Highlighted in today's Nature

This is good to hear. What would be the point of us ecologists and biologists doing what we do if that work would not be used in decision-making?

Obama revokes endangered species rule

Oh whoops I just realized you need an account to read this article. In a nutshell, there was a rule that loggers, developers, and the like did not need to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service experts before they altered habitat. Now that the rule has been revoked, such activities need to be approved by wildlife biologists to ensure that any federally listed species are not being harmed. I know what some of you skeptics are thinking. But it's not just about saving cute spotted owls. It's about preserving and maintaining ecosystem services, something that I'm developing a course about (it's gonna be awesome!). But that's for another blog post!