skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Post-presidential debate poll shows a shift in WI; Teamsters won't endorse in presidential race after releasing internal polling showing most members support Trump; IL energy jobs growth is strong but lacks female workers; Pregnant, Black Coloradans twice as likely to die than the overall population.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The Teamsters choose not to endorse a presidential candidate, county officials in Texas fight back against state moves to limit voter registration efforts, and the FBI investigate suspicious packages sent to elections offices in at least 17 states.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Group Finds Global Warming Evidence in Boundary Waters

play audio
Play

Monday, July 7, 2008   

Minneapolis, MN – A group of scientists and advocates just back from a trip to Minnesota's Boundary Waters does not like what it saw. Christopher Cox with the Pew Memorial Trust says evidence of climate change is everywhere.

"The first major thing that we noticed was areas where there were small growths of red maple, which are really not supposed to be present there. This a tree that mostly is migrating from the south."

The group also noted the impact of the past few fire seasons and how the forests are regenerating. Cox is concerned that the flames burned right down to the rock, which isn't normal. He also was shocked by the lack of wildlife.

"We saw one moose, at night, running across the road. We didn't see any bear. The entire time we were up there we saw two foxes. That was about it. Wildlife viewing is a major reason people even go to the Boundary Waters in the first place. If only one or two kinds of trees can survive there, it means not a lot of different kinds of animals will survive, either."

The group did spot European earth worms, however. This invasive species is attracted to warmer temperatures, which also are associated with different kinds of beetles. Some of these exotic beetle species can be deadly to native plants.

Cox reports global warming isn't just happening in the ice caps or sub-Saharan Africa –- it's happening in Minnesota and elsewhere.

"What we're saying here is nothing short of extinction of many different species of trees. You're going to see massive soil erosion. We're going to see more fires and more intense fires. And, all of this is going to have a really dramatic effect on Minnesota because we really depend on the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for, well, frankly, for a major part of our economy."

According to Cox, the trip provided many examples of changes caused by continued reliance on fossil fuels to provide energy. Those who doubt global warming, however, say such changes are natural and take issue with scientists who report that climate change is human-caused.

More information is available at www.pewglobalwarming.org.




get more stories like this via email

more stories
Including the $236 million in federal funding for wildland fire management recently announced for 2025, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has invested a total of $1 billion to the cause, according to the Department of the Interior. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

This month, the federal government announced funding for next year's wildfire management, totaling $236 million and experts hope threatened …


Social Issues

play sound

From gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson to Superintendent of Public Instruction hopeful Michele Morrow, some Republicans running for office have …

Social Issues

play sound

California is home to more than 181,000 people who are unhoused, with 75,000 in Los Angeles alone, so the Los Angeles Food Policy Council will host a …


The California Department of Conservation is holding a public meeting online on Sept. 24, to update the public on its progress in plugging abandoned oil wells. (Alizada Studios/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Groups concerned about pollution and climate change are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a trio of bills dubbed the "make polluters pay" package…

Social Issues

play sound

This week, National Voter Registration Day was another timely reminder for Ohioans preparing for the 2024 general election. The latest reports from …

The American Heart Association said caregivers often experience personal and spiritual growth, discovering their own resilience, competence and capacity for sacrifice as they help a friend or loved one. (Justlight/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Self-Care Awareness Month and the American Heart Association in Missouri is urging caregivers to take some much-needed time for themselve…

Environment

play sound

In Virginia's waters, the decline of a small but critically important fish is causing growing concern among conservation groups and fishermen alike…

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado voters will decide whether to change the state's constitution to ensure families have school choice as a fundamental right. Kallie Leyba…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021