Surprised Eastern Screech Owl © Jason Goldstein

Moving Forward Despite Rollback Attempts

If you’ve been reading the headlines, you may be alarmed at the attempts by the current administration to roll back or halt efforts to curb the impacts of climate change at a federal level.

Surprised Eastern Screech Owl © Jason Goldstein
Eastern Screech Owl © Jason Goldstein

First came the announcement of the intended withdrawal from the Paris Accord. Then the decision to allow offshore oil and gas leasing off US coastlines. And most recently they created a new rule that would give state’s the authority to set coal emission standards and, in doing so, rendering the Environmental Protection Agency ineffective.

Before you throw up your hands in despair and start searching for funny cat videos, know that the headlines are only telling part of the story. Lawyers have been working tirelessly to block the rollbacks. In fact, according to the Columbia Law School, “no climate change-related regulatory rollback brought before the courts has yet survived legal challenge.”

While that’s happening at a federal level, Mass Audubon and its partners continue to speak up for robust and innovative policy in Massachusetts. For example, we were instrumental in the passage of the Environmental Bond Bill. We work directly with municipalities through the state’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program, which fosters climate adaptation practices at the local level. And last week we submitted written testimony in support of S.10 An Act providing for climate change adaptation infrastructure investments in the Commonwealth.

Stay informed about climate change policy by signing up for our weekly Beacon Hill Round Up email. And if you want to share resources and information about fighting the impacts of climate change and inspire others to take action in new and creative ways, join our Climate Action Facebook Group.

Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly © Christine St. Andre

Take 5: Beloved Butterflies

What creature so embodies the bright, warm, joyous season of summer quite like the butterfly? Although we typically picture butterflies flitting about in colorful fields of wildflowers—and rightly so!—these fascinating insects live in a broad spectrum of habitats including forests, heathlands, bogs, swamps, even salt marshes—anywhere, in fact, where their caterpillar food plants and sources of nectars for adults are found.

June is National Pollinators Month! Habitat loss, pesticide use, and other factors threaten many of the butterfly species we love and cherish, along with many of our other native pollinators. Learn about creating a pollinator garden and other ways you can help pollinators, including butterflies, on our website.

To honor some of nature’s most colorful and celebrated pollinators, here is a collection of gorgeous butterfly photographs from our annual Picture This: Your Great Outdoors photo contest. The 2019 photo contest is now open, so submit your nature photos today!

Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly © Christine St. Andre
Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly © Christine St. Andre
Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly © Jessie Fries
Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly © Jessie Fries
Eastern Comma Butterfly © Lena Mirisola
Eastern Comma Butterfly © Lena Mirisola
Black Swallowtail Butterfly © Mike Lowery
Black Swallowtail Butterfly © Mike Lowery
Painted Lady Butterfly © Sophia Sobel
Painted Lady Butterfly © Sophia Sobel