Aug 24, 2015

Power lines jeopardize Washington’s threatened sage grouse population

A male sage grouse displaying during mating season.

Transmission lines that funnel power from hydroelectric dams and wind turbines across Eastern Washington impact sage grouse habitat by isolating fragile populations and limiting movement, a new study by the College of the Environment’s Climate Impacts Group and others finds. The paper looks at how features in the landscape limit the species’ distribution and gene flow, and is the first to show that power-line corridors are an obstacle for sage grouse as they move across the landscape to feed and reproduce.

Climate Impacts Group welcomes new deputy director

The Climate Impacts Group (CIG) welcomes Joe Casola as its new Deputy Director, effective July 22. He comes to CIG with experience that fits well within their scope, and will also help them grow into new arenas surrounding climate change. “We’re thrilled to have Joe serving as the new Deputy Director,” says Amy Snover, Director of CIG. “Joe has worked with public and private sector decision makers across the nation on climate adaptation, and also has a strong scientific foundation in atmospheric dynamics and Pacific Northwest climate.

Dean's Letter: Boundless? You bet.

Those of us on UW campus have noticed the Be Boundless tagline emerge all over the grounds during recent months. It’s everywhere – purple wristbands and huge bus banners. Taglines like this don’t simply emerge from a quick engagement with a marketing firm. For the past year, UW did research, taking a good, hard look at what people value about their experiences here.

Climate Impact Group's director recognized as White House Champion of Change

Amy Snover, director of the Climate Impacts Group at the College of the Environment, has been named a White House Champion of Change. The Champions of Change program celebrates Americans who are doing extraordinary things in their community, and for Snover it focuses on her work to enhance climate education and literacy in classrooms and communities across the country. She traveled to the White House for a ceremony on February 9th, and wrote a blog post for the honor titled Building Climate Resilience through Action Today.

Three UW conservation scientists awarded new Wilburforce Fellowship

Three members of the UW College of the Environment — Jonathan Bakker, Meade Krosby, and Lauren Urgenson — are among the first 20 recipients of a Wilburforce Fellowship, a new year-long training for conservation scientists in Western North America. The year-long program provides communication and leadership training to help build a community of conservation scientists and encourage them to reach beyond the scientific audiences.