Author: Jake Freudberg
North America’s bird population has declined by nearly 30 percent since 1970. Worldwide, 40 percent of insect species are declining and a third are endangered. Every 30 seconds, a football field’s worth of America’s natural areas are lost to development. That’s why last year, the United States joined world leaders to commit to a significant […]
The climate is changing. The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2)—one of the atmosphere’s leading heat-trapping gases—is at its highest level in human history. Climate scientists warn that significant actions are necessary to slow climate change and its impacts. Every region is experiencing its own impacts of climate change. In recent decades in the Northeast, […]
AMC scientists have studied the patterns and effects of climate change and air quality in the Northeast for decades. Here’s a sampling of some of that research. Air Quality Both climate change and air quality issues are caused by emissions of certain pollutants to the atmosphere. Since the 1980s, AMC has been advocating […]
In 2019, New Hampshire became the 16th state to establish an outdoor recreation office. This April, the New Hampshire Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry Development—which is housed within the state’s Department of Business and Economic Affairs—hired its first director, Scott Crowder. Crowder, a Nashua native, brings years of experience in outdoor recreation to the new […]
Here’s a Maine fact you may not know: Vacationland’s well-known federal- and state-owned public lands—including Acadia National Park, Baxter State Park, and the Bigelow Preserve—account for just 5 percent of the state’s forests. That’s right, almost 95 percent of Maine’s forest land is privately owned. And around half of that private land—about 10 million […]
Andrew Norkin led AMC’s trails department since 1999, overseeing the construction and maintenance of nearly 2,000 miles of trails annually—from the Bay Circuit Trail in Massachusetts to the mighty Appalachian Trail. Norkin passed away earlier this year after battling cancer. To honor his 21 years of work in trail stewardship, AMC will dedicate a […]
Visitors to the northern forests of New England often have one wish: to see a moose. But even though an adult moose can weigh upwards of 1,000 pounds and stand over six feet tall, they tend to be elusive creatures. While wildlife is unpredictable, moose are more often seen in certain seasons and locations—intentionally […]
What were you doing 17 years ago? For Brood X cicadas, 2004 was the last time the notoriously loud insects saw the light of day. But this spring, the skies will be buzzing across the mid-Atlantic and Midwest as millions of cicadas in this brood emerge to mate. Likely beginning sometime in May (though the […]
Above tree line, conditions can be extreme. Temperature swings, high winds, icy winters, blowing snow, and acidic soil all make the so-called alpine zone a tough place for plants to live and grow. Yet many plants have adapted to rely on—and thrive in—these environments. Plants found in Arctic regions also live in the alpine areas […]
Reaching the summit after a long hike can feel like entering another world: amazing views, occasionally wild weather—and unique plants. Despite the harsh conditions associated with being above tree line in the so-called alpine zone of northern New England, many plants usually found only in the Arctic regions extend into these habitats. These include many […]
To reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change, many individuals and organizations, including AMC, have advocated for alternative methods of transportation—including bicycling. Many cities across the country have implemented bike sharing programs, which allow residents to borrow bikes from public stations near them for short periods of time. But as cities implement these […]
Solar panels are a win-win: they produce electricity without emitting greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change with the added benefit of likely lowering your electric bill. According to the U.S. Office of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, solar installations have increased 35-fold since 2008, building enough capacity to power the equivalent of 12 million […]
As electric vehicles are increasingly being seen as a way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions that cause climate change, one category of vehicle has seemed to lag behind: trucks. But now, many electric truck models—including Ford, General Motors, and Tesla—are set to become available in the next few years. And soon, some New Jersey businesses […]
Climate change does not affect all regions the same. And its impacts vary from season to season. These regional and seasonal discrepancies are attributed to the fact that weather patterns across the globe already differ in “normal” climate conditions. As these patterns shift, the climate in different regions shifts accordingly—and sometimes unexpectedly. “It’s not like […]
A more sustainable future on the roadways is closer than ever. Many states are setting ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and, in a major announcement at the end of January, General Motors (GM) committed to phasing out gasoline-powered cars by 2035. That makes GM the first major American automaker to make a commit […]
If there’s one thing that almost everyone can agree on, it’s that sitting in rush hour traffic is not fun. Yet, three-quarters of Americans drive themselves to and from work, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Beyond being a daily headache, commuting actually has a major impact on the Earth’s atmosphere and environment. Every time […]