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The Farm Bill and Wildlife: Why This Policy Moment Matters April 16, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, People and Wildlife Do you remember back in 2018, when the world watched the historic Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, the highly anticipated royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, or the record-breaking premiere of the movie Black Panther? What you might not remember is that 2018 also marked the last time the Farm Bill officially passed. Congress typically… 
Earth Month Bingo! April 14, 2026 Posted in: Get Outside, People and Wildlife We’re well into Earth Month—April, that is! The love for our shared planet couldn’t be contained to just one day. Globally, there’s so much action happening around climate change, land and wildlife conservation, and sustainability. It can be daunting to figure out how one person can make a change or start an earth-friendly habit. To… 
Postcard from the Pacific Flyway: Willapa National Wildlife Refuge April 14, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, Get Outside The Willapa National Wildlife Refuge is a broad network of interconnecting waterways, coastal forest, estuaries, sloughs and riparian and river ecosystems. This rich mix of diverse habitat provides refuge for over 200 bird species to rest, nest and winter, including over 30 species of waterfowl (ducks and geese) and over 30 species of shorebirds. It’s… 
Glowing in the Dark: The Secret UV Lightshow in Your Backyard April 14, 2026 Posted in: Get Outside, Wildlife Facts Somewhere outside your window right now, animals are glowing. You won’t see it without help, but shine an ultraviolet flashlight into your backyard on a warm night and you might find pink opossums, bright blue frogs, or green and yellow bats. This is biofluorescence: one of the least understood but surprisingly widespread phenomena of the… 
Butler University in Indianapolis certifies as a National Wildlife Federation Plastics Reduction Partner April 13, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, Students and Nature The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is excited to award Butler University the Plastics Reduction Partner Bronze level certification for their efforts to reduce single-use plastic waste on campus. Butler University, a private university in Indianapolis, Indiana, earned points towards their Bronze-level certification through actions to build awareness on campus about the harmful impacts of plastics, by… 
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the MSA and the Angler Contributions that are Critical to Healthy and Abundant Marine Fisheries April 13, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, People and Wildlife This April, the National Wildlife Federation joins conservationist and anglers around the globe in celebrating the milestone 50th anniversary of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, also known as the “MSA”. The MSA is the primary U.S. federal law that governs fishing in our nation’s ocean waters. Considered one of the most effective fishery… 
Science is for Everyone: Mayors’ Monarch Pledge Cities Monitor Monarch Migration Through Community Science Efforts April 9, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, People and Wildlife Every year, cities participating in the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge program monitor different legs of the monarch migration through community science events. These events encourage individuals to collect data that contributes to scientific knowledge and shapes sustainability efforts. A large group of community members often has the capacity to collect more data across a broader geographic… 
National Wildlife Refuges: A Birdwatcher’s Paradise April 6, 2026 Posted in: Get Outside, People and Wildlife Birding sits at the intersection of so many of my interests: the solitude of nature, the beauty of wildlife, and the excitement of discovery. Blend in my longtime love of photography, and the gravitational pull was too much to resist. From backyard Baltimore orioles to transient cerulean warblers and theropodian heron to truly ineffable American… 
Know More to Grow More April 3, 2026 Posted in: Conservation Conservation outreach professionals are tasked with the challenge of not only clearly explaining conservation programs but also personally connecting with farmers. This combination of technical skills and personal communication skills is rare, since the skills are seldom taught in school and professional development opportunities are uncommon or unsupported. The National Wildlife Federation designed a training… 
Why Conservationists—and Everyone—Should Care About the Right to Vote April 3, 2026 Posted in: People and Wildlife People from all walks care about our country’s wildlife, beautiful natural landscapes, and other issues affecting their lives and communities. We all rely on clean air, clean water, and intricately intertwined ecosystems that help prevent wildfires and flooding. At its best, our democracy connects Americans’ concerns and needs with the decision-makers who can address them.… 
The Wonder of the Oregon’s Wallowa Mountains and HB 4134 April 1, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, People and Wildlife On the edge of the Eagle Cap Wilderness in Wallowa Mountains of northeastern Oregon, I found myself surrounded by forests of firs and pine criss-crossed by mountain streams and dotted with alpine meadows. These habitats support abundant wildlife including Pacific marten, the gray wolf and even the elusive wolverine—of which there are likely fewer than… 
How Family, Friend and Neighbor Care Providers are Bridging the Nature Gap for Young Children in Colorado March 31, 2026 Posted in: Students and Nature Across Colorado and around the country, families with young children are leaning on trusted members of their communities for a valuable and essential service—child care. Grandparents, relatives, friends, and neighbors are a vital thread in the fabric of our nation’s early care and education system. Family, Friend and Neighbor (FFN) care is a broad term… 
Building hope, organizing communities, and strategic planning on Florida’s Coast March 27, 2026 Posted in: Conservation Anyone who has the fortitude to follow the news these days has concluded that climate solutions are not currently coming from leaders in Tallahassee, Florida or Washington, D.C. It is easy to succumb to despair rather than hope. But while we may not find solutions from above, we are blessed with springs of hope and… 
Oil and Gas Mandates Could Reshape Colorado’s Public Lands and Wildlife March 26, 2026 Posted in: Conservation When the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was passed last year, its sheer size and complexity made it difficult to grasp the full scope of its consequences. Months later, the picture is coming into sharper focus—and for those of us who care about public lands, it is troubling. The law’s mandatory oil and gas leasing… 
8 Ways to Celebrate Native Plant Month March 26, 2026 Posted in: Garden Habitats April is Native Plant Month! Did you know that native plants have many benefits? They are the best bet when it comes to supporting wildlife like butterflies and bees. Plus, they are naturally adapted to thrive in your soil and the weather of your region, making them easy to care for. Learn more about native… 
Complex Challenges Require Multi-Faceted Solutions March 25, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, People and Wildlife Where we started… In 1936 President Franklin D. Roosevelt called for federal, state, and local conservation and advocacy organizations across the United States to convene to address America’s degrading natural resources and declining wildlife populations. Organized by Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling, the North American Wildlife Conference served as the origin for the General Wildlife Federation,… 
Happy Manatee Appreciation Day! March 24, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, Wildlife Facts Manatees have always held a special place in my heart. My love for these mammals started when my elementary school teacher and I adopted one through Save the Manatee Club when I was eight years old. Now I watch them in the wild at Shoreline Park in Gulf Breeze, FL, just minutes from my home,… 
2026 Critter Craziness March 20, 2026 Posted in: Wildlife Facts We’re back and ready for the chaos for National Wildlife Federation’s second annual Critter Craziness! If you’re a wildlife lover, you know March brings the start of spring when some animals come out of hibernation; but if you’re a sports fan, March brings the madness of bracket-filling and basketball. But what if we told you… 
Advocating for Children’s Environmental Health at the Capitol March 19, 2026 Posted in: Students and Nature Last month, I had the opportunity to represent Early Childhood Health Outdoors (ECHO) and join other advocates who support young children’s right to access healthy environments at a variety of events in Washington, D.C. The Future We’re Building Symposium First on the agenda was “The Future We’re Building Symposium,” a collaborative event by the Children’s… 
Druid Heights to Jones Falls: Community Watershed Connections in Baltimore March 18, 2026 Posted in: Environmental Justice, Garden Habitats, Students and Nature Sitting within the Jones Fall Watershed, a sub-watershed of the Chesapeake Bay, lies Druid Heights in West Baltimore, one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods. The state of Maryland has identified the neighborhood as having significant environmental justice concerns including air and water quality, heat and flood risks, and other impacts of pollution. Through engagement, service,… 
Tolchester Marina Enters a New Era March 18, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, People and Wildlife The National Wildlife Federation and Tolchester Marina are excited to announce the start of a new endeavor together thanks to funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: reimagining the historic shoreline at Tolchester Beach to design a beach that encourages recreation while protecting habitat and reducing erosion. Tolchester Marina’s historic beach has welcomed visitors… 
Groundhog? More Like Attention Hog March 18, 2026 Posted in: Wildlife Facts Honestly, Punxsutawney Phil the groundhog gets way too much attention and credit for predicting spring. Who decided groundhogs get the monopoly on one of the most glorious seasons of the year? Learn about the lesser-known stars of early spring—unlikely pollinators, sleepy toads, moody bears, and elusive birds all pop out for the long-awaited warm weather… 
Advanced Nuclear Energy: Impacts and Considerations March 16, 2026 Posted in: Clean Energy Energy demand in the United States is rapidly rising, and electricity use from data centers is growing just as quickly. By 2030, data centers are projected to consume more electricity than aluminum, steel, cement, and chemical production combined. Continued reliance on fossil fuels underscores the need for a more diversified and sustainable energy mix, and… 
Meet Zoë Kuntze, Coastal Resilience Manager March 13, 2026 Posted in: People and Wildlife My name is Zoë Kuntze and I am the Coastal Resilience Manager working out of the Northeast Regional Center. I am writing this introduction on the verge of my relocation to the Northeast! This is a major move for our little family of three—my husband, our old German Shepherd, and me—as the Great Lakes region… 
90 Years of Giving Voice to Place and Speaking for Wildlife—Happy Birthday NWF! March 13, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, People and Wildlife As we celebrate the 90th anniversary of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and the Florida Wildlife Federation, I’m reflecting on these two occasions for celebration and reflection—two opportunities to observe what 90 years of dedication, commitment, and purpose can accomplish. Time is a fascinating thing. From the human perspective, 90 years is indeed a long… 
Teaching Collegiate Students the ‘Why’ behind Prescribed Burning March 12, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, Deforestation, Get Outside, Students and Nature Higher education is an essential component of natural resource careers. However, it’s one thing to learn in the classroom; it’s another to get outside. For the next generation of fire practitioners, who will be tasked with ensuring our forests remain healthy and resilient for native wildlife and local communities alike, it’s more important than ever… 
Toxins of the Past and Present: Why We Need the EPA March 12, 2026 Posted in: People and Wildlife The water we drink, the air we breathe, and the wildlife we love are all at risk without the necessary environmental protections and regulations to keep us safe from harmful toxins and pollutants. At this very moment, long-standing programs and staff are being slashed from the agency charged with this very purpose: the Environmental Protection… 
Community Spotlight with the Keaukaha Action Network March 10, 2026 Posted in: Environmental Justice For generations, the Keaukaha Hawaiian Homelands Community on Hawai’i Island has shouldered risks that few outside the community ever see. Surrounded by a cluster of industrial and military facilities known to release toxic chemicals (also known as toxic release inventory sites, or TRI), including sewage plants, airport operations, and aging landfills, this community has persisted… 
Corredores Ecológicos: Una Solución para la Fauna Silvestre y los Automovilistas March 10, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, People and Wildlife, Wildlife Facts ¿Quién no ha visto a un animal atropellado en una carretera, víctima de una colisión con un vehículo? Las colisiones entre vehículos y animales son una de las principales causas de la mortalidad de diversas especies y es el resultado de la fragmentación del hábitat de la vida silvestre en los Estados Unidos de América.… 
Wildlife Crossings: A Win-Win for Wildlife and Drivers March 10, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, People and Wildlife, Wildlife Facts Who hasn’t seen an animal on the side of the road, struck by a vehicle? Collisions with vehicles are a leading cause of mortality for various species and are the result of the fragmentation of wildlife habitats. Roads and other infrastructures impede animals’ movement and ecological connectivity. Animals depend on this connectivity in their habitats… 
Preserving Indigenous Land Management Traditions in the Southeast March 5, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, People and Wildlife When you hear about prescribed burns—the intentional act of applying fire to vegetation to achieve predetermined land management objectives—you may think of paid professionals bearing protective gear with a drip torch in hand, while communicating with co-workers over walkie-talkies or cell phones. It’s true that that’s how the practice is conducted today, but its history… 
Recruiting the 2026 Class of Graduate Student Research Fellows March 4, 2026 Posted in: Students and Nature National Wildlife Federation’s Education and Engagement Department regularly supports a cohort of Graduate Student Research Fellows who contribute to the advancement of programs across the department through dedicated research projects. Past fellows have completed research projects on a variety of topics including community partnerships, NWF’s EcoLeaders Community, environmental justice, Tribal Colleges and Universities to name… 
Six Ways You Can Help Save the Monarch Butterfly February 27, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, Garden Habitats, Wildlife Facts With their orange wings with black edges, migratory monarch butterflies make a miraculous intergenerational journey of more than 3,000 miles across North America, one of the most extraordinary natural phenomena in the world. This is one of the few migratory insects that travel great distances between its summer breeding habitat and its winter habitat. The… 
Seis Recomendaciones para Ayudar a Salvar a la Mariposa Monarca February 27, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, Garden Habitats, Wildlife Facts Con sus alas naranjas de bordes negros, las mariposas monarca migratorias hacen un milagroso recorrido intergeneracional de más de 4,000 kilómetros en América del Norte, uno de los fenómenos naturales más extraordinarios del mundo. La monarca, uno de los pocos insectos migratorios que viajan grandes distancias entre su hábitat de reproducción de verano y su… 
Colleges & Universities Protect Vulnerable & Endangered Species February 26, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, People and Wildlife, Students and Nature Starting in the spring of 2025, seven colleges and universities, through support of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and the National Wildlife Federation, launched conservation projects to help protect vulnerable and endangered wildlife and their habitats, and provided hands-on learning and leadership experiences for college students. NWF is excited to share the results of their… 
Planting the Seeds of a Just Green Workforce February 26, 2026 Posted in: Environmental Justice, People and Wildlife, Students and Nature I. Planting the Seed – Origins of “Green Jobs” Green jobs aren’t just job titles in a siloed sector, they’re about cultivating green skills, values, and equity across all work and all sectors. If we want a resilient and just future, we must start planting those seeds early, nurture them through mentorship and equitable access,… 
Cities and Youth Climate Leaders Need Each Other. Here’s Why. February 26, 2026 Posted in: People and Wildlife, Students and Nature In April 2025, Harris County, the largest county in Texas (and where I call home), adopted its first-ever Climate Justice Plan. The planning process for this strategy framework was guided by a Community Advisory Collaborative that included five youth climate ambassadors. Together, these youth helped refine the county’s goals and actions for a thriving future… 
Remembering Craig Tufts, NWF’s Former Chief Naturalist February 25, 2026 Posted in: People and Wildlife The late Craig Tufts worked with the National Wildlife Federation for nearly 33 years as its beloved chief naturalist during a vibrant career. After his passing in 2009 at the age of 62, his presence was and is deeply missed in the conservation and naturalist fields, not to mention throughout the NWF family. Craig connected… 
CECC Roundtable Event Recap: Data Centers, Local Perspectives, and Community Impacts February 24, 2026 Posted in: Environmental Justice The Clean Economy Coalition of Color (CECC) is an alliance of some of the nation’s most insightful Black, Latinx/é, Indigenous, Asian, and Pacific Islander leaders and advocates of color. This blog highlights some key takeaways from our January 8th CECC roundtable. Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centers are being built across the country, and communities are… 
Public Lands Support American Families, Including Mine February 23, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, Get Outside, People and Wildlife When my wife and I adopted our son and daughter, it was not amusement parks that bonded us as a family in those early fragile days. It was public land—parks, rivers, forests, preserves, trails, fishing spots and campgrounds. Many of these places were purchased through efforts like the Florida Forever program. My loyalty in part… 
How Federal Funds Show Up on the Ground: CCS Project Deployment in California February 23, 2026 Posted in: Clean Energy In late 2025, I had the chance to visit something remarkably unremarkable: a carbon capture demonstration project outside San Francisco. Housed inside a very typical looking power generation facility was carbon capture technology, which is designed to capture CO2 emissions from a point source (in this case, a natural gas power plant) to prevent those… 
New Research, Same Findings: Clean Energy Needs Community Engagement February 23, 2026 Posted in: Clean Energy If we want to fight climate change we need to deploy clean energy to meet increasing energy demands while decreasing the rate of carbon emissions. But how can we do this in a way that does not repeat the mistakes of the past? Mistakes that include: putting polluting industries in communities who had little say… 
University at Albany Certifies as a National Wildlife Federation Plastics Reduction Partner February 20, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, Students and Nature The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is excited to award the University at Albany the Plastics Reduction Partner Bronze level certification for their efforts to reduce single-use plastics on campus. The University at Albany earned points towards their Bronze-level certification through actions to build awareness on campus about the harmful impacts of plastics, by encouraging behavior change… 
11 Books, Podcasts, and More to Celebrate Black History Month’s 100th Anniversary February 18, 2026 Posted in: Environmental Justice, People and Wildlife 2026 marks 100 years of Black History Month in the U.S! This holiday originally started as Black History Week under the guidance of Carter G. Woodson, for a sole purpose of bringing the voices, stories, and histories of Black Americans and members of the diaspora out of the margins, into the collective, where truth and… 
WildSTEM Is Blooming February 17, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, Environmental Justice, Garden Habitats, Get Outside, People and Wildlife, Students and Nature With Links chapters all over the country and a few outside of the U.S., WildSTEM has been blooming since 2019. Check out part one of this blog to understand the foundations of our WildSTEM partnership with The Links Incorporated, and continue reading to get a peek into some recent WildSTEM wins! 1. WildSTEM Summer Internships … 
WildSTEM is Winning! February 17, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, Environmental Justice, Get Outside, People and Wildlife, Students and Nature What is WildSTEM? “WildSTEM” is a term coined by The Links, Incorporated, under the leadership of National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Board Member, Dr. Mamie Parker, and the former LINKS-STEMREADY National Signature program chair, Leslye Miller Fraser. WildSTEM became the name for the budding and innovative partnership between NWF and The Links in 2018. The Links,… 
“Think Global, Act Local”: 3 Lessons Learned from our Community Wildlife Habitat™ Leaders February 11, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, Garden Habitats, Get Outside, People and Wildlife “Think globally, act locally” has been a bedrock value in environmentalism since it was introduced in similar terms by Patrick Geddes over a century ago. Time and time again, we see that local and individual action are critical hallmarks of environmental activism. Since 1998, the Community Wildlife Habitat™ program has been preparing individuals, volunteers, community… 
Road Salts and Deicers: How to Safely Salt for Humans and Wildlife February 11, 2026 Posted in: Conservation, Garden Habitats, People and Wildlife When winter weather hits, road salt feels like a small miracle. A quick sprinkle on sidewalks and driveways can turn dangerous ice into safer footing, and for many of us, salting our driveways and sidewalks is simply part of winter routine. But long after winter storms pass, that salt persists and does harm to harm… 
Data Centers Are Stress-Testing the Grid: Communities and Wildlife are Feeling the Pressure February 10, 2026 Posted in: Clean Energy Data centers are expected to make up nearly half of U.S. electricity demand growth by 2030. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital services expand rapidly, the U.S. is confronting a fundamental mismatch between the pace of electricity demand growth and the ability of the aging transmission grid to expand quickly enough to meet it. A… 
Defunding the Future: Plan to Lower Emissions Loses Federal Support February 9, 2026 Posted in: Clean Energy Look outside and you’ll see the building blocks of modern society—our sidewalks, streets, hospitals, and homes are made using a variety of materials, including cement. In fact, concrete—made using cement—is the second most utilized building material in the world, behind water. Like any industrial process, cement production releases greenhouse gas emissions, like carbon dioxide (CO2),… 