News of the Week - February 9, 2015

Free Entrance Day to all National Parks This Weekend for Presidents' Day

This weekend is the second of six fee-free days for national parks in 2015. In commemoration of Presidents' Day Weekend, all national parks entrance fees will be waived. Plan your weekend visit now.

California's Pikas Are Losing Ground Due to Changing Climate

In a survey of 67 locations in California, scientists reported a significant shrinking habitat for California's pikas. The likely cause is due to climate change and warming at higher elevations. Researchers are concerned that over half of the sites where pikas currently reside will become inhabitable in the next 50 years.

Plan Calls for Killing Cormorants in the Columbia River to Save Salmon

Cormorants nesting on East Sand Island at the mouth of the Columbia River are eating an estimate 18 million migrating salmon every year. The colony of birds has grown from around 100 pairs to nearly 15,000 over the past 25 years. The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers plan to protect salmon and comply with a mandate from the National Marine Fisheries Service calls for shooting 11,000 birds and killing another 15,000 unborn chicks. The Audubon Society opposes the plan.

A Dry January Will Lead to the Prolongation of Drought in the U.S. West

From Lake Powell to Washington, water levels are below normal. Much of the U.S. West is in severe drought, and this winter's precipitation levels and snow pack are not going to help.

As Warm Conditions Persist, An Iconic Sled Dog Race May Come to an End

It's becoming more common for long stretches of open water on the 1,000 mile race route where there was once ice. The participants of the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog race from Whitehorse, Canada to Fairbanks, Alaska are having to adapt to warming conditions, impacting how they train and compete. Some express concern that dog sledding may be a dead sport in the coming years as warming conditions persist.

Final notes:

Oregon Field Guide returned to the air this past Thursday on OPB. If you missed it, you can stream the latest episodes on Outdoor Project. See below for an amazing segment on an elk herd making its home in Gearhart, Oregon.