EcoWest News, June 17, 2025

Welcome to EcoWest News, a weekly round-up of news and resources that you can put to use in addressing environmental issues and protecting the wild in your community.

Across the West

Cumberland House Cree Nation is filing a lawsuit against the Province of Saskatchewan for failing to uphold its treaty obligations by not protecting the Saskatchewan River Delta. [CBC]

A decision to increase cougar hunting in Alberta, including in parks, was based on input from hunters and not science. [The Narwhal]

Researchers from across disciplines will study the impact of air quality on human health at the University of Manitoba’s AirSAFE research centre. [UManitoba]

The water in Lake Killarney, Manitoba, will be infused with ultra-fine oxygen bubbles that stay suspended longer than traditional aeration systems in an effort to improve water quality and prevent harmful algae growth. [CBC]

A strong Manitoba climate plan should focus on two areas. First, it should outline how Manitobans will be able to move around, heat their homes, and eat without relying on oil and gas by 2050. Second, it must prepare for the impacts of a changing climate (wildfires, extreme storms, health emergencies). [Policy Alternatives]

A First Nations Elder in BC’s Lower Mainland is determined to ensure a wolf pack on his land is safe from hunters, trappers, and tourists. [Rewilding]

The BC and federal governments are passing legislation to fast-track projects without studying their possible impacts. This approach can have unexpected consequences, from protests and lengthy lawsuits to environmental disasters. [West Coast Environmental Law (BC), West Coast Environmental Law (federal)]

Around the World

Successfully reusing wood from deconstruction will require workers trained in disassembling old buildings and markets for repurposing the salvaged wood. The real challenge is “changing the way people think about buildings — not as disposable, but as sources of material". [Yale Environment 360]

Lessons from the past: using carpets, wall hangings, awnings, and other textiles to insulate our homes. [Low Tech Magazine]

Research shows that biofuels produce more greenhouse gases than fossil fuels, and biofuel refiners emit significant amounts of carcinogenic and dangerous substances in greater quantities than petroleum refineries. [Inside Climate News]

Oceans

Tonga could become the first country to recognize the rights of whales. We “want to ensure that the whale is free to be the whale … so, these kinds of legal frameworks are very important to manage humans.” [Inside Climate News]

A High Seas Treaty is closer to reality and a step closer to protecting the world’s oceans by creating marine protected areas beyond the continental shelf. [The Conversation]

Researchers have identified the migratory routes of over 100 marine mammals, birds, and fish, information that will be invaluable in establishing protected areas on routes that cross national boundaries. [Conservation Corridor]

Biodiversity

So many species (80 in BC) are dependent on dead, dying, defective, and decaying trees (snags) for shelter. [Watershed Sentinel]

Framing human-wildlife interactions as “conflict” overshadows other relationships humans have with wildlife. Other worldviews provide a different perspective on thinking about and living with wild animals. [The Fur-Bearers]

Nature’s Wonders

“It’s really mind-boggling, if you look at the whole list of the things that feathers can do”: flight, insulation, waterproofing, self-repair, colour, and sound. [Smithsonian Magazine]

Cuckoo bees are shrewd tricksters: laying their eggs in the nests of other bees relieves them of the time-consuming tasks of building nests and collecting food. [bioGraphic]

“Even bumble bee queens, the sole founders of their colonies, take regular breaks from reproduction – likely to avoid burning out before their first workers arrive.” [Science Daily]

Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/apmckinlay/54589878523

EcoFriendly West informs and encourages initiatives that support Western Canada’s natural environment through its online publication and the Nature Companion website/app. Like us on Facebook, follow us on BlueSky, X, and Mastodon, or subscribe by email.