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A Christmas Card From Skunk Hollow: Bad hand injury brings a gift of healing

By Ron Meador | 12/23/16

Usually you'd be better off blind than without functioning hands, the surgeon said. But strong, rapid recovery might just be in our DNA.

As Isle Royale prepares to add wolves, a look at just how that might be done

By Ron Meador | 12/21/16

Nothing about this reintroduction — or translocation, in the NPS terminology — is so simple as rounding up some wolves and dropping them off at the Windigo dock to eat moose and make pups as they please.

Defeat of mining near Boundary Waters is a rare victory for the value of place

By Ron Meador | 12/16/16

What's even bigger news is the decision by the U.S. Forest Service to seek a broader ban on mining within 234,000 acres of Superior Forest Lands that lie outside the million-acre wilderness.

Politics & Policy

Clean Power Plan B: Why Minnesota will be a climate leader in Trump’s America

By Sam Brodey | 12/16/16

The prospects for Obama’s nationwide plan to fight climate change aren’t good in the incoming Trump administration. Minnesota may have to go it alone.

Earth Journal

Globe-warming methane emissions may be canceling gains on carbon dioxide

By Ron Meador | 12/14/16

After a period of stability, researchers find a big acceleration — and a complicated challenge for control efforts.

Earth Journal

Private land conservation surges in U.S., with the help of nonprofit trusts

By Ron Meador | 12/09/16

By one measure, the amount of Minnesota land shielded from development has increased 30-fold in the last 10 years.

Earth Journal

Dakota Access Pipeline decision is a victory for Indians, for direct action — and for rule of law

By Ron Meador | 12/06/16

The Corps makes a startling confession about risk assessments withheld from the Standing Rock tribe during consultations.

Native American community mobilizes to help supply Standing Rock protesters
Community Sketchbook

Twin Cities Native American community mobilizes to help supply Standing Rock protesters

By Kristoffer Tigue | 12/01/16

Several fundraising efforts have cropped up over the last few weeks, with tens of thousands of dollars either being sent directly to the camp or used to buy supplies for the protesters.

Gatlinburg's suffering illustrates a worsening, widening wildfire pattern
Earth Journal

Gatlinburg's suffering illustrates a worsening, widening wildfire pattern

By Ron Meador | 12/01/16

160,000 acres isn't much territory for wildfire in the West; in the Southeast, it is historic.

Cop violence rises at pipeline protest, and more escalation may lie ahead
Earth Journal

Cop violence rises at pipeline protest, and more escalation may lie ahead

By Ron Meador | 11/29/16

Corps of Engineers backpedals on eviction order, as 2,000 veterans head for the Dakota Access Pipeline encampments.

Earth Journal

Letter from Wausau: Close encounter with intelligence of the avian kind

By Ron Meador | 11/22/16

Karen Bondarchuk insists we encounter crows and ravens as sentient creatures that deserve our respect but too often receive our scorn.

MNopedia

Marjorie McNeely Conservatory in St. Paul’s Como Park is one of few remaining Victorian ‘crystal palaces’

By Sarah Shirey | 11/22/16

The conservatory first opened on November 7, 1915.

Earth Journal

Ancient Vikings as environmentally adept, and other nonelection reads

By Ron Meador | 11/17/16

I've gone disk full on election material for a while — and if you have, too, there may be respite in these writings.

Featured Columns

Earth Journal

In Case You Missed It

A Q&A with Paul Douglas, the evangelical Christian Republican poster boy for climate change
Arsenic-laden rice: As FDA deliberates, Consumer Reports issues guidance
Dictionary editors honor and expand vocabulary of environmental concern
What Germany can teach Americans about transforming our energy systems
Minnesota's first successful apple: the Wealthy Apple
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