An ad hoc committee of experts appointed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will review the state of knowledge about modes of transmission and means of geographic spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) among free-ranging and captive populations of cervids in the United States.

The Wildlife Management Institute is working with partners through the Outdoor Industry Communications Council to share information about hunting and fishing in America. Most recently, the partners coordinated research about how the firearms and hunting industry contributes to the national economy and conservation. Following is a story produced by the OICC and ONB readers are encouraged to share the information with their networks.

In "The Forest That Fire Made," authors John McGuire, Carol Denhof, and Byron Levan have brilliantly encapsulated the wonder and allure of the longleaf pine forest ecosystem—a significant yet often overlooked jewel of the southeastern United States. While early colonists might have dismissed these forests as “pine barrens,” this work stands as a testament to the robust life, diverse ecology, and undeniable beauty these woodlands harbor.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released a draft Herbicide Strategy (Strategy) that focuses on developing and implementing early protections for more than 900 federally threatened and endangered species in 48 states. The Strategy covers conventional herbicides – an important, widely used tool that growers use to prevent or eliminate weeds that would otherwise compete for light, moisture, and nutrients with the crops, affecting the quality and quantity of produce. The draft Strategy, released at the end of July, is part of EPA’s ongoing efforts to develop a multichemical, multispecies approach to meeting its obligations under the Endangered Species Act (ESA); the EPA recently extended the comment period to October 22.

Dr. Abby Lawson, Assistant Unit Leader, at the New Mexico Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at New Mexico State University, is working with Dr. Kristin Davis, a postdoctoral research associate to identify environmental and demographic drivers of American kestrel population decline to help inform conservation actions. This project is a collaboration and includes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) National Raptor Program, USFWS Migratory Bird Management Southwest Region, USFWS Migratory Birds, USGS Southeastern Climate Adaptation Science Center, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.