Daily Kos A painted lady. Things are shaping up for 2019 to be another massive migration year for Painted Lady butterflies.  Story here.

Common Dreams "We see very clearly that chlorine from CFCs is going down in the ozone hole, and that less ozone depletion is occurring because of it." More here.

Centre for Food Safety PinP photo.  The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada released a report today recommending that the monarch butterfly be protected as an endangered species due to population decline and ongoing threats to the butterfly’s epic migration. Previously, in Canada, the monarch was classified as a species of special concern; now the minister of the Environment and the Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council have nine months to decide whether to add the butterfly to the endangered species list. Story here.

AlbertaFarmer A hog barn in Israel.  Shpernik088 You don’t have to sacrifice productivity or compromise health standards by going antibiotic free, say swine managers at Spring Creek Hutterite Colony. Story here.

EcoWatch  A Canadian wind turbine. PinP photo. Wind energy had a banner day in Scotland. Thanks to an unseasonably windy Sunday, wind turbines generated more electricity than the country actually needed. Story here.

WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE This is the third instalment of our  Restoration Global Tour   blog series. The series examines restoration success stories in Asia, Latin America, Africa, Europe and North America. Tune in over the coming months for additional installments, or check out our  Restoration Diagnostic   for more information. Story here.

IISD Cattails - PinP photo. This past year has been a monumental success for IISD’s Cattail Harvesting for Nutrient Capture and Sustainable Energy project . Story here.

GLOBAL POSSIBILITIES Court rules organic farmers can sue conventional, GMO farmers whose pesticides ‘trespass’ and contaminate their fields. Story here.

Nation of Change A clearcut in BC. Wikimedia Commons. The Norwegian Parliament has pledged to be deforestation-free. They are the first country in history to ban deforestation. Story here .

NATIONAL OBSERVER One of the planet’s largest oil companies has just walked away from a large swath of oil and gas reserves in the Canadian Arctic. But it says it hasn't given up altogether on the prospects of drilling for the fossil fuels in the pristine waters of the North. Story here. RELATED: " Shell’s Retreat From Canadian Arctic Creates Space for Arctic Protection"

The Independent Norway will ban the sale of all fossil fuel-based cars in the next decade, continuing its trend towards becoming one of the most ecologically progressive countries on the planet, according to reports. Story here.

THE GLOBE AND MAIL The Bloodvein River within the planned heritage site. Photo credit - Wikipedia. A massive tract of boreal forest straddling the Ontario and Manitoba borders that is known as the “Land that Gives Life” to the Anishinaabe people is recommended to become Canada’s first mixed World Heritage site. Story here.

EcoWatch The Seacharger , a solar-powered boat built by “ a couple of hobbyists ” in a garage, will set sail for a solo, 2,000-mile ocean journey from California to Hawaii on Memorial Day. Story here.

Reuters Myanmar has banned lucrative logging operations as the newly-elected government of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi steps up a battle on deforestation, an environment official said on Thursday. More here.

World Wildlife Fund A Newfoundland cod fishery has for the first time  been certified  sustainable, a significant achievement  that demonstrates how a  science-based approach to  managing fish populations and  fisheries delivers  conservation success. Story here.

Manitoba Co-Operator Installing a solar watering system has increased carrying capacity, weight gain and improved herd health. More here.

CBC News The federal Liberal government remains determined to set a national price on carbon emissions, despite the vocal opposition of Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall. Story here.

the guardian But leading marine conservationist warns that MCZs are ‘paper parks’ and will offer wildlife no real protection from destructive dredging and trawling. More here. Pelicans in Manitoba,  Canada. PinP photo.