Fiona L.Q. Flaherty expects to graduate in May 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and minors in sustainability and Italian. Flaherty, who has interned with NASA and the Environmental Working Group, is working for the Phoenix news bureau.
FLAGSTAFF – Many of Arizona’s forests and woodlands are in bad shape, experts say. They’re overgrown, stressed by drought and facing increased threats from wildfires. But stakeholders across the state are collaborating to restore the forests to health. Take a walk in the woods in the Coconino National Forest to see for yourself.
PHOENIX — Buffelgrass is here to stay, but experts and volunteers alike said they are getting a better handle on managing it in the Sonoran Desert. This highly invasive weed fills in the natural gaps between native desert plants like saguaros, threatening their survival and increasing the risk of wildfire damage. As wildfire seasons continue to expand, getting buffelgrass under control becomes increasingly important.
PHOENIX – The United Nation’s recent assessment of climate science found that immediate action is needed to reduce greenhouse gasses. That’s something the Navajo Nation is working to address through science, trust and time.
MESA – Backyard biodiversity and citizen science collide at the Great Backyard Bird Count, when seasoned and fledgling birders take to their backyards, parks, nature preserves and the wilderness to share their sightings with scientists. For Arizona, the annual count gives us a snapshot of what species are here before migration starts this spring.
PHOENIX – NOAA’s 2022 Arizona Climate Summary says the state got hotter and rainfall remained highly variable from 2017-20. This might not sound like news, but experts say we need to take a closer look at the changes – especially increased nighttime temperatures in metro Phoenix.
