Environmental advocates in Maryland are celebrating legislation that expands the definitions of wildlife in the state. The law also requires the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to review once every five years whether any new species need to be added to the state list.

Logan Christian, wildlife and habitat specialist with the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, said the expanding definition of wildlife includes invertebrates important in our food system - and other critical functions in our ecosystem.

"Pollinators are really important for biodiversity," Christian explained. "They're responsible for one out of every three bites of food that we take. Having the ability to think about all species -- where are species at and should they be listed -- it's just really important to have wildlife be defined broadly for that purpose."

He pointed out that a species could also be removed from the list, if conservation efforts succeed in increasing its wildlife populations.

The new law also lets private citizens get involved. Any interested person can submit a petition asking the Secretary of Natural Resources to review whether any species should be listed or removed from the Endangered Species Act. Christian said public input in species conservation can provide valuable help to government agencies trying to monitor hundreds of species.

"It allows for states to kind of add capacity by bringing in the public and non-profits and other keepers of knowledge in the state, who might have their finger on the pulse of what's happening with species better just because of the nature of their work or what they do," he continued.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources tracks the status of more than 550 species that are threatened, endangered or in need. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service only lists 39 of those species as threatened or endangered.

Maryland House Delegate Julie Palakovich Carr, who sponsored the bill, said it cements many existing practices in the state, such as including invertebrates in the definition of wildlife. She also emphasizes the Endangered Species Acts has worked well for conservation across the country - and in Maryland.

"The Endangered Species Act really has been a huge success - both the state level laws and the federal laws. We have preserved so much biodiversity in our country over the last 50 years because of this law - and we really should regard this as one of the great environmental protections in our country," she said.

The new policies governing endangered species went into effect July first.


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Colorado Parks and Wildlife wants to hear from all Coloradans about their updated 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan, a blueprint for preserving at-risk wildlife over the next 10 years.

Since the first plan was launched in 2005, the number of active bald eagle nests has grown from less than 50 to nearly 300.

Madison Martin, deputy director of the Colorado Wildlife Federation, said the plan has also helped peregrine falcon populations and the state's river otters.

"Not only is it fun to see them out in their habitat when you're hiking or enjoying other outdoor activities but they're really crucial for the water systems here in Colorado," Martin explained. "Seeing them playing means that there's a healthy ecosystem going on."

Martin cautioned the work is far from over. The plan identifies 626 "Species of Greatest Conservation Need" including Colorado's iconic bighorn sheep, native cutthroat trout and golden eagles. The plan's list includes 249 butterflies and other invertebrates, six amphibians, 19 reptiles, 35 fish, 48 mammals, 74 birds and 195 plants. More information about the plan and submitting comments is available online at EngageCPW.org.

Kacie Miller, State Wildlife Action Plan coordinator for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said the new plan aims to maximize limited resources by bringing state agencies, partner organizations and residents across the state together to advance conservation efforts.

"We really want to have it be the place where people can learn about these species and their habitats, and also what's needed or what's threatening them," Miller outlined. "We can all be working together to leverage each other's work."

Martin pointed out the public comment period offers Coloradans a once-in-a-decade chance to speak up for the species and landscapes that matter to them. She added if there are species or habitats not in the plan but should be, scientists need to know.

"It's incredibly important for the public to take a look at this, make comments," Martin urged. "Because essentially what we're trying to do is improve the species and the habitats in your backyard."


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A small fox that lives on the Channel Islands off the coast of southern California is thriving after near extinction. The island fox - found nowhere else on Earth - was listed as endangered in 2004 when only about 30 remained.

A multi-agency recovery effort that started in 1999 resulted in the fastest comeback of any terrestrial mammal under the Endangered Species Act.

Chuck Graham, a photographer, traveled to the islands to chronicle their recovery and share the story.

"It wouldn't have happened without all the work of the biologists and everything," said Graham. "I mean otherwise, if it wasn't successful, it would have been a really big disappointment - but everything worked out."

Revered by the islands early Indigenous people, the fox weighs just four pounds, smaller than the average house cat. A photo exhibit by Graham is currently on display at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum.

The population began plummeting in the 1960s after predatory golden eagles replaced bald eagles who could no longer breed on the islands due the effects of runoff from the pesticide DDT. Before the island fox could recover, golden eagles were relocated to the mainland and 61 bald eagles were reintroduced starting in 2002.

With the predators gone, the fox survival rate increased to 90% and the population rebounded to more than 2,000 in 2015. Graham said he wanted to document not just the Island Fox, but its environment and the urgency of preserving it.

"I knew the foxes were an item and I knew the bald eagles were, but it was one of those things that you just have to go to know," he explained. "I definitely broadened awareness."

Scientists still debate how the foxes got to the islands some 10,000 years ago. Some speculate they rafted there on storm debris when ocean levels were lower, or were more likely introduced by the Native American Chumash Tribe who considered them a sacred animal.


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June is National Pollinator Month and a local agricultural group which aims to empower women in conservation is bringing awareness to how prairie restoration can aid the declining population of bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

Through its Wisconsin Women in Conservation program, the Michael Fields Agriculture Institute is showing how reintroducing native plant species, among other practices, can reestablish endangered habitats supporting an entire ecosystem.

Christine Johnson, farmer education coordinator at the institute, said the current focus of pollinating lands and communities is intentional for many reasons.

"Besides being a place of empowerment for women in this space, which has traditionally been male-led and focused, we are also reminding folks that conservation is a practice that should persist even as our resources are depleted," Johnson explained.

Johnson pointed out many people in their network want to do the work but lack resources. She added despite DEI and conservation guts to their programming, the institute will continue to host events throughout the year. One on Thursday for women in Wisconsin will focus on prairie restoration.

Wisconsin Women in Conservation connects women landowners and stewards to conservation initiatives through networking and education.

Sally Farrar, conservation coach for the program, often shares her experience of restoring 13 acres of prairie land using grant funds from the National Resource Conservation Service. She said the first couple of years were not successful but vividly remembers when things started to click for her.

"One summer, there were hundreds of monarchs, flocks of dragonflies, and the most rare and interesting insects I had ever imagined in my life, just such a variety of bees," Farrar recounted. "That is the sacred bond with the land."

Farrar stressed conservation is a land-management practice which takes time and may not always initially work. She acknowledged the process can feel unattainable but emphasized how everyone can play a role in nurturing community lands and addressing the declining wildlife populations, even if they do not own that land.

"I think it's an overwhelming thing to witness the collapse of some of the bird, insect and plant populations, but I think that we can all do something," Farrar added. "If you cannot steward land, please consider donating and volunteering."