Help Protect North Dakota’s Waters

by: MinotVoice | May 9, 2025

BISMARCK, N.D. – May 4 through May 10 is Invasive Species Awareness Week, and the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality is encouraging all residents to learn more about Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS). These invasive organisms pose a serious threat to the sustainability, biodiversity, and overall quality of our water resources. Water users play a

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The future of the monarch is hanging in the balance

by: Doug Leier | May 8, 2025

Revering walleye, pheasants, or bucks is about as Midwestern as loving summertime baseball, hot dogs and mom. In an honest conversation you’ll hear an underscoring appreciation for pike, meadowlarks and monarchs. Who doesn’t love the fight of a northern, the sound a meadowlark makes perched on a fence post? When a monarch is found in

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Cities lose “critical guidance” from climate report: former NOAA official

by: MinotVoice | May 4, 2025

Cities across the country may soon lose one of their most important tools for climate planning. The Trump administration has dismissed hundreds of scientists working on the next National Climate Assessment, halting a congressionally mandated report relied on by planners, engineers, and local officials. Experts warn the decision not only disrupts vital data collection—it also

Read & Share sourced from: SmartCitiesDive

Minot Tree Among New Champion Trees Crowned in North Dakota

by: MinotVoice | May 4, 2025

State Forester Thomas Claeys is pleased to announce that four new champion trees and three new second place champions have been added to the North Dakota Register of Champion Trees. The purpose of the champion tree contest is to engage the public in forestry activities and instill a desire to protect and preserve these magnificent

Read & Share sourced from: NDSU Extension Service

Haunting Sounds of The World’s Largest Living Thing Revealed

by: MinotVoice | May 4, 2025

Pando doesn’t speak in words, but it whispers through the wind. This vast Utah forest—technically a single, ancient aspen organism—has begun to reveal its voice thanks to a sound artist’s experiment. Using a hydrophone, Jeff Rice captured faint rumbles and vibrations traveling through Pando’s shared root system, offering a new way to understand its hidden

Read & Share sourced from: Science Alert

Manitoba increases funding to help protect Lakes and Rivers from Invasive Species

by: MinotVoice | May 1, 2025

Manitoba is doubling down on protecting its lakes and rivers with a new $540,000 investment aimed at stopping the spread of aquatic invasive species. Announced during Invasive Species Awareness Week, the funding includes a dedicated prevention fund for local governments and water-user groups, plus new equipment to aid mitigation. With boating season around the corner,

Read & Share sourced from: Discover Westman

Hubble’s Highlights from its 35th Year in Orbit

by: MinotVoice | April 27, 2025

After 35 years in orbit, the Hubble Space Telescope is still delivering wonder. To mark the milestone, NASA released four breathtaking new images—ranging from the rugged surface of Mars to distant star-forming regions and a neighboring galaxy ablaze with light. Hubble’s enduring mission reminds us that discovery never gets old, and even after decades, it

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The Trees Are Speaking

by: MinotVoice | April 27, 2025

In the forests of British Columbia, Indigenous scientists and ecologists are racing against time to learn from what remains of the old-growth. For biologist Teresa Ryan and ecologist Suzanne Simard, each felled giant carries more than ecological loss—it carries cultural memory, centuries of connection erased in a moment. Their fieldwork, blending Indigenous wisdom and modern

Read & Share sourced from: Yes! Magazine

SD grassland enthusiasts hope for a native plant rebirth

By: Mike Moen, Public News Service | April 22, 2025

April is National Native Plant Month, an observance at the core of South Dakota’s identity. People wanting to protect the state’s beloved grasslands encourage landowners in urban and rural areas to set aside growing space. South Dakota’s prairies often conjure up images of species like tallgrass, which have deep roots good at absorbing water. But some

Read & Share sourced from: Public News Service

The plastic recycling myth and our very real crisis

by: MinotVoice | April 15, 2025

Plastic used to be a convenience. Now it’s a contaminant — not just in our oceans and landfills, but in our bodies and even our brains. This Earth Month, Grove Collaborative CEO Jeff Yurcisin makes a clear-eyed case: recycling isn’t saving us, and industry has to do better. The plastic problem is no longer distant

Read & Share sourced from: Fast Company

Iowa landfills capture methane and convert it to usable natural gas

by: MinotVoice | April 15, 2025

Iowa landfills are turning trash into fuel — and cutting greenhouse gas emissions in the process. Methane from decomposing waste is a powerful pollutant, but some Iowa landfills are capturing it, cleaning it, and converting it into renewable natural gas for vehicles and energy. The approach goes beyond environmental compliance — it’s becoming big business.

Read & Share sourced from: Iowa Capital Dispatch

Wildfire Potential High in Spring and Today

by: MinotVoice | April 11, 2025

Outdoor enthusiasts need to be aware of ground conditions while enjoying spring activities. Increased human activity outdoors in spring, combined with dead ground vegetation and high winds, make this time of year highly susceptible to wildfires. Because of highly variable weather patterns, North Dakota experiences a distinct spring fire season every year. With that in

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Minot student wins 2025 Earth Day Patch Contest

by: MinotVoice | April 8, 2025

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department announced the winners of the 2025 Earth Day Patch Contest. Over 1,600 students from 100 schools entered this year’s contest. Winners in four age categories are Tryg Klindworth, Beulah (K-3); Mariah Achtenberg, White Shield (4-6); Jazmin Vasquez, Minot Bishop Ryan (7-9), and Brielle Volk, Mohall (10-12). Achtenberg’s design

Read & Share sourced from: ND Game & Fish

Sharp-tailed Grouse Dancing in the North Dakota Outdoors

by: MinotVoice | April 7, 2025

Every spring starting in March, male sharp-tailed grouse gather on leks or dancing grounds to display for female onlookers. This ritual, triggered by photoperiod, has been going on in North Dakota for hundreds or even thousands of years. Learn more in this week’s NDO News.

Read & Share sourced from: ND Game & Fish