Environment

SFNF: Tussock Moths Defoliate Douglas-Firs

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Caterpillar of the Douglas-fir tussock moth on a Douglas-fir near Shaggy Peak, Santa Fe National Forest 2016. Courtesy/Dr. Tom Coleman, USDA Forest Service

Aerial view showing Douglas-fir tussock moth defoliation near Shaggy Peak, Santa Fe National Forest.  Courtesy/Crystal Tischler, USDA Forest Service

SFNF News:

Several thousand acres of Douglas-fir and white fir on the Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest have been defoliated by the Douglas-fir tussock moth (DFTM), which is likely to lead to noticeable tree mortality in the Cañada de los Alamos Read More

Children’s Clinic Of Los Alamos Joins List Of Sponsors Of Nature Playtimes At The Nature Center

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PEEC News:

The American Academy of Pediatrics says, “Nature places virtually no bounds on the imagination and engages all of the senses. For all children, this setting allows for the full blossoming of creativity, curiosity, and the associated developmental advances. The outdoors also presents marvelous opportunities for parents to interact with their children in a fashion that fosters both the development of the relationship and the child. The great outdoors can move children away from the passive entertainment of computers and TV and into an interactive forum that engages both Read More

Nearly 1,000 Lightning Strikes Over Weekend On SFNF

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This past weekend saw nearly 1,000 lightning strikes within Santa Fe National Forest boundaries. Photo by Robert Chavez

SFNF News:

SANTA FE – The National Weather Service (NWS) forecast for this week in Northern New Mexico includes afternoon and evening thunderstorms with heavy rain. This past weekend saw nearly 1,000 lightning strikes within Santa Fe National Forest boundaries.  As welcome as the moisture is, the monsoon season carries risk.

Forest visitors are urged to learn about lightning and use good judgment and basic safety precautions when hiking, fishing or camping on the Read More

WIPP Mine Rescue Team Wins Field Competition National Championship

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The WIPP Blue Mine Rescue Team poses with their national championship trophy in the field competition. Front row from left, Ty Zimmerly, Kirk Nance, Heath Fowler, Richard (Stik) West and NWP President and Project Manager Phil Breidenbach. Back row from left, , DOE Carlsbad Field Office Mine Operations Manager Kenny Padilla, Ed Kyser, Manny Marquez, Nico Dominguez, Chris Dominguez, Lance Turnbow, Gary Kessler and NWP Emergency Operations and Security Manager David Stuhan. Courtesy/WIPP

WIPP News:

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Blue Mine Rescue Team captured top honors in the field Read More

NASA’s Kepler Mission Verifies 1,284 New Planets

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This artist’s concept depicts select planetary discoveries made to date by NASA’s Kepler space telescope. Image by W. Stenzel/NASA

NASA News:

NASA’s Kepler mission has verified 1,284 new planets – the single largest finding of planets to date.

“This announcement more than doubles the number of confirmed planets from Kepler,” said Ellen Stofan, chief scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. “This gives us hope that somewhere out there, around a star much like ours, we can eventually discover another Earth.”

Analysis was performed on the Kepler space telescope’s July 2015 planet Read More

Passport To Pajarito Program Logs Nearly 2,000 Hikes

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Courtesy photo
 
PEEC News:
 
Almost 2,000 hikes have been reported in the first few months of the Pajarito Environmental Education Center’s (PEEC’s) Passport to the Pajarito Plateau program.
 
This highly popular program is a fun way to get families outside, exploring the trails together. The program is a partnership between PEEC, Los Alamos County, Bandelier, and the Valles Caldera with generous support from the Delle Foundation.
 
Participants hike the trails in the passport (which are also included in PEEC’s free Los Alamos Trails app
Read More

Air Force Releases RFP For Replacement To Nuclear Air Launched Cruise Missile

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USAF News:

The U.S. Air Force released today a request for proposals to industry for its Long Range Standoff, or LRSO, nuclear cruise missile program. Up to two contract awards are expected in 4th quarter fiscal year 2017.

The Long Range Stand-Off weapon will be developed to replace the aging AGM-86B Air Launched Cruise Missile. The AGM-86B was fielded in the early 1980s with a 10-year design life. The current ALCM remain safe, secure and effective, it is facing increasingly sustainment and operational challenges against evolving threats. 

LRSO’s range, survivability, Read More

NMED Cabinet Secretary Ryan Flynn To Step Down

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NMED Cabinet Secretary Ryan Flynn

STATE News:

SANTA FE – Today, Gov. Susana Martinez announced that New Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ryan Flynn will step down effective Aug. 12.

Secretary Flynn has served as Cabinet Secretary since 2013 and as Environment’s General Counsel from 2011 to 2013. Deputy Cabinet Secretary Butch Tongate will serve as acting Cabinet Secretary.

NMED Deputy Cabinet Secretary Butch Tongate

“Secretary Flynn has put his heart and soul into protecting our environment and always put New Mexicans first,” Martinez said. “Under his strong leadership, Read More

Mars Rover’s Laser Can Now Target Rocks All By Itself

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NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover autonomously selects some targets for the laser and telescopic camera of its ChemCam instrument. For example, on-board software analyzed the Navcam image at left, chose the target indicated with a yellow dot, and pointed ChemCam for laser shots and the image at right. Courtesy NASA
 

LANL News:

New software is enabling ChemCam, the laser spectrometer on NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover, to select rock targets autonomously—the first time autonomous target selection is available for an instrument of this kind on any robotic planetary mission. Developed jointly Read More