Don Corrigan
Let’s be honest: nature, the outdoors and the environment have taken a beating this year. But before we get to the bad news, let’s chalk up some much-needed good news – much of it is local.
Blog Archives
Image ImageDon Corrigan Talks Missouri Hiking Hot Spots With St. Louis Magazine
Don Corrigan at Rocky Falls. Photo by Emery Styron
Where does Don Corrigan go to relax and enjoy nature?
St. Louis Magazine asked Corrigan a few questions about his favorite Missouri hiking spots in a new article by Jeannette Cooperman.
Find out where Corrigan recommends visiting in Missouri and a few tips to help in your journey! Read the article HERE.
It’s Easy to Go Local With New Website! Shop Missouri Produced Vegetables, Fruits, and More!
The Missouri Department of Agriculture has released information about MissouriGrownUSA.com. The website gives users the ability to find locally grown products nearest to their location.
That’s right! Do you want to purchase fresh locally grown items quickly and near where you live? Do you need tomatoes, onions or lettuce? How about apples or peaches?
The answer can be found at MissouriGrownUSA.com. Type in what item you are looking for, and your zip code, and with the press of the enter key you will find where the nearest farmer or local retailer is located. OR select a category from a list of choices, like berries, cheese, eggs, meats, pickles, vegetables, fruits, relishes, salsa, and more. Easy! And everything chosen is produced right here in Missouri!
Check it out HERE!
Read more from the Missouri Department of Agriculture below.
New State Record Northern Hog Sucker Caught On Current River
Photo by MDC Staff, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation.
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports Jeff Rowland of Poplar Bluff became the most recent record-breaking angler in Missouri when he gigged a northern hog sucker on the Current River in Ripley County. The new “alternative method” record fish caught by Rowland on Oct. 15 weighed 2 pounds, 8 ounces with a length of 18.3 inches. Rowland’s recent catch broke the previous state-record held by his cousin of a 2-pound, 3-ounce northern hog sucker gigged in 2010.
“I knew it was big fish when I gigged it, but I was shocked to see it outweighed the state-record,” Jeff Rowland said.
MDC/St. Louis Zoo Endangered Beetle Reintroduction Earns National Recognition
Partners in the American burying beetle recovery project pose with the 2017 North American Conservation Significant Achievement Award from Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). From left to right are Dan Ashe, AZA; Andrea Schuhmann, MDC Natural History Biologist; Bob Merz, St. Louis Zoo; Scott Hamilton, US Fish & Wildlife.
The American burying beetle recovery program, a partnership project between the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the St. Louis Zoo, among others, has achieved national recognition.
The program received the 2017 North American Conservation Significant Achievement Award this fall from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). AZA is the non-profit, accrediting organization for the top zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and seven other countries. According to AZA, the annual award recognizes exceptional efforts toward regional habitat preservation, species restoration and support of biodiversity in the wild.
Recent U.S. Climate Report: Likely Human Influence Dominant Cause Of Observed Warming Since Mid-20th Century
By Don Corrigan
It is a serious omission that Environmental Echo is just now getting around to the US government’s new climate report released a few weeks ago.
Bloomberg has had some very helpful background information on this climate report. As Carl’s Climate Letters reports, because of its length the report will probably not be read by many people, but it can still be useful as a tool in adversarial situations because of its unquestionably high quality.
The Bloomberg report: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-06/how-the-trump-white-house-wound-up-releasing-dire-climate-report
Here is just a short excerpt from that report by Bloomberg: (see below)
Don’t Miss Eagle Days This January!
Photo by MDC Staff, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation.
The Missouri Department of Conservation has posted information about the upcoming Eagle Days! Save the date this January for the popular Eagle Days at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge festival in 2018.
Eagle Days at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge will take place from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 13 and 14, 2018. This free, family event is an excellent opportunity to see bald eagles in the wild and up close during live bald eagle programs presented by the World Bird Sanctuary. During both days, the World Bird Sanctuary program will be repeated every 20 minutes from 10 a.m.-2:40 p.m. Lewis and Clark re-enactors will also present a living history camp on the Missouri side, and demonstrations on the Illinois side.
Powder Valley Nature Center welcomes Renowned Missouri Nature Photographer Matt Miles Dec. 1
Nature and wildlife photographer Matt Miles will give a presentation at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center on Friday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. Following the presentation, Miles will be on hand to autograph his new book Missouri Wild and Wonderful. (Photo: MDC)
The Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Powder Valley Nature Center will welcome accomplished Missouri nature and wildlife photographer Matt Miles for a special presentation on Friday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. Miles, who recently published the book MissouriWild and Wonderful, will share some of his spectacular photographs on the video wall in Powder Valley’s auditorium as he discusses his experiences during 20 years of photographing outdoor Missouri.
Find more information from the MDC, including how to register for the event below.
Thoughts On Gavin Schmidt’s Climate Predictions
By Don Corrigan
Gavin Schmidt of REAL CLIMATE continues to follow a disturbing warming trend in 2017. He predicts 2017, which is now drawing to close, will be either the second or third warmest on record, behind the leader 2016. Also, it will be the warmest ever for a year not under the influence of El Nino. Schmidt has a very informative site
that provides a commentary on climate science by working scientists for the concerned public and working journalists. REAL CLIMATE aims to provide a quick response to developing stories and provide the context sometimes missing in mainstream commentary. I like to go to Schmidt’s archives, such as July, when RealClimate posts this:
The Future Of Flooding In St. Louis: Is There A Solution?
Missouri Route 141/Interstate 44 intersection. Photo by Ursula Ruhl (SCT).
Officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told a concerned audience at the Powder Valley Nature Center on Nov. 1 that there’s undoubtedly more rain — and flooding – in the long-range weather forecast for this area.
Mayors from Kirkwood, Fenton and Valley Park, along with about 70 area residents, attended the Corps’ Meramec River Flood Risk Workshop. Local mayors introduced themselves before the program began and noted damage to their towns by flooding since 2015.
“No one has the magic answer on how to stop the rains or stop the flooding,” said Fenton Mayor Josh Voyles. “But we welcome the chance to discuss how we can prepare for future flood events here tonight.”
Environmental Echo 