Common pesticide can make migrating birds lose their way, research shows

The Guardian

A ring-necked pheasant on the Canadian Prairies. Will they be next? PinP photo.

The experimental study is the first to directly show harm to songbirds, extending the known impacts of neonicotinoids beyond insects. More here.

RELATED: "New Studies Show Farm Chemicals Are Affecting More Than Bees. Bird Populations are Declining, Too.Is modern agriculture's hold on nature becoming a death grip?"

In worst case scenario, the trees in big parts of Canada's boreal forest 'will probably die,' says federal scientist

National

Observer

A devastating wildfire near Fort MacMurray, Alberta, Photo by DarrenRD

Large portions of Canada’s vast boreal forest could be at risk of dying off by the end of the century, as climate change will dramatically aggravate the risk of wildfires, drought and insect infestations, say government scientists in a groundbreaking new study. More here.

RELATED: Only “Heroic Efforts” Will Spare Earth’s Mighty Boreal Forest From the Worst Ravages of Climate Change - Experts.

Early rains expose risks for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, but worst ‘yet to come,’ warns UN agency

UN News

Rohingya refugees in a camp in Bangladesh. Photo by Zlatica Hoke (VOA)

The arrival of pre-monsoon rains in southern Bangladesh has revealed an alarming level of risks for Rohingya refugees, United Nations humanitarian agencies said on Friday, warning that they do not  have the funds needed to protect hundreds of thousands of desperate people once the rainy season begins in earnest. More here.

Pipeline Spills 290,000 Litres of Crude Oil Emulsion in Northern Alberta

DeSmogCanada

A pipeline owned by Paramount Resources Ltd. released an estimated 100,000 litres of crude oil and 190,000 litres of produced water near Zama City, in northwest Alberta, according to an April 11 incident report filed with the Alberta Energy Regulator. Details here.

Exclusive: US official appeared to delay protections for endangered species at behest of oil group

TheGuardian
The energy-friendlly agenda inside Trump's iinterior department is revealed in rccords obtained by the Guardian and the watchdog groups, Documented and the Western Values Project.  More here.

Twenty environmental defenders have been killed so far in 2018

the defenders

while protecting their community’s land or natural resources...read about it here.

'Beyond Comprehension': In Just Two Years, Half of All Corals in 'Forever Damaged' Great Barrier Reef Have Died

CommonDreams

Bleached coral. 

Global warming, researchers warn, "is rapidly emerging as a universal threat to ecological integrity and function." More here.

Salmon farms are in crisis – here in Canada & elsewhere. Here’s how scientists are trying to save them

The Conversation

Fish farming in Greece. Photo by Jebulon

Salmon farming is facing a huge challenge in the form of a tiny pest. The parasitic sea louse is infecting salmon stocks worldwide, causing devastating losses for salmon farmers and increased prices for shoppers. But scientists are working hard to tackle this global problem, with a combination of new ways to biologically and mechanically remove the lice and to make the salmon more resilient to infection. More here.

I’m an expat US scientist – and I’m returning to Trump’s America to stand up for science

The Conversation

Donald Trump’s presidency has not been good for science or scientists. Since Trump took office 15 months ago, his administration has proposed to terminate many federally funded research programs and slash funding for others. Trump’s appointees are working to roll back environmental regulations and conservation policies. More here.

How to make global food systems more sustainable

TheConversation

Barley in western Canada. PinP photo.

Last October, movie director James Cameron and his wife Suzy Amis Cameron launched an organic pea protein operation in Saskatchewan. Once it is up and running, this facility will be the top producer of organic pea protein in North America. More here.

Avoid Gulf stream disruption at all costs, scientists warn

TheGuardian

How close the world is to a catastrophic collapse of giant ocean currents is unknown, making halting global warming more critical than ever, scientists say. More here.