2013 News and Events

Read PBI's interesting and revealing 2013 Annual Report (PDF format)

Levi Returns to the Wild! Read the October 2013 Enews from Pacific Biodiversity Institute (in PDF format). To subscribe to PBI's enews, send an email to enews@pacificbio.org.

Come to the American Cetacean Society (ACS) talk on October 16 by PBI research scientist, Aileen Jeffries. You do not have to be an ACS member to attend. The meeting is at the Phinney Neighborhood Center, Room 6, 6532 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle, just north of the Woodland Park Zoo. The doors open at 7, the meeting starts at 7:30, and ends before 9 pm. We hope to see you there on October 16. http://www.acspugetsound.org\

PBI's wildfire report gets national media attention.

Our report on wildfires, fire-adapted communities and wildfire policy recommendations got extensive media coverage in the during July. It was first reported on by the Arizona Republic. USA Today picked up their story, as did many other papers. The Los Angeles Times covered our report with an excellent article, as did the Wall Street Journal. Many local an regional papers included a story on the report and/or an editorial (examples here and here). The best story was in our local paper, the Methow Valley News. It was also carried on TV(ABC News and other stations) and radio, including National Public Radio.

Harbor Porpoise and PBI make front page news up and down the west coast! Lynda Mapes of the Seattle Times wrote a front page story on the harbor porpoise in the Puget Sound and described PBI's work, quoting our lead researcher, Aileen Jeffries, numerous times. The story was carried in major and minor papers up and down the west coast from Vancouver and Victoria BC to San Franciso, CA.

Yarnell Hill Fire Study. PBI undertook a rapid analysis of the Yarnell Hill Fire burning 80 miles northwest of Phoenix, AZ in response to information requests and interest from the news media. The fire received widespread national news coverage due to the tragic death of 19 firefighters. Our quick study and commentary clears up some questions and misinformation that have spread about this fire and about wildfires in general in the USA. This fire, like most fires in the USA, burned primarily on private land and State of Arizona Land. No National Forest land was involved, nor was this a forest fire, as it burned in chaparral brushlands. We discuss how this great tragedy could have been prevented. Read about the Yarnell Hill Fire and our brief analysis and commentary.

"Biodiversity in the Wildlands of South America"
Monday, July 8, 2013 - 7 p.m. - Science Cafe at Wilde Rover. South America's immense wildlands contain the most important reservoir of biodiversity left on Earth, operating as the heart and lungs of the planet. Yet these areas lack sufficient high-quality research into their biodiversity and how to protect it. At the July Eastside Science Café, PBI's Peter Morrison discussed how we inspire and support research and conservation efforts in these fascinating ecosystems. If you missed the event you can watch it here.

Science Cafe is a program of the Pacific Science Center. All Science Cafés are recorded by KCTS9 and are available for online viewing. After a brief presentation, there will be plenty of time for questions and discussion. The Wilde Rover is located in downtown Kirkland at 111 Central Way.

Two successful biodiversity expeditions in South America - PBI's team of volunteer scientists completed two expeditions into the wildlands of northern Argentina in March and April. Trinity Ludwig, of Tres Chicas fame, and PBI board member, co-led the first expedition. Seven scientists from the USA, France and Argentina explored and gathered information in two huge wildland areas: the area around Nevado de Cachi and the wildlands of the Sierra de Zenta and surrounds. We visited high mountains with Andean condor, vicuña, guanaco and many other species. Our team visited lagunas filled with waterbirds - prime breeding areas for three endemic flamingo species. We saw spectacular deserts with colorful rock formations surrounded by giant cactus and lush tropical forests with toucans and monkeys. You can learn about the expeditions and watch videos of them here.

Harbor Porpoise Workshop - Leading scientists and wildlife managers met in Anacortes, Washington on February 7 to identify critical research and conservation issues related to the harbor porpoise. PBI proposed this workshop because we are keen to see all of the scientists in the region collaborating. Aileen Jeffries, research scientist with PBI noted, “The health of our harbor porpoise population can tell us a great deal about the health of the Salish Sea. New methods of monitoring this species must begin to play a larger role.” Read press release here

Boost Your Western Gray Squirrel Knowledge in Twisp PBI researcher George Wooten will talk about the natural history and ecology of the western gray squirrel and shares highlights from PBI's work to define the range of this endangered species in one of its three remaining habitats in Washington.

"Tracking Western Gray Squirrels in the Methow Valley"
Methow Valley Interpretive Center in Twisp, Washington Sunday, February 24, 2013 | 5 PM - 7 PM

Harbor Porpoise Project makes the front page of the Guemes Tides.

PBI's citizen science project was featured in Guemes Tides bimonthly publication. Our volunteers, Anne Casperson and Phyliss Bravinder, shared their experience collecting data for PBI's Harbor Porpoise Project with the "Guemes Tides." Reporter Holiday Matchett gives a great overview of this research project.

Biodiversity: FALL 2012
Check out PBI's newsletter, Biodiversity. In this issue, you will meet Kirsten Harma, the adventurous young biologist who explored and documented wildlands in northern Argentina with PBI's executive director Peter Morrison and others on two of our South America Wildlands and Biodiversity Expeditions. You will also get an update on PBI's harbor porpoise research project. Where do the harbor porpoises spend their summers? We're aiming to find out.

To subscribe to PBI's quarterly newsletter, Biodiversity, please send an e-mail with your name and mailing address to lace at pacificbio.org.

Harbor Porpoise Videos

You can now view some videos of porpoises swimming through Burrows Pass near Anacortes, WA.