#migratorybirds — Public Fediverse posts

Press Release from @CenterForBioDiv

#BorderWall Construction Triggers Tree Sit to Save Ancient #Arizona #Cottonwood

For Immediate Release, July 29, 2026
Contact: Russ McSpadden,

LOCHIEL, Ariz.— "Protesters today climbed into an ancient cottonwood tree in Arizona’s #SanRafaelValley to stop the Trump administration from cutting it down for construction of two parallel 30-foot-tall border walls.

"The action comes after Department of Homeland Security contractors cut down three neighboring Fremont cottonwoods estimated to be 200 to 250 years old.

" 'Destroying these ancient cottonwoods is a death sentence for an entire ecosystem,' said Russ McSpadden, Southwest conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. 'These magnificent cottonwoods survived centuries, nourishing wildlife through floods and drought, only to be bulldozed for the Trump administration’s disastrous border wall. The San Rafael Valley is one of the most biologically rich landscapes in North America. It’s both a refuge and crucial corridor for #jaguars, #ocelots, #BlackBears, #pronghorn and hundreds of bird species.'

Today’s action is believed to be the first tree sit aimed at stopping U.S. border wall construction.

"The three cottonwoods cut down earlier this week stood along a rare stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border where mature trees once formed a #transboundary canopy. The trees provided nesting habitat, shade and shelter within an increasingly scarce riparian #ecosystem that supports hundreds of animal species. One #protester was arrested Monday while trying to protect those trees and nesting #MigratoryBirds .

"Federal officials said preconstruction surveys would be conducted during Arizona’s active #nesting season, but observers at the site reported that no surveys for nesting migratory birds were completed before the trees were destroyed.

"The area also contains prehistoric #ArchaeologicalSites that preserve evidence of thousands of years of #Indigenous presence in the borderlands. Ongoing construction threatens cultural resources that would be permanently lost if disturbed.

"The Department of Homeland Security is constructing the #BorderWall under authorities that waive dozens of the nation’s cornerstone environmental and cultural resource protection laws, allowing construction to proceed without reviews normally required under laws including the National Environmental Policy Act, the #EndangeredSpecies Act and the National #HistoricPreservation Act.

"In a letter sent today to the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Center called for an immediate halt to construction in the #Lochiel area. The letter urged the agencies to conduct comprehensive biological and cultural resource surveys, consult with Tribes with ancestral and cultural connections to the San Rafael Valley, protect the remaining ancient cottonwoods, and assess the ecological and cultural resources at risk."

Source [includes link to materials]:
https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/border-wall-construction-triggers-tree-sit-to-save-ancient-arizona-cottonwood-2026-07-29/

#OldGrowth #NestingBirds #USPo #TrumpsBorderWall #RespectTheTreaties #LandBack #IndigenousCulture #ProtectTheSacred
#CulturalGenocide #EndangeredSpecies #TreeSitters

#TreeSitters Saving #OldGrowth #Cottonwoods : #Arizona #BorderWall #Resistance

Border Wall Construction Destroying Cottonwoods, 'Green Ribbon' Running Through the Desert

By #BrendaNorrell, #CensoredNews, August 4, 2026

#LochielAZ -- "Day 6 at #GrandmotherCamp, there was no border wall construction since the tree sit began last Wednesday in this rich landscape. The cottonwood trees are the nesting place of #MigratoryBirds, including the rare #YellowBilledCuckoo.

" 'We've lost three grandmothers that took 250 years to grow. They were obliterated by the monstrous machinations in four hours,' Kate said on Monday from the tree sit in Lochiel, about 25 miles east of Nogales, southeast of Tucson.

" 'But I just saw a Yellow-billed #Cuckoo, federally threatened crying over this beautiful meadow.'

" 'This remaining Grandmother, that threatened bird -- we remain hopeful that our efforts here on the ground will be met with thoughtful reasonable conversation and a new direction for Lochiel community,' Kate said.

" 'This remaining Grandmother represents hope and resistance.' "

Read more:
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2026/08/tree-sitters-saving-old-growth.html

#USPol #BorderWall #TrumpSucks #TrumpsBorderWall #RespectTheTreaties #LandBack #IndigenousCulture #ProtectTheSacred #CulturalGenocide #EndangeredSpecies

#TreeSitters Saving #OldGrowth #Cottonwoods : #Arizona #BorderWall #Resistance

Border Wall Construction Destroying Cottonwoods, 'Green Ribbon' Running Through the Desert

By #BrendaNorrell, #CensoredNews, August 4, 2026

#LochielAZ -- "Day 6 at #GrandmotherCamp, there was no border wall construction since the tree sit began last Wednesday in this rich landscape. The cottonwood trees are the nesting place of #MigratoryBirds, including the rare #YellowBilledCuckoo.

" 'We've lost three grandmothers that took 250 years to grow. They were obliterated by the monstrous machinations in four hours,' Kate said on Monday from the tree sit in Lochiel, about 25 miles east of Nogales, southeast of Tucson.

" 'But I just saw a Yellow-billed #Cuckoo, federally threatened crying over this beautiful meadow.'

" 'This remaining Grandmother, that threatened bird -- we remain hopeful that our efforts here on the ground will be met with thoughtful reasonable conversation and a new direction for Lochiel community,' Kate said.

" 'This remaining Grandmother represents hope and resistance.' "

Read more:
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2026/08/tree-sitters-saving-old-growth.html

#USPol #BorderWall #TrumpSucks #TrumpsBorderWall #RespectTheTreaties #LandBack #IndigenousCulture #ProtectTheSacred #CulturalGenocide #EndangeredSpecies

#TreeSitters Saving #OldGrowth #Cottonwoods : #Arizona #BorderWall #Resistance

Border Wall Construction Destroying Cottonwoods, 'Green Ribbon' Running Through the Desert

By #BrendaNorrell, #CensoredNews, August 4, 2026

#LochielAZ -- "Day 6 at #GrandmotherCamp, there was no border wall construction since the tree sit began last Wednesday in this rich landscape. The cottonwood trees are the nesting place of #MigratoryBirds, including the rare #YellowBilledCuckoo.

" 'We've lost three grandmothers that took 250 years to grow. They were obliterated by the monstrous machinations in four hours,' Kate said on Monday from the tree sit in Lochiel, about 25 miles east of Nogales, southeast of Tucson.

" 'But I just saw a Yellow-billed #Cuckoo, federally threatened crying over this beautiful meadow.'

" 'This remaining Grandmother, that threatened bird -- we remain hopeful that our efforts here on the ground will be met with thoughtful reasonable conversation and a new direction for Lochiel community,' Kate said.

" 'This remaining Grandmother represents hope and resistance.' "

Read more:
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2026/08/tree-sitters-saving-old-growth.html

#USPol #BorderWall #TrumpSucks #TrumpsBorderWall #RespectTheTreaties #LandBack #IndigenousCulture #ProtectTheSacred #CulturalGenocide #EndangeredSpecies

#TreeSitters Saving #OldGrowth #Cottonwoods : #Arizona #BorderWall #Resistance

Border Wall Construction Destroying Cottonwoods, 'Green Ribbon' Running Through the Desert

By #BrendaNorrell, #CensoredNews, August 4, 2026

#LochielAZ -- "Day 6 at #GrandmotherCamp, there was no border wall construction since the tree sit began last Wednesday in this rich landscape. The cottonwood trees are the nesting place of #MigratoryBirds, including the rare #YellowBilledCuckoo.

" 'We've lost three grandmothers that took 250 years to grow. They were obliterated by the monstrous machinations in four hours,' Kate said on Monday from the tree sit in Lochiel, about 25 miles east of Nogales, southeast of Tucson.

" 'But I just saw a Yellow-billed #Cuckoo, federally threatened crying over this beautiful meadow.'

" 'This remaining Grandmother, that threatened bird -- we remain hopeful that our efforts here on the ground will be met with thoughtful reasonable conversation and a new direction for Lochiel community,' Kate said.

" 'This remaining Grandmother represents hope and resistance.' "

Read more:
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2026/08/tree-sitters-saving-old-growth.html

#USPol #BorderWall #TrumpSucks #TrumpsBorderWall #RespectTheTreaties #LandBack #IndigenousCulture #ProtectTheSacred #CulturalGenocide #EndangeredSpecies

#TreeSitters Saving #OldGrowth #Cottonwoods : #Arizona #BorderWall #Resistance

Border Wall Construction Destroying Cottonwoods, 'Green Ribbon' Running Through the Desert

By #BrendaNorrell, #CensoredNews, August 4, 2026

#LochielAZ -- "Day 6 at #GrandmotherCamp, there was no border wall construction since the tree sit began last Wednesday in this rich landscape. The cottonwood trees are the nesting place of #MigratoryBirds, including the rare #YellowBilledCuckoo.

" 'We've lost three grandmothers that took 250 years to grow. They were obliterated by the monstrous machinations in four hours,' Kate said on Monday from the tree sit in Lochiel, about 25 miles east of Nogales, southeast of Tucson.

" 'But I just saw a Yellow-billed #Cuckoo, federally threatened crying over this beautiful meadow.'

" 'This remaining Grandmother, that threatened bird -- we remain hopeful that our efforts here on the ground will be met with thoughtful reasonable conversation and a new direction for Lochiel community,' Kate said.

" 'This remaining Grandmother represents hope and resistance.' "

Read more:
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2026/08/tree-sitters-saving-old-growth.html

#USPol #BorderWall #TrumpSucks #TrumpsBorderWall #RespectTheTreaties #LandBack #IndigenousCulture #ProtectTheSacred #CulturalGenocide #EndangeredSpecies

More of this, please...!

Albania's Flamingo Revolution: Protests Against Kushner-Trump Luxury Resort Could Bring Down Gov't

"Plans for a luxury resort in an ecologically sensitive area have set off more than a month of protests in #Albania, where thousands have taken to the streets to oppose the #megaproject backed by #IvankaTrump and #JaredKushner. The #FlamingoRevolution — named for its feared impact on #MigratoryBirds — began as an #EnvironmentalProtest but has now turned into anger at the entire political system, threatening to bring down the government of Prime Minister #EdiRama."

http://www.democracynow.org/2026/7/9/albania_protests

#WorldPol #Oligarchy #Nepotism #TrumpSucks #TrumpCrimeFamily #PowerCorruptionAndLies

How Do I Choose the Best Wildlife Tours in India? Ultimate Guide for Safari 2026

https://indiasafaristrends.wordpress.com/2026/05/31/how-do-i-choose-the-best-wildlife-tours-in-india-ultimate-guide-for-safari-2026/

A new dawn rises in the #Arctic: the #Inuit plan to reclaim their sea

By Ossie Michelin in Rigolet, #Nunatsiavut , Sun 27 Aug 2023

Excerpt: "While there are other Inuit-led marine conservation programs in Canada, this will be the first to bear the title of #InuitProtectedArea. This #ConservationZone, which is now the subject of a feasibility study, would span nearly 15,000 sq km (5,800 sq miles) of the #LabradorSea bordering the #TorngatMountains national park.

"Built on Inuit values and culture, this type of conservation area would allow Indigenous people to continue traditional practices of hunting and fishing.
That was not always the case. Past conservation policies saw Inuit at best only consulted and at worst completely ignored. Many Inuit hunters and fishers faced fines, had their equipment confiscated and their catches from hunting and fishing taken.

"Despite being granted the power to self-govern in 2005 (after 30 years of negotiations with the Canadian government), Nunatsiavut still lacked the final say over conservation in its waters. Final decisions defaulted to federal or provincial ministers.

"Now, at last, Nunatsiavut can jointly create and co-manage the protected area, based on Inuit priorities, as an equal authority. This will allow Inuit to practise #TraditionalHunting and #fishing in the area, while protecting the waters from industry and development.

" 'Just because we’re small doesn’t mean we can’t do something,' says #JamesGoudie, deputy minister of lands and natural resources in the Nunatsiavut government. 'We can show the world that a small region can protect a massive amount of #BioDiversity.'

"The Inuit Protected Area would only cover about a third of Nunatsiavut’s nearly 50,000 sq km of offshore waters, but the region is home to important populations of fish such as #salmon and #ArcticChar, the breeding grounds for many #MigratoryBirds, and the habitat of Arctic marine mammals including #PolarBears, #BelugaWhales and #Seals.

"Establishing a protected area is also a pre-emptive strike against #ResourceExploitation. Significant #NaturalGas deposits have been found offshore along the #LabradorShelf, but it has remained largely unexplored because of the ice. As the climate warms, however, the region is becoming more accessible – the Inuit Protected Area would prevent such resource exploration."

Read more:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/27/arctic-horizon-inuit-first-protected-zone-nunatsiavut-canada-photo-essay

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/LfYRZ

#SolarPunkSunday #ProtectingTheArctic #TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge #TraditionalKnowledge #FirstNations #InuitValues #TraditionalFishing #AnimalProducts #Conservation #Nature

Why #LightPollution is a solvable #environmental crisis

Excessive #OutdoorLighting is deadly to #animals and takes a toll on #HumanHealth and wellbeing, too. But when it comes to large-scale environmental problems, this one may be a relatively easy fix.

By Alissa Greenberg
Friday, April 1, 2022

"In recent decades, lightbulbs made with #LEDs arrived, a revolution in energy efficiency with seemingly little downside. After all, an #LED bulb converts some 90% of the electricity it uses into light, whereas a conventional incandescent bulb only converts about 10%. And LED bulbs are touted as lasting up to 25 times longer.

"But the physics of LEDs make them fundamentally different from incandescents. While those traditional bulbs put out warm white light made of all colors mixed together, LEDs filter blue-rich light through a specialized phosphor material, producing light that appears white to the human eye but is still more blue-intense than incandescents’ light.

"But #BlueLight is also the most disruptive to our #nighttime environment because it mimics daylight, disrupting the hormone production and sleep cycles of both animals and humans.

"#Melatonin, one of those hormones, helps the immune system destroy renegade cells dividing out of control. That can lead to other health issues, including heightened rates of #cancer. And, 'we’re not the only ones who produce melatonin,' says Mario Motta, a cardiologist and trustee of the American Medical Association. Even amoebae produce melatonin'—meaning even amoebae might be vulnerable to light at night.

"The impacts of light pollution are evident everywhere from human health to astronomy research, but they come into particular focus in the recent phenomenon of global species #dieoffs. Between 100 million and a billion birds die every year due to light pollution, according to Massachusetts IDA chapter president James Lowenthal. New York City recently dealt with a huge die-off, 'with flocks of #MigratoryBirds slamming into buildings,' says Sarah Bois, an ecologist at the island’s Linda Loring Nature Foundation and a member of Nantucket Lights. 'They’re attracted to light.' A 2015 study at New York’s 9/11 'Tribute in Light'' installation showed an increase from 500 birds within half a kilometer of the light beams before they were turned on to 15,700 just minutes after.

"The issue is a double whammy for birds because they rely on #insects for food—and those populations are plummeting, with light pollution contributing significantly to the so-called "#InsectApocalypse.” By some estimates, one third of insects attracted to light sources at night die before morning, either due to exhaustion or because they get eaten. And according to a study in Germany, the number of insects in that country alone that die after being attracted to lights can number 100 billion or more in a single summer.

"Some starve to death searching for food that should appear bluer at twilight but is lit up amber under streetlights, says insect conservationist Avalon Owens, a doctoral candidate at Tufts University. Some are thrown off by light just the way we are, because of their #CircadianRhythms. #Pollinators whose schedules are altered by artificial light miss the #flowers they’re evolutionarily paired with, if the flowers naturally close and open with the warmth of the sun. And insects that rely on circadian rhythms for their yearly development don’t hibernate in time for winter and freeze to death.

"On #Nantucket, these phenomena are of particular concern because the island is home to a remarkably healthy population of northern long-eared #bats, which are endangered. Like many birds, the bats rely on insects for food and are easily dazzled by light, putting them in increasing jeopardy. Jack Dubinsky, director of the Maria Mitchell Aquarium on Nantucket, says he’s concerned that adding increasingly lit-up nights to the challenges of #ClimateChange, water quality, and #ecosystem collapse could put huge pressure on some already struggling species. 'The more curveballs we throw, the less likely they’ll be able to find their way,' he says.

Read more:
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/light-pollution-led-nantucket-solutions/

#DarkSkies #Extinction #StreetLights

Sentinels of the far south: Studying #Antarctic #Birds to Prevent Virus #Pandemics https://micro-bites.org/2023/08/16/sentinels-of-the-far-south-studying-antarctic-birds-to-prevent-virus-pandemics/

#Scavengers as Prospective Sentinels of #ViralDiversity: the Snowy #Sheathbill Virome as a Potential Tool for Monitoring #Virus Circulation, Lessons from 2 #AntarcticExpeditions https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.03302-22

"Research, tourism, fishing... bring human activity to #Antarctica; meanwhile, #MigratoryBirds cyclically travel to more populous areas. Could these species be vectors for disease?"