November is Manatee Awareness Month; but no matter what time of year it is, manatees deserve to be celebrated. These amazing creatures fulfill a unique niche by serving as indicator species for ecosystems across the United States. Because of their reliance on the health of their habitat, manatees often act as a signal of their environment’s well-being. NOAA photo by Michael Buchanan.
Spring is coming early in 3/4 of national parks, according to a new study. Awesome? Not so much. As flowers bloom earlier every year, it’s disrupting the link between the wildflowers and the arrival of birds, bees, and butterflies that feed on and pollinate the flowers. In Shenandoah, an earlier spring is giving invasive plants a head start, and they’re displacing native wildflowers, leading to costly management issues.
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, the first national monument to preserve the landscape and honor the history and culture of Maine’s North Woods. Photo courtesy of Scot Miller.
Before the 1960s almost everything about living openly as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) person was illegal. New York City laws against homosexual activities were particularly harsh. The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969 is a milestone in the quest for LGBT civil rights and provided momentum for a movement.
Vine Creek Ranch at Death Valley National Park. Steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes. Towering peaks are frosted with winter snow. Rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers. Lush oases harbor tiny fish and refuge for wildlife and humans. Despite its morbid name, a great diversity of life survives in Death Valley.
Sally Jewell was sworn in as the 51st Secretary of the Interior on April 12, 2013.
Interior fosters the intrinsic link between healthy economies and healthy landscapes, increasing tourism and outdoor recreation in balance with preservation and conservation.
Interior builds upon progress made over the past four years to establish strong and meaningful government-to-government relationships with tribes, deliver services to American Indians and Alaska Natives, and advance self-governance and self-determination.
In recognition of the significant role that Interior plays in securing an energy future for the Nation that is self-reliant and sustainable, Interior promotes the President’s all-of-the-above energy strategy and taking a landscape-level approach to energy development, modernizing programs and practices, improving transparency, streamlining permitting, and strengthening inspection and enforcement.
To address the growing disconnect between young people and the outdoors, Interior is promoting public-private partnerships and collaborative efforts across all levels of government to connect young people with the land and inspire them to play, learn, serve, and work outdoors.
