To save forests, sometimes you have to hurt them. A large-scale, 10-year-old experiment in the Malheur National Forest in Oregon aimed to make the forest more fire-resistant through limited logging (“thinning”) and prescribed burning. How did these two seemingly harmful activities help preserve the forest? By strategically thinning out the forest, not only do they limit the fuel source that quickly turns wildfires uncontrollable, but they also reduce the competition among the trees, allowing them to grow faster than before. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
