is he buried or cremated if someone could let me know that would be great So glad we got to do one last fishing trip together Michigan My heart goes out to his mother and children Life is going to be weird without you popping up Party with my aunts and my puppy up in heaven Ryan you were always the life of the party! When you Tom got together you never knew who was going to what You had a big heart and loved missing with your friends Mrs Owen I’m so sorry for your loss my prayers and thoughts are with you and your family © 2025 Hamilton's Funeral and After Life Services This article was originally published at 12:45 p.m It was last updated with additional information at 9:12 a.m secretaries of Agriculture and Homeland Security on Wednesday shined a spotlight on a South Dakota ranch family that had been facing federal charges under the Biden administration over a fencing dispute with the U.S Republican officials leveled charges of extreme government overreach by the previous administration with attempts to "make felons out of farmers." In a case that drew attention from cattlemen's groups and western landowners Charles and Heather Maude were facing federal theft charges over a fence line dispute with the Forest Service that involved a center pivot on their ground that crossed over into Forest Service land Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Wednesday led a press conference outside USDA headquarters on the National Mall with the Maude family Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem -- the former South Dakota governor -- and other officials from South Dakota and Wyoming They announced charges against the family had been dropped by the Trump administration "This family was targeted solely over what should have been a minor civil dispute over grazing rights on 25 acres of public land was prosecuted credibly threatened with jail sentences so extreme that they were told to find alternatives to raise their young children," Rollins said Rollins reached back 250 years to the battles of Lexington and Concord to point out the country was founded by average people fighting against a tyrannical government filled with people who believed they could do as they wish against everyday Americans Rollins called the prosecution of the Maude family they have endured a torturous legal process and suffered as victims of the Biden regime's reckless warfare Just imagine a government that would be willing to de facto orphan American children over a mere dispute of 25 acres of land," Rollins said "The men of Lexington and Concord knew what that sort of government was like .. faced with destruction at the hand of the state made their appeal to heaven and Providence answered Thanks to the leadership and the unequivocal and bold leadership of President Trump and his directive to put Americans first we have the pleasure to announce that the criminal prosecution of the Maudes is now over and their children will grow up with the mother and the father they love and who love them." To respond to what she said was "egregious lawfare from the Biden administration," Rollins announced USDA is launching a portal on the https://www.usda.gov/… website for producers to share details about government overreach "We are ending regulation by prosecution in America and investigating how and why this wrongful prosecution of an American ranching family ever occurred in the first place," Rollins said While pointing to an egregious use of federal courts against a South Dakota ranch family Wednesday's event helping mark the first 100 days of the Trump administration was also a way to deflect from bad news about the economy trade disruption and Trump's overall sagging polling numbers in the first three months of this administration Rollins was on Fox News touting that the administration was in the early days of trade talks and potential bailout of American farmers might not be necessary even though a contingency plan is being put in place The Maudes operate a ranch and farm that is now in its fifth generation in Pennington County raises 250 head of cattle and has about 40 sows Their property is adjacent to the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands "Our families have a combined 250 plus years in production agriculture," she said saying there was a pause when members of the family fought for the country in World War II Maude became emotional thanking R-CALF USA and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) that it's been in Charles family since 1910," Heather Maude said "Our neighbors who stood up for us at the threat of retribution to their operations that they still face until we get this completely resolved," Heather Maude said "And we are so thankful for the efforts that are being rolled out today to help make progress in the right direction." specifically said the prosecution of the Maudes would have never occurred if former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack had just gotten engaged in the dispute Noem said she first wrote a letter to Vilsack then spoke to the former secretary about it "He completely ignored our pleas for justice," Noem said I know I'm a farmer and rancher of many generations and land is everything to farmers and ranchers Vilsack told DTN Political Correspondent Jerry Hagstrom in an email "Respect for property rights is a two-way street when public lands are involved Efforts to protect our public lands proved unsuccessful leading to the enforcement action that was taken We made every effort to respond to inquiries from the South Dakota delegation so the reasoning behind the action taken was fully explained." who also ranches about 70 miles from the Maude family said the case was not about picking a battle with the Biden administration or getting headlines "It was about delivering real results for Charles and Heather Maude," Rhoden said Secretary Vilsack and President Biden ignored our pleas President Trump was elected by the American people." Rhoden said he believed there was a breakdown in communication over the years between the Forest Service and the landowners That then eventually culminated with the criminal charges I was pretty appalled by the severity of the charges and the way they were brought about regardless of the circumstances," Rhoden said said federal officials who have pushed to prosecute farm families for these kinds of situations need to be held to account He added he looks forward to "running out every single bad actor in these federal agencies." Rounds also said he will be introducing legislation to mandate federal mediation in disputes between landowners and the Forest Service "The Maudes were on this land even before the Forest Service existed," Rollins noted Hageman also criticized the federal armed "agent" who showed up at the Maude's ranch to press the issue and federal indictment "The agent had complete disregard for the decades-long relationship between the Maude's family and the agency and used his role in an unconstitutional effort to make felons out of farmers," Hageman said "Gone are the days of the government working against the people under the leadership of President Donald J Trump and those individuals he surrounded himself with." Chris Clayton can be reached at Chris.Clayon@dtn.com Follow him on social platform X @ChrisClaytonDTN Please correct the following errors and try again: academics will be at the heart of your whole-student education Our faculty members are exceptional teacher-scholars dedicated to your intellectual and personal growth » Apply » Plan Your Visit » Explore Majors and important resources for our newest class of Demon Deacons » Let’s Get Started! Wake Forest University invites you to pursue the life of the mind with enthusiasm put our cherished motto of Pro Humanitate (“for humanity”) into action and connect your academic learning to the world through service which will separate you from your peers and propel you into leadership And you will choose a major that thrills you while giving you expert knowledge and skills No other university better prepares you to live a life of such meaning and purpose. We are enthused by your being here to learn more about us Learn about the steps you need to take to become part of our next class of incoming first-year and transfer students at Wake Forest There are 49 majors and 60+ minors for you to explore here Following the engaged liberal-arts philosophy your academic journey will allow you to learn alongside world-class faculty What better way to experience Wake Forest than by taking a tour of our beautiful campus and meeting the people who make up our dynamic community Come here because you want to understand yourself and society in new ways and from many different perspectives Wake Forest is committed to meeting 100% of demonstrated need with a combination of grants We are dedicated to making a Wake Forest education accessible Our live online information sessions will help you understand how you may actualize your potential at Wake Forest Wake Forest is a national leader in the study of leadership and character and how those concepts impact the world The commitment to leadership and character is evident throughout the academic and co-curricular experience Our blog shares information about our application questions We then let you know all the ways you can share with us your talents and accomplishments The Wake Forest campus has been called one of the nation’s most beautiful by several sources But don’t let the fall foliage fool you Beauty and bustle happily coexist in a place where challenge and opportunity are waiting for you in every corner of your experience here There’s almost always something going on and you don’t have to work hard to find it   Find us on the campus map Plan Your Visit | Request Info | Contact Us A Private Liberal Arts University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina /  Founded 1834  /  Pro Humanitate A gift to the Wake Forest Fund supports student needs immediately Where the most loyal Wake Forest supporters belong An official website of the United States government I am retiring after 45 years with the Forest Service and two Our agency’s work supports the nation’s wellbeing and its economy by providing community protection and a place to retreat and enjoy nature’s beauty Many small businesses generate their livelihoods through permits to operate on national forests and grasslands We provide drinking water to over 80 million Americans We also help provide energy independence to the nation I say that to say this: You and the work you do are vital to the American way of life and you are a valued employee who has performed admirably As you have likely read in the news or are personally experiencing the federal government is undergoing a significant transformation and the Forest Service is not exempt from these changes The past several weeks have been incredibly difficult As part of a broader effort to reduce the size of the federal government we parted ways with colleagues we worked alongside who successfully contributed to our mission and who were valued members of our Forest Service team These are real and valid emotions that I am feeling Please take care of yourselves and each other I have been silent these last few weeks because these decisions are being made at a level above our organization and I was and am learning about the changes the same time as many of you Our focus now is on how we respond and adapt to new priorities and continue delivering on our mission with the workforce we have As we work together to meet new opportunities and expectations and leverage those we already deliver upon give yourself and one another grace and support as our workforce evolves including as we return to a stance of more in-office work (except for those of you who are always field going) so we will not restrict ourselves to limited roles; instead we will help one another across boundaries I invite you to make suggestions about how we can continue to rise to the occasion and improve our service to the American people The workforce will continue to be unsettled for a while Thank you for your dedication to our mission and for the work you carry out every day and do not let anyone make you believe otherwise I am validated in knowing and believing that the Forest Service is about its people and its worthy mission Our impact is global in nature and our mission reaches people around the world I am so proud of the work we have done together pillars of global food security and nutrition are the livelihoods of millions of families They provide essential foods such as fruits fundamental resources for indigenous and rural communities playing a key role in agriculture by hosting pollinators and acting in soil enrichment climate regulation and biodiversity conservation forested watersheds supply freshwater to more than 85% of the world's major cities forests become an economic and food lifeline providing up to 20% of family income in rural areas We lose 10 million hectares annually due to deforestation and approximately 70 million hectares affected by fires Protecting and restoring our forests is urgent and necessary: the well-being of the planet and future generations depends on them Join the cause and defend the theme of International Day of Forests 2025: "Forests and Food" Participate in the celebration of the forests. Join the conversation on social media using the #ForestDay hashtag. You can find more information in the International Day of Forests website from FAO and spread the word with its promotional materials The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests in 2012 to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests Countries are encouraged to undertake local national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees The organizers are the United Nations Forum on Forests and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) the Collaborative Partnership on Forests and other relevant organizations in the field Additional data Innovation is unlocking the forests’ long-kept secrets and allowing us to use trees in ways we never imagined possible Materials derived from forests and trees are being developed as sustainable substitutes for plastics rapidly evolving drone and satellite technology is helping us to monitor and manage our forests detect and fight fires and safeguard ecosystems Find out more about the connection between forests and food speakers will showcase forest-based wild foods and explore how forests contribute to food security The UN Forum on Forests (UNFF) has organized a celebration to discover how forests fuel food security, support livelihoods, and sustain our planet!! Join us and spread the world with its material in 6 languages! UNFF is the UN international meeting space where countries and organizations come together to talk about forests and how to protect and manage them sustainably.  This latest digital edition provides highlights on the state of the world’s forests and explores the transformative power of evidence-based innovation in the forest sector ranging from new technologies to creative and successful policies and institutional changes to new ways of getting finance to forest owners and managers.  Try a different filter or a new search keyword Streaming and Download help Redeem code supported by 32 fans who also own “Even the Forest Hums: Ukrainian Sonic Archives 1971-1996” Just the kind of gentle soundtrack I need when I am doing simple repetitive manual tasks Impossible to decide on a favourite track because they are all wonderful supported by 23 fans who also own “Even the Forest Hums: Ukrainian Sonic Archives 1971-1996” My brother died this year n what can be said about such loss n sadness I saw n heard you at The end of the Road in England I spent many years in India n love all the music supported by 21 fans who also own “Even the Forest Hums: Ukrainian Sonic Archives 1971-1996” do yourself a favour and grab the Zine while you can so for those who like a booklet of liner notes and photos to read while listening to the album Ostinato Records showcases the wide breadth of Uzbekistani electronic music in the 1980s Requires several listens to really appreciate the project Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp A New Era of Saharan Avant-Garde: The Music of Hama Backxwash joins the show to discuss her recent release — More than 370 lots crossed the block during Stair’s Design From 1860 to 1910 auction on September 26 Leading the sale after soaring beyond its $10/15,000 estimate was an intricately carved teakwood tracery made by Lockwood de Forest and the Ahmedabad Wood Carving Company which measured 6 feet 7½ inches high by 10 feet 5 inches wide was a model of the famous stone windows found in Sidi Saiyyed Mosque in Ahmedabad From the collection of Ann and Gordon Getty the pierced semi-circle panel was bid to $224,000 More comprehensive coverage will be in a future issue Tiffany Flatware Service Sets Table For Success At Nye Estate-Fresh Dzubas-Signed Painting Leads At Ralph Fontaine’s McInnis Gets Nearly $10K For Black Folk Art Doll Match Expires at Midnight GIVE NOW Forest carbon opportunities help local communities protect Chile’s ancient forest a new kind of economy flourished between the ancient coastal rainforest of southern Chile and its Indigenous tribes A collaborative conservation effort saved one of the world’s last large swathes of temperate rainforest avoided the release of more than 500,000 tons of carbon emissions created a conservation-focused local economy complete with new jobs and opportunities and protected one of the oldest trees on Earth The story of Chile’s Valdivian Coastal Reserve (VCR) begins back in 2003 When an industrial timber company filed for bankruptcy the Cordillera Pelada Mountain Range was put up for auction One of its largest potential buyers planned to continue the country’s century-long trend of cutting down ancient trees to clear the way for eucalyptus plantations while destroying even more lands for a coastal highway expansion Get local conservation news and stories delivered right to your inbox an effort to enhance the area’s potential for both avoiding emissions associated with deforestation and sequestering and storing carbon Located in a 1,273-hectare area within the reserve, the VCR carbon project became the first REDD+ project in Chile to have its carbon credits verified by the globally recognized Verified Carbon Standard organization (today known as Verra) Verified Carbon Standard audits over 2014 and 2015 confirmed that the project’s actions to prevent further deforestation had avoided at least 533,654 net tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions between 2003 and 2014—equivalent to taking about 114,000 passenger vehicles off the road for a year the greenhouse gas emissions avoided by the project are equivalent to taking about 114,000 passenger vehicles off the road for a year A recent assessment by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) names ecosystem restoration as one of the top five most cost-effective climate actions we can take by 2030, and deforestation is the single largest driver of emissions from land-use change That’s why the Paris Climate Agreement states that countries should protect and enhance their forests to create carbon ‘sinks’ to limit global warming to no more than 1.5°C and avoid catastrophic climate change At this moment of climate crisis, we need every tool in the toolbox, including rapid decarbonization of energy and transportation systems, as well as harnessing the natural carbon storage power of forests and other carbon rich ecosystems. If scaled up now, natural climate solutions could provide up to a third of the emissions reductions needed to reach global climate goals by 2030 What’s certain is that we cannot achieve the 1.5°C target without nature—without both protecting our remaining forests and restoring our damaged land and seascapes The Valdivian Coastal Reserve contains more than just awe-inspiring old-growth trees At its heart are the people who care for the ecosystem and depend on its health for their own livelihoods—people like Margarita Huala Margarita believes the most important benefit brought by the creation of the reserve is the flows from the rural water project that brought clean reliable drinking water to the nearby towns of Chaihuín and Huiro as well as the influx of tourism for the local economy The VCR project helped Margarita to set up a small business with other women in the community They began by selling empanadas out of a wheelbarrow and gathering non-timber products from the forest before opening a local restaurant that thrived until the Covid19 pandemic Margarita’s family started a cooperative to develop alternative ways to generate income and her husband and children have also found work in the reserve trails and walkways used by both the community and tourists Margarita hopes to see even more local jobs generated especially during the winter months—and to get the restaurant up and running again But she already believes that the project has “helped us to defend things that we did not do before.” I think it would be destroyed because before the forestry companies were just logging and logging They cut down and burned the native forest They did not even give firewood to hospitals or homes It is better to have The Nature Conservancy here because their word is to protect All the earnings from selling carbon credits are reinvested in the forest to bring new life and possibilities to its nature and communities US$ 3.2 million has been raised from carbon credit sales and used to advance the project goals including forest restoration and replanting native species to protect biodiversity and carbon stocks; as well as improving the well-being of local communities through sustainable livelihoods strengthening local access and resource tenure One popular VCR initiative is to give local people the opportunity to train to become park rangers, some of whom recently collaborated with TNC to launch a guide to the forest’s flora and fauna that combines local knowledge with science VCR is also taking part in nature projects including monitoring amphibians and freshwater ecosystems and is pioneering the use of wildlife camera traps in Chile Local teacher Ricardo Guaitiao has witnessed the positive impact of environmental education and local engagement in the reserve since he arrived 10 years ago you could see in children a bad culture of killing everything that moved if they saw a lizard their first instinct was to eliminate it Children today know the importance of life and that it’s not harmless to eliminate bees or spiders.” Ricardo sees first-hand how the group activities organized for his students instill a sense of ownership and responsibility for the nature around them inspiring some of them to take on apprenticeships to become guides or work in forest restoration for the reserve Conservation without people is not true conservation While the logging company excluded Indigenous and other local communities from the area TNC prioritizes cooperation with local people to protect nature and ensure that communities can reach their fishing grounds and collect non-timber products like fruits and roots in the reserve The goal is for people to prosper without destroying their natural heritage including through sustainable cattle grazing and a range of microenterprises Many of these new small businesses are run by Indigenous women based on their traditional handicrafts and local food President of local cooperative Grupo Ganaderos del Valle Adelaida Arriaza is the President of Grupo Ganaderos del Valle a local cooperative that raises cattle in specially designated areas of the reserve identified through a study with an agronomist at TNC Her team works closely with VCR rangers to tag and monitor the cattle and make sure they do not harm the native trees This kind of cooperation is a marked contrast from Adelaida’s previous experience leading the local artisanal fishermen’s syndicate while the logging company still owned the land watching all the damage the company did when they applied chemicals to the forest and caused damage in an area where we have sea urchin and piure It took a long time for the populations to recover.”  “Although it is true that the logging companies provided work,” she continues “I believe that at the time we did not consider the damage that was done to the forest Today we have learned to take care of nature Partnerships and joint activities with communities are strengthening local stewardship and driving a renewed pride in the area’s natural heritage The funds raised by selling carbon credits have helped to protect these natural wonders while creating new sources of income and opportunity for local people including members of the Indigenous Mapuche and Huilliche communities and providing testing grounds for methodologies to help other regions develop their own natural climate solution projects But Adelaida Arriaza’s words remind us of what is perhaps the project’s most important achievement: “Today we can breathe clean air into our lungs thanks to the forest we are protecting together with The Nature Conservancy.” And what could be more important than that Today we can breathe clean air into our lungs thanks to the forest we are protecting together with The Nature Conservancy we showcase innovative carbon projects in Africa and the Emerald Edge along North America's Pacific coast Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application 2024 in the Copeland Oaks Retirement Community in Sebring he was the son of the late Burton and Leone Ernest Winner Dee was also preceded in death by his wife Dee was a retired pastor of the United Methodist Church He is survived by his sweetheart and soulmate Alysia Atkinson of Michigan; grandchildren Private graveside services will be held at the Dover Burial Park Memorial contributions may be made to The Oaks foundation c/o Copeland Oaks 800 S or to the American Heart Association 5455 N This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors and the world’s largest trees exemplify the diversity of landscapes Explore these pages to plan your visit or to learn about the plants and animals here and the threats they face Ancient giant sequoias may seem invincible Start here for general trip planning information there are day hikes for all levels of ability in the parks Learn how to spend the holidays at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Check in on current conditions in the parks Check for current road conditions throughout the parks Learn about camping options throughout the parks Campgrounds are reservation only and availability is extremely limited in summer months Reservations are highly recommended for lodging and regional maps to help you locate and plan a route to these parks Whether you trek into wilderness or stay close to your car review tips on staying safe in these parks Wondering if you should bring your four-legged friend on vacation We offer recreational opportunities suited for a wide range of abilities From foothills to the tallest peak in the lower 48 states this remarkable landscape provides diverse and dynamic habitat Explore over a century of history in these parks and learn about the people who lived here before the parks were established Download the NPS app to navigate the parks on the go The dates displayed for an article provide information on when various publication milestones were reached at the journal that has published the article activities on preceding journals at which the article was previously under consideration are not shown (for instance submission All content on this site: Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. a popular chain of travel centers featuring a beaver logo bought land in DeForest to develop one of its first Wisconsin locations But because of the heavy traffic volume Buc-ee's expects to attract the development would require an estimated $15 million in roadwork Merchandise from the Texas-Based travel centers chain Buc-ee’s features the company's beaver logo says there would be tax revenue benefits for the entire state if Buc-ee’s opens locally A Texas convenience store chain wants to open in DeForest Officials have to figure out how to cope with lots of traffic the ubiquitous badger mascot for UW-Madison A Texas convenience store chain hopes the state will also embrace a fictional beaver named Buc-ee But efforts to launch Wisconsin’s first Buc-ee’s gas station and rest stop have proven more challenging than initially imagined And the proposed travel center in DeForest might need help from state lawmakers to get across the finish line bought land in 2023 for a 74,000-square-foot location near Interstates 39/90/94 in a largely exurban part of DeForest electric vehicle charging and over 600 parking spots the company and local supporters hoped the development could break ground in 2024 But it turns out Buc-ee’s stores are so popular the local infrastructure can’t handle the traffic Buc-ee’s estimated the new location would draw 4,000 to 8,000 cars a day At a location in Virginia, Buc-ee’s effectively built its own road so as not to snarl traffic nearby It would cost $15 million to upgrade infrastructure in the DeForest area and redesign the exit interchange to better facilitate the flow of traffic to the proposed Buc-ee’s which is expected to attract most of its visitors from out of town said Buc-ee’s is willing to cover a little over half of the $15 million The Texas company also can front the money for all of the improvements but the company wants to be reimbursed for about 49% of the costs That $7.5 million price tag would be a lot of money for the village of roughly 11,000 people it really became a discussion and negotiation on where does this financing come from?” One possible source of aid could be the state The Wisconsin Department of Transportation already is upgrading infrastructure along I-39/90/94 in south central Wisconsin But the DOT decided not to bolster the infrastructure at the exit for Buc-ee’s assuming the improvements there would be funded by the private sector DOT officials said they had been in contact with DeForest about the needed roadwork but that money for that project couldn’t come from the state “As with all private developments in Wisconsin the costs for necessary roadway improvements due to impacts from the development are the responsibility of the developer,” the agency said there are benefits for the entire state if Buc-ee’s opens in south central Wisconsin Based on Buc-ee’s estimates on gas sales Wisconsin could rake in as much as $7 million a year in state fuel taxes from its DeForest location That would be on top of an estimated $1.25 million in sales tax revenue from fudge barbeque and any other goods sold in Buc-ee’s McCarville noted that state aid for local governments in Wisconsin is tied to the growth in state sales tax revenues so she said a huge new business like Buc-ee’s could benefit other communities as well The development also could mean that DeForest is less reliant on property tax increases locally There is a chance the state would need to redo the interchange at County Highway V anyway because of other developments already cropping up if it needs to get done down the road anyways?” Chang said the village had been in conversations with state lawmakers about solutions either in the state budget or as standalone legislation or by getting the Department of Transportation to help alongside their other work near the interstate The company hired four lobbyists in Madison to engage with state lawmakers on issues related to tax incremental financing the funding of state transportation infrastructure projects and policies affecting travel centers more broadly Chang said he couldn’t disclose further details but noted the city and legislators were waiting on a bill to be drafted “We're exploring all of our options,” he said Further expansion in the Midwest could be underway for Buc-ee’s. The company opened a location in Springfield are weighing whether to approve a Buc-ee's there McCarville said the Oak Creek location would be in addition to the planned facility in DeForest In the 1990s, local officials in DeForest blocked a Flying J truck stop from opening on the land Buc-ee’s later bought. The decision was contentious and prompted a legal back and forth Chang said he’s hopeful this project will avoid a similar fate He said he's “positive” about the project’s outlook But even if the project gets the green light don’t expect a beaver mascot appearing off the interstate anytime soon “I don't see a project getting started this year,” Chang said “Just because of administrative procedures that need to be in place before that financial commitment can be agreed upon.” Andrew Bahl is a politics reporter for the Cap Times. Andrew writes about Wisconsin politics with a focus on state government and elections. Email story ideas and tips to Andrew at abahl@captimes.com or call (608) 252-6418 Please consider supporting Andrew’s work by becoming a Cap Times member or sponsor Sustaining local journalism in Madison depends on readers like you Become a Cap Times member today and enjoy great benefits Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device DeForest Buckner and Jonathan Taylor speak with the media on Thursday as the Colts prepare to face the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 18 and Nick Cross met with the media on Monday to reflect on the Colts' 2024 season sharing their thoughts and takeaways from the season Adonai Mitchell and Mo Alie-Cox spoke with the media on Monday to reflect on the Colts' 2024 season sharing their insights Ryan Kelly and Zaire Franklin speak with the media on Wednesday as the Colts prepare to face the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 18 and Zaire Franklin speak to the media following the Colts' loss to the Giants in Week 17 DeForest Buckner and Jonathan Taylor speak with the media on Thursday as the Colts prepare to face the New York Giants on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in Week 17 Kenny Moore II and Zaire Franklin speak with the media on Tuesday as the Colts prepare to face the New York Giants on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in Week 17 Quenton Nelson and Jaylon Carlies speak with the media following the Colts 38-30 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 16 DeForest Buckner and Jonathan Taylor speak with the media on Thursday as the Colts prepare to face the Tennessee Titans on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 16 Julian Blackmon and Jaylon Jones speak with the media on Wednesday as the Colts prepare to face the Tennessee Titans on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 16 Dayo Odeyingbo and DeForest Buckner speak with the media following the Colts' loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 15 DeForest Buckner and Jonathan Taylor meet with the media on Thursday as the Colts prepare to face the Denver Broncos on Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High in Week 15 Jaylon Jones and Kylen Granson meet the media on Wednesday at the Colts prepare to face the New England Patriots on Sunday at Gillette Stadium in Week 13 Jonathan Taylor and Laiatu Latu speak with the media following the Colts 24-6 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 12 DeForest Buckner and Jonathan Taylor meet with the media on Thursday as the Colts prepare to face the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 12 Josh Downs and Mo Alie-Cox meet with the media as the Colts prepare to face the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 12 Jaylon Jones and Josh Downs speak with the media following the Colts 28-27 win over the New York Jets in Week 11 Jonathan Taylor and Kenny Moore II meet with the media on Thursday as the Colts prepare to face the New York Jets on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in Week 11 Joe Flacco and Zaire Franklin meet with the media as the Colts prepare to face the New York Jets on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in Week 11 Tyler Goodson and DeForest Buckner speak to the media following the Colts' 30-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 10 DeForest Buckner and Jonathan Taylor speak with the media on Thursday at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center as the Colts prepare to face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 10 meet with the media as the Colts prepare to face the Buffalo BIlls in Week 10 Zaire Franklin and Kenny Moore II speak with the media following the Colts' 21-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings Sunday Night in Week 9 DeForest Buckner and Jonathan Taylor speak with the media on Thursday at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center as the Colts prepare to face the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football in Week 9 Kylen Granson and Kenny Moore II meet with the media as the Colts prepare to face the Minnesota Vikings in Week 9 one of Brazil’s most important environmental policies reconciles the protection of native vegetation with crop production on rural properties Essential for achieving the country’s climate goals and conserving biodiversity this law also promotes sustainable forest management food security and the adoption of nature-based solutions Recognizing the Forest Code’s catalytic role in promoting better use of the country’s natural and productive wealth the Climate Policy Initiative/Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (CPI/PUC-RIO) has a dedicated research agenda focusing on this law This publication is part of an ongoing project to monitor the implementation of the Forest Code in Brazilian states with participation from state environmental and agricultural agencies Based on a detailed analysis of state regulations as well as data and information collected from the states and the exchange of experiences between CPI/PUC-RIO and policymakers this report outlines the implementation of the Forest Code with a focus on the Rural Environmental Registry (Cadastro Ambiental Rural – CAR) and the Environmental Compliance Program (Programa de Regularização Ambiental – PRA) The study uses specific indicators to highlight advances the report identifies strategies used in more advanced states that can serve as an example for others and points to opportunities to accelerate the law’s implementation Now in its sixth edition since its launch in 2019 this report has established itself as an indispensable guide for monitoring the status of the regulation and implementation of the Forest Code in all of Brazil’s states The information is revised and updated annually to enable decision-makers to target their efforts and available resources contributing to the sustainable development of Brazilian agriculture and strengthening a robust environmental agenda In addition to its relevance as a national environmental policy the Forest Code is connected to several global agendas occuring in 2024 Issues such as the need to mitigate weather-related disasters participation in carbon markets and climate finance and international trade negotiations reinforce the importance and potential of implementing the Forest Code These global challenges and economic opportunities can align to strengthen the implementation of environmental law in Brazil the climate crisis had a major impact on the country with floods devastating the state of Rio Grande do Sul This caused enormous economic and human damage and highlighted the urgent need for effective adaptation strategies including better disaster risk management and the adoption of more resilient infrastructure the Forest Code has gained prominence as a key policy for tackling climate change helping to prevent damage and minimize impacts Forests and other forms of vegetation present in Permanent Preservation Areas (Áreas de Preservação Permanente – APPs) and Legal Reserves as well as conservation instruments provided for in the forestry law the forest carbon credit market became a central issue in national and international discussions The publication of the National Plan for Native Vegetation Recovery (Plano Nacional de Recuperação da Vegetação Nativa – PLANAVEG) and the approval of a bill establishing a regulated carbon market in Brazil and recognizing the coexistence of a voluntary carbon market are promising These instruments offer the potential to mobilize the financial resources needed to recover degraded and deforested areas contributing to the regularization of environmental liabilities progress made in the negotiations at the 2024 United Nations Conference on climate (COP29 in Baku has provided important guidelines for the national carbon market and paved the way for constructing an international market for trading carbon credits discussions on the free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union gained momentum toward a possible conclusion after decades of negotiation external pressures have questioned the ability of Brazilian agriculture to produce healthy and safe food crops while respecting the environment This emphasizes the importance of full implementation of the Forest Code given that compliance with its rules can ensure the sustainability of the country’s agricultural production This year marked the effective start of shared management of the CAR—the backbone of the Forest Code—between the Brazilian Forest Service (Serviço Florestal Brasileiro – SFB) and the Ministry of Public Management and Innovation (Ministério da Gestão e da Inovação em Serviços Públicos – MGI) there is still a lack of regulations that clearly define the governance of the CAR and the competencies of each body involved efforts focused on transferring the CAR database from the Information Technology Department (Departamento de Tecnologia da Informação – DTI) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Ministério da Agricultura e Pecuária – MAPA) to the MGI a public company specializing in information technology that is linked to the MGI The migration of CAR data faced several obstacles and took longer than expected resulting in system instability and challenges in synchronization with state systems some modules of the National Rural Environmental Registry System (Sistema Nacional de Cadastro Ambiental Rural – SICAR)—especially the streamlined analysis module—were hampered operating with limitations and reduced performance throughout the year and data integration improvements have been discussed for the CAR A significant milestone in September 2024 was the launch of the Environmental Regularization Panel[1] by the SFB during the 1st National Meeting on Environmental Regularization This dashboard provides up-to-date data on the CAR and the analysis of registrations in all federal units With specific filters and interactive visualizations the panel makes it easier to monitor the progress of the CAR across states This dashboard significantly advances transparency and accessibility it does not accurately reflect information from some states relating to the CAR and This is mainly because there are states (i) whose data systems are not integrated with the federal system (Bahia and Espírito Santo) (ii) in which the procedure for signing Terms of Commitment (ToC) takes place in physical format (paper) and (iii) which have experienced synchronization difficulties These limitations should be considered when using dashboard data with the improvement of CAR management and the development of technological tools to support the states is an important step that supports states’ essential role in implementing the Forest Code states made strategic decisions and implemented innovative solutions to advance the analysis of registrations and the execution of the PRA demonstrating leadership in the environmental regularization process Implementation of the Forest Code continues to vary significantly across Brazil’s states After several years of progress being concentrated in a limited number of states 2024 saw a continuation of the 2023 trend of more states achieving important results on different stages of implementing the law Several states in Brazil’s Northeast made progress in 2024 and Rio Grande do Norte advanced to the CAR analysis stage; Alagoas and Ceará have initiated streamlined analysis; and Alagoas and Maranhão have implemented the PRA and signed ToCs for the environmental regularization of rural properties and São Paulo—had reached all the stages of implementing the CAR and the PRA a state at the forefront of CAR registration and analysis for many years Rio de Janeiro began a streamlined analysis of CAR registrations and made progress on its Environmental Regularization Program which has the second-largest land registry in Brazil São Paulo is consolidating its lead with progress on all stages of the implementation of the Forest Code The four states leading the agenda in the Amazon region—Acre The highlight in these states was their progress on the environmental regularization of rural properties The major innovation was Mato Grosso’s development of a Digital CAR while Tocantins progressed in regulating the PRA Southern states remained at the same level of implementation as in 2023 The status of the states’ implementation of the Forest Code can be seen in Figure 1 below Status of CAR and PRA implementation by States All states are registering rural properties in the CAR.[2] There has been a steady increase in the registrations throughout Brazil as a result of the registration of small farmers and Traditional Peoples and Communities (Povos e Comunidades Tradicionais – PCT) the individualized registration of settlement plots the number of CAR registrations increased by 5.7% from the previous year reaching a total of 7.65 million by November 2024 Bahia and Minas Gerais have the most registrations in the country with more than one million in their databases (Figure 2) Source: CPI/PUC-RIO based on updated data provided by state agencies responsible for the CAR (November 2024) data from the CAR Public Consultation (updated November 2024) and data from the SFB Environmental Regularization Panel (updated October 2024) progress was made in registering Traditional Peoples and Communities (Povos e Comunidades Tradicionais – PCT) in the CAR with all states presenting at least one CAR/PCT registration doubled its number of registrations of traditional territories This progress results from various state initiatives and projects aimed at PCTs Only the Federal District has no CAR/PCT registrations Alagoas has the highest number of CAR/PCT registrations (1,209) corresponding to a third of Brazil’s total CAR/PCT registrations Three other states also have standout numbers: Maranhão (683) and Piauí have between 100 and 200 CAR/PCT registrations each has CAR/PCT registrations of between 10 and 100 Sergipe and Tocantins—each have less than 10 CAR/PCT registrations states with several traditional communities have only one CAR/PCT registered with SICAR the implementation of this tool was underway in INCRA’s regional superintendencies in nine states: Goiás Analysis of CAR registrations verifies that information declared by proprietors corresponds to the reality of the property according to criteria established by the Forest Code The aim is to identify any environmental liabilities of the property or confirm that it complies with the law a technician or automated system assesses the data quality and if any inconsistencies or pending issues are identified the proprietor is notified to correct or supplement the information CAR analysis occurs in cycles until completion at which point the registration is considered as “validated.” When monitoring the efforts of the states in the analysis stage it was observed that a large number of registrations remained in these analysis cycles for long periods this report separates CAR analysis into two stages: (I) Analysis Initiated which includes registrations that have initiated the first analysis cycle which includes registrations whose analysis cycles have been finalized which some states refer to as validated registrations Analysis of the data declared in the CAR is fundamental to implementing the Forest Code but remains the biggest bottleneck for the agenda Significant progress was made in 2024: all states finally started this process the analysis process began in reaction to environmental licensing processes authorization for the suppression of vegetation (Autorização de Supressão de Vegetação – ASV) and Rio de Janeiro—implemented automated systems to advance analysis of their registries and Rio de Janeiro adopted the Brazilian Forest Service’s (Serviço Florestal Brasileiro – SFB) streamlined analysis tool their studies are being carried out gradually and in conjunction with Dataprev because the system became unstable and slow throughout 2024 making it impossible to use this tool effectively the tool enabled an increase of more than 1,300% in analysis in Alagoas which went from just over a thousand to almost 20,000 registrations with analysis and doubled the number of registrations analyzed in Rio de Janeiro Ceará adopted the tool in November 2024 and expects results next year Mato Grosso has adopted a different system for implementing the Digital CAR Instead of analyzing the data declared in the CAR the state is creating new registers by cross-referencing the perimeters of the registers already submitted with an extensive set of high-resolution cartographic bases creating new registrations with much more accurate data the proprietor must accept the new Digital CAR or present evidence to justify keeping their old CAR Automated systems are being used to aid analysis in ten states: Alagoas and Rio de Janeiro are using the streamlined analysis module developed by the SFB São Paulo has customized this system to suit the peculiarities of the state Minas Gerais and Pará have adopted CAR 2.0 a tool for automated analysis of a property’s environmental compliance developed by a consultancy for the Green Seal Platform Mato Grosso took a different approach by launching the Digital CAR Considering the data consolidated over the years São Paulo leads the way with 388,000 registrations with initiated analysis (accounting for 90% of the state’s registrations) thanks to the customization of the SFB’s streamlined analysis tool with approximately 236,000 initiated analyses (72% of the state’s registrations) empowering municipalities to conduct analyses the number of registrations with initiated analyses varies significantly: 12 states have between 10,000 and 100,000 initiated analyses three states have between 1,000 and 10,000 In terms of the percentage of CARs with initiated analysis of the total number of registrations in the state, apart from the high rates in São Paulo and Pará noted above, only two states stand out: Espírito Santo and Mato Grosso do Sul have initiated analyses on around 60% of their registration bases.[5] In Acre this percentage drops to between 10% and 30% initiated analysis stands at between 1% and 10% and in the remaining states analysis has been initiated on less than 1% Even with the continuous progress in analysis Minas Gerais has a relatively high number of registrations among Brazilian states and the percentage of analysis initiated by the total number of registrations in the database is very low indicating the size of the challenge still facing the state Figure 3 shows the total number and percentage of analyses initiated in each state More than 1.1 million CAR registrations have undergone analysis representing around 15% of all registrations in Brazil and Total Number of CARs with Initiated Analysis 2024 Note: Only valid registration numbers are taken into account; analyses of canceled registrations are not included Source: CPI/PUC-RIO based on data provided by the state agencies responsible for the CAR (updated November 2024) data from the SFB Environmental Regularization Panel (updated October 2024) data from the São Paulo Environmental Regularization Public Panel (SAA 2024) data from the Regulariza Pará portal (Semas/PA 2024) There is a risk that this decision will be extended to other states with significant impacts on CAR analysis and the implementation of the Forest Code Completing the analyses remains a significant challenge in all states The main difficulties include the poor quality of the registrations which often does not reflect changes in land use These problems require many corrections on the part of landowners and successive cycles of analysis by the competent bodies difficulties in communicating with landowners often prevent them from complying with notifications prolonging the process of validating the registers indefinitely and Mato Grosso were the states that made the most progress in completing analyses in 2024 This was mainly achieved by adopting systems to automate the analysis The CAR’s automated analysis tools are proving useful for registrations that do not require data rectifications and do not have environmental liabilities they are particularly effective for rural properties smaller than four fiscal modules Mato Grosso and São Paulo have made the most progress in the last year Mato Grosso’s Digital CAR allowed the state to double the number of analyses completed last year the Digital CAR will make it possible to complete analysis of around 70% of the state’s land registry São Paulo has more than doubled the number of analyses completed and has around 77,000 validated registrations (18% of the state’s base). This progress is due to a change in state legislation.[7] The state had processed the registrations in the streamlined analysis but the system could not validate that the registrations complied with the law; it needed the producers’ acceptance This procedural change has made it possible to validate around 35,000 registrations automatically for around 260,000 registrations where data has been rectified in the system the proprietor’s agreement is still required for the property to undergo environmental regularization analysis the analysis challenges remain for the more than 45,000 registrations sent for team analysis Alagoas obtained the most progress (1,025% increase) going from 8 to 60 validated registrations Some states that had not completed analysis of any registrations in 2023—Piauí and Santa Catarina—have now managed to finalize analysis of some registrations While these states have completed analysis for a low number of registrations in absolute terms they are showing progress in this most challenging stage of implementing the Forest Code Considering data consolidated over the years, the states to have completed analyses for the highest number of registrations are Espírito Santo (78,000) and São Paulo (77,000) followed by Pará (38,000), and Mato Grosso (17,000).[8] Five states—Acre and Rondônia—have completed between 2,000 and 10,000 analyses; 12 states and the Federal District have each completed analysis for less than 1,000 registrations Rio Grande do Sul and Roraima—have not completed any analyses The state of Bahia has no data on this stage (Figure 4) Espírito Santo leads in terms of its percentage of CAR registrations with analysis completed with approximately 66% of its CAR registrations validated This state has received technical support from the Institute of Agricultural and Forestry Defense of Espírito Santo (Instituto de Defesa Agropecuária e Florestal do Espírito Santo – IDAF/ES) for the registration of rural properties smaller than four fiscal modules which meant such properties were registered with correct information these analyses were carried out in a state system that has not yet been integrated into Sicar and this data is not included in the SFB’s Environmental Regularization Panel CAR analysis remains the main bottleneck in implementing the Forest Code only around 3.3% of registrations have completed analysis—either manually or by automated systems This represents an increase of 30% from the previous year Percentage of Completed CAR Analysis and Total Number of CARs with Completed Analysis the CAR Public Consultation (updated in November 2024) the São Paulo Environmental Regularization Panel (SAA 2024) the SFB Environmental Regularization Panel (updated in October/November 2024) and the Regulariza Pará portal (Semas/PA 2024) but new CARs are registered every year in these areas as the system has no permanent block for new registrations in these areas Promoting a quick and efficient solution to cancel irregular registrations and prevent new registrations from being made is a land and environmental issue that must be dealt with as a matter of priority and urgency Another major achievement in 2024 was the regulation and implementation of the PRA in states that had not previously reached this stage seven states also issued rules on the modalities and metrics for recovering APP liabilities and recovering and/or offsetting Legal Reserves 19 states and the Federal District have regulated the PRA and adopted metrics for the recovery of APP and Legal Reserve liabilities and Sergipe—have not yet built a minimum set of rules for the environmental regularization of rural properties and there are no established procedures and criteria for recovering vegetation liabilities the regularization of forestry liabilities is carried out through the Environmental Declaration of the Property (Declaração Ambiental do Imóvel – DAI) a self-declaratory procedure carried out directly in the Goiás Environmental Licensing System (IPÊ) the state did not introduce any new procedures merely reaffirming the use of the DAI for regularization with the benefits provided for in the Forest Code Goiás law allows for compensation for deforested Legal Reserve areas after 2008 extending the regime for rural areas consolidated in Legal Reserves until 2019 Although it requires each hectare cleared to be offset twice the law makes the provisions of the Forest Code more flexible setting an important precedent that could encourage further flexibility Legal Reserve compensation, the most regulated alternative adopted in the states to regularize liabilities, has gained legal certainty through a recent decision by the Supreme Federal Court (Supremo Tribunal Federal – STF). On October 24, 2024, the court ruled that compensation in areas of the same biome was constitutional, ruling out the requirement of “ecological identity.”[10] This historic decision 12 years after the Forest Code was enacted is a significant step forward in implementing the law several states have updated their legislation with the adoption of new rules sometimes complementing previous rules and sometimes replacing them Approximately 40 rules relating to the implementation of the Forest Code were issued this year by the states and the regularization of APP and Legal Reserves Progress has been made on implementing the PRA with three additional states reaching this stage —Espírito Santo with an increase in the number of ToCs signed for environmental compliance in Acre One alternative for speeding the progress of environmental regularization is the adoption of a self-reported PRA procedure which allows early adherence and is not dependent on the analysis of CAR registrations This model has enabled progress on the regularization of rural properties in Minas Gerais which will conclude 2024 with almost 200 environmental commitments signed the environmental regularization of rural properties which includes the recovery of APPs and the recovery or compensation of Legal Reserves—a central objective of the Forest Code—is still far from being achieved in the short or medium term in the country only a portion of registrations analyzed as having environmental liabilities have progressed to the PRA stage This process involves submitting a Project for the Regularization of Degradedand Altered Areas (Projetos de Regularização de Áreas Degradadas e Alteradas – PRADA) and signing ToCs for the regularization of APPs and Legal Reserves Barriers to reaching this stage range from producers’ resistance to environmental regularization to their lack of knowledge of productive and/or multifunctional forest restoration solutions Some states have implemented strategies to overcome this has unified the stages of CAR analysis and adherence to the PRA into a single procedural flow since 2022 the number of terms signed increased by 70% on the previous year making the state the leader in rural properties undergoing environmental regularization under the PRA Mato Grosso has around 1,850 properties under regularization with plans to recover 16,000 hectares of APP and 13,500 hectares of Legal Reserve as well as areas earmarked for Legal Reserve compensation Pará has also made significant progress with 1,120 ToCs signed and more than 500 PRADAS approved for the recovery of 233,000 hectares of APP and Legal Reserve as well as 37,000 hectares for Legal Reserve compensation Although the state has fewer properties under regularization than Mato Grosso the total area committed to recovery is more than seven times greater São Paulo made remarkable progress in 2024 increasing the number of properties committed to regularization by more than 100-fold The state registered almost 250 signed ToCs covering the recomposition of 13,000 hectares of APP and 27,000 hectares of Legal Reserve Figure 5 shows data from states where the PRA is in operation including information on the number of CARs with analysis completed These terms formalize producers’ adherence to the PRA the main indicator of progress in the regularization of rural properties a significant disparity remains between properties whose CAR status is “awaiting environmental regularization” and those in the regularization process This highlights the need to expand strategies to engage producers and speed up adherence to the PRA Number of CARs Pending Environmental Regularization and Number of ToCs Signed While several states have established rules for monitoring the regularization of liabilities in APPs and Legal Reserves few have adopted systems and tools for monitoring restoration Most states provide for self-monitoring by the proprietors requiring periodic reports as well as monitoring by the government through remote sensing and field inspections when deemed necessary The use of technologies such as monitoring systems and geospatial data platforms and the use of applications such as the Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária – Embrapa)’s AgroTagVEG are essential for managing forest restoration Strengthening the alignment of the Forest Code with other public environmental policies by integrating CAR data with database information on licensing and deforestation on rural property is fundamental to further Brazil’s environmental agenda Amazonas has created a routine to curb illegal deforestation and enforce the regularization of forest areas The state cross-checks deforestation alerts from the National Institute for Space Research (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais – INPE) with the CARs and when it identifies unauthorized forest suppression its competent agency immediately suspends the property’s registration more than 3,000 registrations had been suspended preventing producers from obtaining credit or issuing animal transport guides (Guia de Transporte Animal – GTA) and suspending other administrative authorizations In order for the property’s registration to be reinstated producers must present a project for the environmental regularization of the property and sign a ToC which can be done in the administrative process of the environmental assessment Pará continues to implement diverse strategies to align the Forest Code with other environmental policies the state government and the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (Ministério do Meio Ambiente e Mudança do Clima – MMA) created a working group to propose measures to ensure the effectiveness of the CAR as an instrument for rural environmental management control of illegal deforestation and degradation The state identified priority municipalities where properties with more than four fiscal modules had illegal deforestation of more than 50 hectares between 2018 and 2022 The state carried out joint efforts in these municipalities to help producers with environmental regularization analyzed the CAR registrations of priority properties and suspended those that had not complied with regulations The Secretariary of the Environment and Sustainability of Pará (Secretaria de Estado de Meio Ambiente e Sustentabilidade do Pará – SEMAS/PA) is preparing a public notice to notify producers under penalty of cancelation of the CAR if they do not respond within 30 days In parallel with command and control actions the state is promoting partnerships with the federal government for payment for environmental services PESthrough the Floresta+ Amazônia Program landscape and forest restoration policies associated with market mechanisms can also be used to encourage restoration and compliance with the Forest Code promoting recovery of degraded areas and income generation These initiatives are expected to gain traction in the coming years aligning the Forest Code with Brazil’s rural credit policy has also been essential in promoting agriculture compatible with environmental preservation such as resolutions by the National Monetary Council (Conselho Monetário Nacional – CMN) and the Central Bank of Brazil (Banco Central do Brasil – BCB) make producers’ access to credit conditional on having active CAR registrations as well as on those registrations having been analyzed as either being environmentally compliant being in the process of environmental regularization [1] The Environmental Regularization Panel can be accessed at: bit.ly/3OnIlku [2] The CAR is a permanent registry with no deadline for registering rural properties in order to guarantee the right to join the PRA and the benefit of the more flexible rules for environmental regularization of consolidated rural areas the registration of rural properties in the CAR for rural properties with an area above four fiscal modules should have been done by December 31 Those with rural properties with an area of up to four fiscal modules or that meet the provisions of Article 3 of Law No 11.326/2006 must register with the CAR by December 31 [3] Mourão, João, Marcelo Sessim, and Priscila Souza. Preserving the Amazon: Strategies to Reduce Deforestation in Rural Settlements. Rio de Janeiro: Climate Policy Initiative, 2023. bit.ly/DeforestationSettlements [4] Minas Gerais has also adopted the CAR 2.0 tool for automated analysis of the environmental compliance of properties This geospatial intelligence tool cross-references a property’s perimeter with 16 reference bases and identifies whether or not the property complies with the Forest Code The data declared and documents presented in the CAR are not analyzed CAR 2.0 passed through Minas Gerais’ cadastral base and generated the following data: 387,000 properties with no environmental issues identified; 328,900 properties sent for rectification by the proprietor; 157,800 properties sent to the PRA; and 179,200 properties sent for manual analysis As this system is not integrated with Sicar these results are not reflected in the figures presented in this publication [5] According to the CAR Public Consultation data updated in November 2024 Mato Grosso do Sul has initiated analyzing around 60% of its registration base the Mato Grosso do Sul Environment Institute (Instituto de Meio Ambiente do Mato Grosso do Sul – Imasul/MS) the body responsible for the state’s analysis is reprocessing all registrations that underwent the streamlined analysis and the data from the Public Consultation may be incorrect [6] As of the writing of this report, the Superior Court of Justice had not yet published its ruling. For more information see: bit.ly/3V6BnE7 [7] SAA Resolution No. 50, of July 2, 2024 establishes, within the scope of the Secretariat of Agriculture and Supply-= (Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento de São Paulo – SAA/SP), the procedures to be observed in the different stages of the Environmental Regularization process for rural properties in the State of São Paulo. See: bit.ly/3Orcsrd [8] According to data from the SFB’s Environmental Regularization Panel updated in October 2024 Mato Grosso do Sul has completed around 13,000 analyses the agency responsible for the state’s analysis is reprocessing all registrations that underwent the streamlined analysis and the Panel’s data may be incorrect The new data was not available at the time of writing [9] For CAR data on Indigenous Lands in Pará, see: bit.ly/3Ri9dTV. For CAR data on Protected Areas  in Pará, see: bit.ly/3RDgcIq [10] To better understand this context and its impacts, we recommend reading: Lopes, Cristina L., Maria Eduarda Segovia e Joana Chiavari, 2023. bit.ly/STF-CódigoFlorestal [11] Technicians from Bahia’s Institute for the Environment and Water Resources (Instituto do Meio Ambiente e Recursos Hídricos – INEMA) report that there are more than 550,000 ToCs in the state system (Cadastro Estadual Florestal de Imóveis Rurais – CEFIR); however these relate to the regularization of any pending environmental or registration issue and it is not possible to identify which are for the regularization of APP and Legal Reserve liabilities Bahia’s environmental regularization program is self-declaratory and has around 48,000 PRADAS in CEFIR It's also the descriptor you're most likely to hear when talking with coaches or teammates about the 30-year-old defensive tackle has been a model of consistency in everything he does He doesn't divert from his Monday-through-Saturday routine which includes early-morning weightlifting sessions intentional film study and a heavy emphasis on treatment to get his body ready to play Sunday And when Buckner is on the field on Sundays that consistent routine produces consistent production on a game-to-game "He's a very smart player that knows how to break down the film and break down a team," defensive tackle Grover Stewart said he knows how they shift and all that — he already knows what's about to happen." But it's sometimes easy to take a player for granted when they're so remarkably consistent for such a long period of time "I think we all do," defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said The Colts don't have to do any projecting or wishcasting with the three-time Pro Bowler only one defensive tackle has more sacks than Buckner (Kansas City's Chris Jones) who's hurled a quarterback to the ground 39 times in the last five seasons And his play has not dropped off after turning 30 this summer: Buckner's 6.5 sacks this season are seventh among defensive tackles and that's with him missing five full games in 2024 Buckner has recorded a sack in three consecutive games the third time in his career he's had back-to-back-to-back sacks (Weeks 6-8 of 2021 Also: Pro Football Focus tracks a stat called pass rush win rate which quantifies how frequently a defensive player beats a pass blocker on a snap And Buckner's 15.9 percent pass rush win rate is the third-highest among defensive tackles this season "You can see them turn the protection to him at times But Buckner's impact on the Colts extends beyond his on-field production and it's another aspect of who he is that is not taken for granted inside the walls of the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center and imparts on the rest of the Colts' locker room is invaluable whether his team is winning or losing "He's the foundation," linebacker Zaire Franklin said he's a sounding board to help me deal with different things in the locker room different things just trying to grow as a teammate I think he's somebody that not only myself but a lot of guys in this locker room lean on both on the field and off the field." As the Colts turn their attention to the final three games of 2024 with an unlikely but not impossible path to the playoffs Buckner's steady presence on and off the field will take on added importance The Colts need help to make the playoffs – in the form of the Los Angeles Chargers losing two of their final three games – but more critical is this team taking care of its own business And who better to turn to than a guy who exemplifies consistently taking care of his own business regardless of the circumstances surrounding him I'm going to consistently do my part," Buckner said and I'm going to do everything throughout the week for my body whatever it is to give myself the edge and to help my team succeed that's the way I go about it every single week I would say it's probably one of the ultimate compliments I could get as a player and as a teammate." Leonard trained with Rivers in his hometown of Fairhope and then again leading up to the NFL Draft in 2025 Fans invited to join Colts Official Priority List for first access to single game tickets The Colts saw in Tyler Warren a tight end who plays with punishing physicality both with the ball in his hands and as a run blocker wife of Colts director of college scouting Matt Terpening The Colts announced the jersey number changes for two of their 2025 free agent signings Keep track of all updates to the 2025 NFL schedule The Indianapolis Colts today announced "Blue's Million Dollar Schedule Challenge," presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors where one contestant can win $1 million by correctly predicting the Colts' entire 18-week schedule for the 2025 regular season Richardson arrived at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center Tuesday for the start of the Colts' offseason program The Colts released veteran Matt Gay earlier this month and believe in the upside and talent possessed by second-year kicker Spencer Shrader Colts general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen sat down for an exclusive interview on the debut episode of "The Colts Show," which is available to download wherever you get your podcasts and can be watched on YouTube or in the player below Ward and Bynum's impact on the Colts defense goes beyond each free agent signing being a productive Colts general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen this week addressed a few areas of their team's roster that could see additions and/or strong competition in 2025 Be the first to see the 2025 schedule and get priority presale access to single game tickets The village of DeForest was scheduled to shut off the flow of fluoride into its municipal water supply on March 7 A drum of fluoride sits inside the building for DeForest Well 3 which is one of the public wells where the village had been adding the chemical as part of a longstanding and widespread national effort to reduce tooth decay and related health issues Pictured is the inside of the building housing DeForest Well 3 Municipal staff recommended discontinuing the use of fluoride in the village water supply The Village Board voted in February to stop fluoridating the water Fluoride has been added to DeForest wells for decades and 8 out of 10 Wisconsin residents who are served by public wells receive fluoridated water DeForest will remove fluoride from its drinking water on March 7 a single molecule in a glass of water is causing major division That’s because elected officials in the Dane County village joined a growing number of community leaders in Wisconsin and around the United States when they voted to remove fluoride from public drinking water The movement driving these decisions reverses a longstanding belief that fluoridating community water improves oral health particularly for those unable to go to the dentist regularly every socio-economic group — it benefits everyone who has community water fluoridation,” said Tom Reid a Madison dentist who is president of the Wisconsin Dental Association Despite decades of research that supports Reid’s conclusion critics point to other studies they say underscore the health risks of consuming too much of the chemical And now they’ve gained a powerful ally: Robert F who was confirmed earlier this month as secretary of the U.S Kennedy said he will recommend fluoride be removed from water across the country The final decision would still be left to local officials who decide how to run municipal water utilities Those officials in DeForest are now siding with fluoride skeptics “Science is not static — it evolves with new discoveries,” Rebecca Witherspoon 4 vote on removing fluoride from the community’s drinking water “Dismissing updated research simply because it challenges the longstanding consensus does a disservice to public health.” The overwhelming majority of Wisconsin residents who get their water from a local government and not a private well — or about 8 out of 10 people in the state — drink fluoridated water But that percentage has been declining for years a push to oust anti-fluoride board members at the ballot box “This is not dissimilar from how the rest of the country is experiencing government and lack of civility and are addressing issues in a very polarized kind of manner,” said Jane Cahill Wolfgram you see issues that people use to compromise on being life or death or it's black and white here’s how we can make this work for everyone.’” Statewide, 84.9% of Wisconsinites on public water systems drank fluoridated water as of 2022, the most recent year the state Department of Health Services has data available This is a drop of about 5 percentage points since 2011 In Dane County, 98.8% of residents live somewhere with fluoridated water but that number is far lower in other parts of the state just 2.7% of residents drink fluoridated water; in nine counties The idea of adding small amounts of fluoride to drinking water dates to the 1940s in the United States The federal government has encouraged the practice as a way to improve oral health and prevent tooth decay “You probably remember your grandparents or great grandparents who probably had dentures,” Reid said “Mine did because they had a very high decay rate community water fluoridation has been such a success story.” Fluoride proponents point to a 2007 study that found adding the chemical reduces cavities by 25% in adults and kids It does this by strengthening the outer surface of a tooth More recently, researchers in Israel found a rise in dental problems for young people after the country stopped fluoridating its water in 2014. In England, researchers found benefits to fluoride but noted those health gains were more muted than what has historically been observed The U.S. government recommends fluoride levels of 0.7 milligrams per liter for drinking, and research indicates most water systems have levels at or near that amount Consuming higher levels of fluoride has long been linked with negative consequences But recent research from the federal National Toxicology Program indicates there might be a relationship between higher levels of fluoride and lowered IQ in children The report evaluated all different sources where a person might get fluoride The authors emphasized “there were insufficient data to determine” whether the current fluoride guidelines were a problem and they wrote that more research is needed to understand any health risks associated with exposure to lower levels of fluoride Higher levels of fluoride are also linked with skeletal fluorosis a chronic condition that leads to bone damage Some studies have also pointed to potential links to a specific type of bone cancer Critics of the studies have said the methodology is lacking or the results don’t establish sufficient causation Reid said he supports further research while he also believes it’s important to observe the positive track record of low levels of fluoridated water in the U.S “For us to not want more research would be not really truly acting in the best benefit of science,” he said when staff members recommended that fluoride be removed to avoid nearly $10,000 in repairs to the pumps that add the chemical to the water The board initially considered approving the request without much fanfare but stopped amid public outcry “Fluoride activists have descended on our village and have tried to make changes without public knowledge and unfortunately our board members nearly let them,” Emily Waide Other residents advocated for removing the fluoride “We are endangering our village’s young and I feel that if more village members really understood we could not safely feed our babies the village water they would want it removed also,” DeForest resident Jennifer McFarland told board members during the public hearing A Green Bay activist, Brenda Staudenmaier, who was part of a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency over the chemical, privately urged board members to vote for fluoride removal DeForest Police Chief James Olson said he was unaware of any reports to the department related to the fluoride controversy said hearing reports of residents getting “beat up” online has left her feeling helpless and I know other members of the board have wanted people to come forward,” she said “And now that they have really started to come forward on an issue and they get pounded for doing it it's more difficult to convince them to keep sharing their opinions with us.” Two board members who supported removing fluoride are on the ballot unopposed in April has said she will mount a write-in campaign in the wake of the controversy Fluoride isn’t the only reason Williams said she is running but she said the debate locally was a “a wakeup call to everyone.” “I went to the vote and saw it just looks like some people on the board have made some decisions not really based on what their constituents had said,” Williams said “And so I think it just brought my attention to that issue and I feel like I want to get out and tell people Debates over fluoride are nothing new. In 1966, a group of residents sought a court order stopping Wisconsin Dells from adding fluoride to the local water supply And not all debates have been as contentious as they have been in DeForest voted unanimously to remove fluoride from their drinking water Concern centered on a state Department of Natural Resources regulation that bars municipalities from storing fluoride and chlorine in the same room Chlorine is also commonly added to drinking water voters in the village of Black Earth overwhelmingly supported an advisory referendum to keep fluoride in their drinking water When local residents presented the case for and against fluoride at a meeting in November local officials felt obligated to stand by the public vote “The issue has not been brought before us again since last fall,” Moyer said in an email More recently, officials in Wisconsin Rapids rejected a proposal to remove fluoride pointing to support from local dentists and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the village was scheduled to stop adding fluoride on March 7 Public health officials fear the decision to remove fluoride will particularly harm those who cannot afford to go to the dentist or buy toothpaste that contains the chemical a spokesperson for Public Health Madison & Dane County said the department reached out to DeForest leaders to offer help informing residents about the change It was too soon to say if the public health agency would need to do anything differently to support communities that remove fluoride A group of residents has pushed for village officials to put fluoridation on the ballot State lawmakers banned informal advisory referendums in 2023 and Cahill Wolfgram said she was evaluating the legal options for giving voters a say She said it’s unlikely the board will take up the matter in the next six weeks though she predicted the issue will resurface for local officials “We still have the equipment and we still have the capacity that should we make a decision to reinstate fluoride Reid, the Madison dentist, said he thinks there is a real chance DeForest will reverse itself, pointing to other communities in Wisconsin that have done so previously and I think that citizens are making their voices heard,” he said “I think that they are respecting the science.” Please consider supporting Andrew’s work by becoming a Cap Times member or sponsor. Sustaining local journalism in Madison depends on readers like you. Become a Cap Times member today and enjoy great benefits. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. OAK CREEK, Wis. -- Wisconsin could have not one, but two Buc-ee's locations within the next few years. The travel center chain known for its Texas-sized convenience stores, tasty brisket and "cleanest restrooms in America" is looking to expand to Oak Creek, the city announced Thursday. The 73,730 square-foot location would be located at the southwest corner of I-94 and Elm Road and would feature 120 gas pumps including ethanol-free, DEF and EV charging options. The store is slated to open in early 2027. "We are thrilled to welcome Buc-ee’s to Oak Creek, as they choose our growing city for their first-completed store in Wisconsin along the critical I-94 corridor," Oak Creek Mayor Dan Bukiewicz said. "This exciting development not only strengthens our position as a key hub for travelers but also brings new opportunities for local businesses and residents." In 2023, Buc-ee's announced plans to expand to DeForest along Interstate 39/90/94, north of County Highway V and east of County Highway I. Developers hoped to break ground in 2024 and open in late 2025. However, the location hit a snag and construction was delayed. The village told News 3 Now in June 2024 that negotiations over paying for highway improvements around the site have stopped Buc-ee's from breaking ground. Speaking to News 3 Now on Thursday, Deforest Community Development Director Alex Allon said he did not expect the announcement of the Oak Creek location to represent Buc-ee's pulling out of DeForest. Allon said the company still has some negotiations and processes to get through before it can resubmit its conditional use permit and site plan, however he believes Wisconsin will have two new Buc-ee's locations when all is said and done. The treehouse in the forest responds to the site's paths and tree contours with precise geometric order. The purpose of the geometric form is not to directly present aesthetic appeal but to emerge from a synthesis of design conditions based on on-site visual perceptions. © Shengliang SuThe metallic fluorocarbon paint on the core and columns subtly reflects the surrounding environment. As night falls and the indoor lights glow, the treehouse resembles a spaceship perched in the woods, ready to embark on its voyage. © Shengliang SuThrough the interplay of orthogonal and non-orthogonal geometric systems, the design creates subtle connections between rooms, moving away from traditional "start-to-end" spatial experiences. The irregular transitional spaces enliven the architectural atmosphere, adding a playful and decentralized quality to the vacation environment. © Shengliang SuReflective brown metallic paint, rough white stucco, and wood finishes create diverse material expressions in light absorption, reflection, and hue. Light diffuses through the metallic surfaces, with hues shifting in response to the surrounding vegetation, creating abstract yet beautiful small spaces. Sectional axonometric drawingThe building façade features 30x45cm charred cedar planks with portions polished and coated with matte clear varnish The subtle gloss and cracked texture of the charred cedar harmonize with the natural wilderness The carbonized wood surface acts as a protective armor for the building You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email Her Legacy… Arlene Delores DeForest Michigan to Howard Dunn and Adeline (Brant) Dunn She grew up on a dairy farm and it cemented a lifelong love of cows Arlene started her education at Towline School She earned her teaching degree at Eastern Michigan University she started her teaching career at a one room schoolhouse in Salem Twp then moving on to West Middle School in Plymouth and eventually ending up at Central Middle School in Plymouth She always put her students first in her 45 year teaching career and also added agricultural lessons as much as she could in her teaching Arlene was active in the Farm Bureau Board Planning Commission in Salem Twp Arlene was very involved in farmer legislation and would go to Washington D.C She was a member of the Guernsey Association and showed cattle at numerous fairs in Michigan for 35 years through them She volunteered at the Michigan State Fair at the Suburban Showcase Arlene loved horseback riding and raised her own quarter horses She also showed Western & English horses She had an adventurous spirit and enjoyed barrel racing and also drag racing a 55 Chevy at Milan Speedway She was on a bowling league with her son in Whitmore Lake and Jackson Arlene played the accordion and did beautiful leather work as well She was very honest and stuck to her beliefs  Arlene loved to talk on the phone and update everyone on what was going on at the farm Arlene was a joy to know and will be greatly missed by her family and friends Her Family… Arlene will be missed by her son Howard DeForest; numerous nieces and nephews and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews Her Farewell… Arlene’s family and friends will gather Tuesday  Her Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday Memorial contributions are suggested to Shriner’s Hospitals for Children Please leave a message of comfort for Arlene’s family at 1-877-231-7900 or sign her guestbook at www.borekjennings.com Shriner's Hospital for ChildrenWeb: http://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org Plans for Wisconsin's first Buc-ee's gas station and convenience store are "moving forward," just at a slower pace than initially anticipated DeForest Village Administrator Bill Chang said Buc-ee's plan includes a $15 million upgrade to the Interstate 39/90/94-County V interchange The company proposed a cost-sharing agreement where the village or its partners would reimburse Buc-ee's about 47.5% of the project's cost While the interchange upgrade is necessary to prevent traffic from backing up onto the interstate Chang said its cost presents a "challenging number" for the village the Journal Sentinel reported that Stan Beard wrote in a memo that the proposal is in line with the company's agreements in other states "where the existing transportation infrastructure is not adequate for a Buc-ee's." Chang said the village plans to work with newly elected State Sen Maureen McCarville and other officials to propose state legislation that would help DeForest with the cost "Whether it's the elected officials we have now or those that were there previously I think we were going to work with anyone," Chang said The village and its partners are still discussing what kind of legislation will be proposed Talks include lobbying efforts and strategies to ensure the "most effective and efficient process" of addressing Buc-ee's financial requests "There are only so many sources" from which DeForest can get the funding it needs One option is an allocation or earmark from the state through the Wisconsin Department of Transportation or another agency, he said. The village is also considering introducing a tax improvement district but Chang said it would prefer not to impact taxpayers "It sounds like there's going to have to be some kind of legislative request specific legislation or direct contribution from the state in partnership with the village," Chang said He said the village intends to have the legislation proposed in the spring or summer the legislative process will allow them to have their voices heard," Chang said "They can express their desires and comments by reaching out to their representatives." Buc-ee's owns the DeForest land near the County V interchange and plans to build a 74,000-square-foot store with 120 gas pumps and 20 electric vehicle charging stations. The brand's biggest store in Luling is 75,000 square feet and opened last summer The DeForest Buc-ee's would be the first in Wisconsin and by far the furthest north. The closest locations are in Kentucky and Missouri The entire Buc-ee's project is estimated to cost $50 million The store is expected to bring in $25 million in gross taxable sales per year including $1 million annually in sales tax revenue for the state The store will create between 200 and 225 jobs There's no proposed date for when construction will begin Securing the interchange project funding "is the critical path," Chang said "There's not really any point or incentive to move on anything else at this point." If the village can't come up with a way to finance the project Chang said it would be up to Buc-ee's to decide if it wants to move forward with the store This will be Kwik Trip's second distribution center; the other is in La Crosse The new distribution center is expected to bring nearly 400 jobs to DeForest Kwik Trip's announcement won't affect the Buc-ee's interchange project as the future distribution center site is located two exits away from the proposed Buc-ee's location "It's been a strategy of the Village of DeForest to be a community that not only people want to live in but businesses want to come to ...," he said "Not only are Kwik Trip and Buc-ee's interested in DeForest we've had a number of other types of warehouses and businesses move here." He said most people in DeForest recognize that growth is coming and the village wants to ensure that expansion is "controlled and sustainable" by balancing new industrial developments with residential ones Journal Sentinel reporters David Clarey and Tom Daykin contributed to this report Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner sweeps the Houston Texans off the field with a sack on third down Bad news is mounting for the Indianapolis Colts and Defensive lineman DeForest Buckner is being placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday that Buckner was believed to have suffered an ankle sprain and would undergo an MRI. Buckner was categorized as a long shot to play in Week 3 against the Chicago Bears but he'll now be out for at least the next four games Throughout his career with the San Francisco 49ers who selected him seventh overall in the 2016 NFL Draft The Colts' Week 3 game will be just the second contest Buckner's missed in his career due to injury and the first since his rookie campaign Buckner will double his total of missed games previously in his career A foot injury sidelined him in 2016 and he missed another game in 2020 due to COVID The three-time Pro Bowler is eligible to return to action in Week 7 at home against the Miami Dolphins has posted seven tackles and 1.5 sacks through two games this season for a Colts defense that has struggled during Indy's 0-2 start Indianapolis is 31st in yards allowed so far this season and will now have to make due without one of its top defenders Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh arose one morning with a clear goal of getting quarterback Justin Herbert into Canton There is a lot of work to be done to realize that dream Former New York Jets and Cleveland Browns receiver Elijah Moore has played with a trove of quarterbacks in his four-year career The Las Vegas Raiders drafted Montana State's Tommy Mellott in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft The plan is to use the rookie in a variety of ways The Baltimore Ravens on Monday released veteran kicker Justin Tucker who currently is the subject of an NFL investigation into allegations of improper conduct during massage therapy sessions Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams finalized terms on a pact that pays the Super Bowl-winning quarterback $44 million for the 2025 season NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Monday NFL.com keeps you up to date with all of the latest league news from around the NFL Visit NFL.com's transaction hub for a daily breakdown Julian Edelman's place in Patriots history will be officially immortalized in 2025 The longtime New England receiver has been voted into the Patriots' Hall of Fame by fans as its 37th inductee Cleveland Browns linebacker Devin Bush was arrested Sunday on simple assault and harassment charges in Pennsylvania The 26-year old was arrested in Bell Acres in Allegheny County Seattle Seahawks third-round quarterback Jalen Milroe entered the NFL with an enticing athletic profile but lingering questions about his accuracy as a passer It's something the rookie is already out to correct The Baltimore Ravens drafted kicker Tyler Loop in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft Longtime kicker Justin Tucker is under investigation for potential improper conduct The Los Angeles Rams remain one of the potential landing spots for star corner Jalen Ramsey Rams head coach Sean McVay didn't downplay the club's interest in a reunion Agencies say Trump’s latest push to trim government could impede firefighting efforts and create crises at national parks The US Forest Service is firing about 3,400 recent hires while the National Park Service is terminating about 1,000 workers under Donald Trump’s push to cut federal spending and bureaucracy The terminations target employees who are in their probationary employment periods which includes anyone hired less than a year ago and will affect sites such as the Appalachian trail the birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr and the Sequoia national forest The cuts represent about 10% of the Forest Service workforce and about 5% of National Park Service employees law enforcement and certain meteorologists “Allowing parks to hire seasonal staff is essential but staffing cuts of this magnitude will have devastating consequences for parks and communities,” the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) president The association warned in a statement this month that staffing levels were not keeping pace with increasing demands on the national park system which saw 325m visits in 2023 alone – an increase of 13m from 2022 the NPCA’s senior vice-president of government affairs warned that visitors from around the world expecting a once-in-a-lifetime experience could now be faced with “overflowing trash uncleaned bathrooms and fewer rangers to provide guidance” Like other government agencies, the National Park Service was taken by surprise by a late January order from the White House office of management and budget pausing federal grants The administration rescinded the order two days later and is re-evaluating it about 280,000 employees out of the 2.3 million-member civilian federal workforce were hired in the last two years with most still on probation and easier to fire In addition to the visits to national parks about 159 million people visit national forests annually said it could not comment on personnel matters The agriculture department said in a statement that protecting people and communities “Our wildland firefighter and other public safety positions are of the utmost priority,” it added the federal funding freeze is affecting programs meant to mitigate wildfire risk in western states as well as freezing the hiring of seasonal firefighters The reduction in resources for wildfire prevention comes a month after devastating blazes in Los Angeles that are expected to be the costliest in US history Free newsletterA deep dive into the policies controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration The Oregon-based Lomakatsi Restoration Project non-profit said its contracts with federal agencies including the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management “The funding freeze has impacted more than 30 separate grants and agreements that Lomakatsi has with federal agencies including pending awards as well as active agreements that are already putting work on the ground,” the project’s executive director said in a letter to the senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon A spokesperson for the interior department the parent agency of the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service Senate Democrats have called on the administration to unlock fire-mitigation funding and separately have asked interior and agriculture department leadership to exempt seasonal firefighters from a broad federal hiring freeze an advocacy group for federal firefighters said its members have been unable to hire the hundreds of firefighters that are typically brought on at this time of year to gear up for the summer fire season “The agencies already have had a recruitment and retention problem,” Riva Duncan vice-president of the Grassroots Wildland Firefighters The Colts on Thursday announced defensive tackle DeForest Buckner was selected by his teammates as the team's 2024 Ed Block Courage Award recipient The award annually recognizes players from all 32 teams for courageous play During his nine-year career with the San Francisco 49ers (2016-2019) and Colts (2020-present) Buckner has established himself not only as one of the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL but as one of the toughest players in the entire league a three-time Pro Bowler and 2020 first-team AP All-Pro has only missed six games in his entire career due to injury 27 passes batted down and two defensive touchdowns Buckner battled his way back from an ankle injury that landed him on injured reserve for five games to put together an impactful season: The 30-year-old has the third-highest pass rushing productivity rate among defensive tackles and his 17.3 percent pass rush win rate is second-highest in that group has made a similarly positive impact off the field Buckner has hosted an Indianapolis Colts Skills Camp in each of the last three years providing an opportunity to boys and girls in grades 2-8 to get position-specific coaching in both flag and tackle football He's been a regular participant in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana (BBBSCI) events and has served as the BBBSCI's lead spokesperson for a combined recruitment and fundraising campaign Buckner has helped with the Colts' defensive line's annual D-Line Christmas which distributes gifts to local youth during the holidays Buckner ad Colts Vice Chair/Owner Kalen Jackson visited mothers and babies Ascension St Vincent to deliver sleep sacks to help promote safe sleep for Indiana infants Buckner has also been a prominent presence in fundraisers and PSAs for Kicking The Stigma the Irsay family and Colts' initiative to raise awareness about mental health and end the stigma surrounding mental illnesses the foundation started by former Colts head coach Frank Reich and his wife the Baltimore Colts' head athletic trainer from 1954-1977 and the Colts' trainer emeritus until his passing in 1983 Recent Colts recipients of the Ed Block Courage Award include: DeForest Buckner has been named the 2024 Ed Block Courage Award recipient by his teammates recognizing DeForest as one who exemplifies commitment to the principles of sportsmanship Buckner is one of 32 players selected across the NFL with the award to be presented at a banquet in Baltimore later this year DT DeForest Buckner #99 and DE Genard Avery #92 LB Zaire Franklin #44 and CB Kenny Moore II #23 DT DeForest Buckner #99 and DT Raekwon Davis #98 DT DeForest Buckner #99 and DE Laiatu Latu #97 DE Tyquan Lewis #94 and DT DeForest Buckner #99 G Quenton Nelson #56 and DT DeForest Buckner #99 RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and DT DeForest Buckner #99 DE Dayo Odeyingbo #54 and DT DeForest Buckner #99 DT DeForest Buckner #99 and RB Tyler Goodson #31 DT DeForest Buckner #99 and Kalon Humphries Tony Dungy - Diversity Coaching Fellow DT DeForest Buckner #99 and DT Taven Bryan #96 DT Grover Stewart #90 and DT DeForest Buckner #99 LB Zaire Franklin #44 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28 DT DeForest Buckner #99 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28 DT DeForest Buckner #99 and DT DeForest Buckner #99 CB Kenny Moore II #23 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28 DE Tyquan Lewis #94 and DT Grover Stewart #90 Indianapolis – The Indianapolis Colts today signed defensive end Genard Avery to the 53-man roster from the practice squad and placed defensive tackle DeForest Buckner on the Injured Reserve list The team also signed defensive tackle Adam Gotsis cornerback Gregory Junior and defensive end Titus Leo to the practice squad and released defensive tackle McTelvin Agim and cornerback Ameer Speed from the practice squad was signed to the team's practice squad on August 28 He was originally signed by Indianapolis as a free agent on June 1 Avery has played in 62 career games (17 starts) in his time with the Colts (2023-24) Philadelphia Eagles (2019-21) and Cleveland Browns (2018-19) one fumble recovery and six special teams stops Avery has also appeared in one postseason contest and has registered one tackle has started 126-of-131 career regular season games in his time with the Colts (2020-24) and San Francisco 49ers (2016-20) and has compiled 550 tackles (336 solo) 10 fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown) and one special teams stop He has started four postseason contests and has registered 14 tackles (11 solo) Buckner played in two games (one start) and registered seven tackles (five solo) has played in 121 career games (54 starts) in his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2020-24) and Denver Broncos (2016-19) four fumble recoveries and two special teams stops Gotsis has also appeared in two postseason contests and has tallied two solo tackles and one special teams stop He was originally selected by the Broncos in the second round (63rd overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Georgia Tech appeared in 10 career games in two seasons (2022-23) with the Jacksonville Jaguars and totaled 17 tackles (11 solo) 2.0 tackles for loss and one pass defensed He was originally selected by the Jaguars in the sixth round (197th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Ouachita Baptist Junior participated in Jacksonville's 2024 offseason program and training camp He participated in the Colts' 2024 offseason program and training camp Leo spent the entire season on the team's Injured Reserve list He was originally selected by Indianapolis in the sixth round (211th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft Leo saw action in 38 career games (33 starts) at Wagner (2018-22) and totaled 234 tackles (140 solo) two fumble recoveries and three blocked extra points He was named NEC Defensive Player of the Year two times (2020-21) First Team All-NEC three times (2020-22) and earned FCS First Team All-America recognition (2021) was signed to the team's practice squad on August 29 He has played in 18 career games in his time with the Colts (2022-24) Houston Texans (2023-24) and Denver Broncos (2020-21) He was originally selected by Denver in the third round (95th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Arkansas He was originally claimed by Indianapolis off waivers from the New England Patriots on October 20 Speed played in eight games with the Colts and compiled one solo tackle 1.0 tackle for loss and five special teams stops he saw action in five games and tallied two solo tackles and one special teams stop Speed was originally selected by New England in the sixth round (214th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Michigan State who originally joined the Colts as a member of their practice squad in 2017 has 114 receptions for 1,433 yards with 15 touchdowns over 108 games in his career Gay spent the last two years with the Colts and made 64/78 field goal attempts The Colts officially signed Bynum on Monday recorded 2.5 sacks during the 2024 playoffs for the Los Angeles Rams Herbert has averaged 4.8 yards per carry over his four-year career with the Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Bengals The Colts made the roster move on Thursday The Colts officially signed Jones on Thursday The Colts officially signed Ward on Thursday Dulin is entering his seventh season with the Colts Pinter started two games at center in 2024 and has been with the Colts since 2020 INDIANAPOLIS -- The winless Colts placed Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner on injured reserve Tuesday with a right high ankle sprain The news is a blow to a reeling Colts defense that has been bombarded by opponents' rushing attacks through two games, allowing a league-worst 474 rushing yards to the Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers Buckner will miss a minimum of four games, easily the longest absence of his impressive career. The nine-year veteran has missed just one game to injury in his career. That came in 2016, his rookie season with the San Francisco 49ers he's been one of the most durable players in the NFL Buckner's presence will be missed. Since 2018, only two interior defensive linemen in the league -- Aaron Donald and Chris Jones -- have more than Buckner's 53.5 sacks Buckner also has one of the highest snap counts among defensive tackles He has played 73.5% of the Colts' defensive snaps since joining the team in a trade in 2020 "He means a great deal to us," defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said Tuesday "He's a strong presence in that D-line room and not only [with] the D-line but the whole defense they have great trust in him and know that he's going to play his tail off." The Colts also lost 2023 sack leader Samson Ebukam to an Achilles injury in training camp Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner ends the New England Patriots' opening drive with an 11-yard sack on Patriots quarterback Darke Maye Check out the top 10 plays from Indianapolis Colts Pro Bowl linebacker Zaire Franklin from the 2024 NFL season Check out the top 10 plays from Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner from the 2024 NFL season Check out the top 10 plays from Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson from the 2024 NFL season Check out the top 10 plays from Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor from the 2024 NFL season Relive every Indianapolis Colts sack from the 2024 season Check out the top 10 plays from Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce from the 2024 NFL season Relive every Indianapolis Colts takeaway from the 2024 season Watch the 10 best highlight plays made by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2024 NFL Season Watch the highlights of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson during the 2024 NFL season From Alec Pierce's electrifying 60-yard bomb in Week 1 to Jonathan Taylor's TD run in Week 18 relive every Indianapolis Colts touchdown from the 2024 season Watch the best plays by Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin from the 2024 NFL Season Watch the best plays by Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs from the 2024 NFL Season Watch the Indianapolis Colts' top plays vs the Jacksonville Jaguars during Week 18 of the 2024 NFL season Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor's best runs from his 177-yard game vs Watch highlights from the Week 18 matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Indianapolis Colts during the 2024 NFL season Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin sacks Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones for a loss of 22 yards in overtime Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce gets both feet down on a 17-yard chain-moving reception in overtime Indianapolis Colts kicker Matt Gay makes a 38-yard field goal to give the Colts a 26-23 overtime lead over the Jacksonville Jaguars Indianapolis Colts kicker Matt Gay makes a 45-yard field to give the Colts a three point lead with 3:52 remaining in the game against their Jacksonville Jaguars Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs turns on the breaks before pivoting for an 18-yard gain against the Jacksonville Jaguars Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor's jump-cut to the outside results in a 17-yard gain against the Jacksonville Jaguars Indianapolis Colts safety Nick Cross tackles Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne in the backfield for a loss of 7 yards Indianapolis Colts quarterback Joe Flacco rips a pass over the middle of the field to wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr Julian Blackmon intercepts the Mac Jones pass vs Indianapolis Colts kicker Matt Gay's 36-yard field goal increases the Indianapolis Colts' lead to seven over the Jacksonville Jaguars This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Indonesia’s new president argued oil palm plantations are like forests ‘oil palms are trees … they’ve got leaves.’” Environmental activists and experts have criticized President Prabowo Subianto’s remarks made at a national development conference held in Jakarta on Dec They say this narrative downplays the scientific evidence about the role of oil palm plantations in driving deforestation “Saying that palm oil is a forest crop is so bad because it seems like we don’t understand the difference between forests and plantations,” said Herry Purnomo a senior scientist at the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and a professor at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) “Cassava and grass also absorb carbon dioxide All crops that have green leaves absorb carbon dioxide.” Herry told Mongabay that Prabowo’s statements came across as an attempt to defend Indonesia’s palm oil industry from criticisms over its environmental impacts particularly from foreign countries like members of the European Union Prabowo referenced those criticisms in his speech when he called for the expansion of oil palm plantations “And I think in the future, we also need to plant more palm oil. We don’t need to be afraid of endangering — what’s it called — deforestation, right?” he said So why are we being accused [of deforestation] Those things they said [about deforestation] don’t make any sense.” Herry said this was an oversimplification of the issue that could fuel greater environmental degradation and land conflicts undermining Indonesia’s global climate commitments “If we defend palm oil blindly without a scientific basis other countries will blindly accuse us as well They will perceive all palm oil [produced in Indonesia] to be coming from deforestation,” he said Palm oil is one of seven commodities that will be subjected to the EU’s new antideforestation regulation when it comes into effect at the end of 2025 The EUDR mandates strict traceability and sustainability for imports of these commodities into the EU market While it’s true that oil palm plantations store carbon they’re nowhere near as effective as the forests they replaced Clearing a plot of standing forest to establish a palm plantation releases more CO2 than can be sequestered by growing oil palms on the same plot So while a new oil palm plantation may grow faster and sequester carbon at a higher annual rate than a naturally regenerating forest it will still end up storing less carbon than leaving the original forest standing Carbon losses are even greater when the plantation is established on peatlands which store vast amounts of carbon in their soil which is drained to prepare the land for planting “Forests store around 300 tons of CO2 per hectare 10 times more than oil palm plantations,” Herry said Prabowo is essentially downplaying the ecological damage caused by oil palm plantations biodiversity loss and carbon emissions from land clearing and peatland destruction The expansion of oil palm plantations has been a major driver of deforestation in Indonesia over the past 20 years, accounting for one-third of Indonesia’s loss of old-growth forest — an area of 3 million hectares (7.4 million acres) And data from CIFOR show that oil palm plantations were the largest contributor to deforestation in Indonesia between 2021 and 2022 resulting in annual greenhouse gas emissions of 200 million metric tons This coincided with the rapid expansion of oil palm plantations in Indonesia to meet growing global demand Today, palm oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world, found in around half of all packaged products sold in supermarkets Palm oil expansion has also been linked to biodiversity loss as oil palm plantations support far fewer species than do forests and often also fewer than other tree crops Oil palm cultivation already threatens at least 193 species listed as critically endangered the global wildlife conservation authority It’s played a major role in the decline in species such as orangutans and tigers These are all things that Prabowo should understand as president plantations lead at the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) “What’s surprising is that the statement of palm oil not causing deforestation because it has leaves was made by the president, who should have spoken based on science, knowledge, research and facts,” she said If Indonesia continues to expand its oil palm plantations in forested areas the country could lose large swaths of its remaining rainforests effectively reversing the recent trend of declining forest loss in the country executive director of Indonesian environmental and human rights advocacy group Satya Bumi Just within existing oil palm concessions, there are still 2.4 million hectares (5.9 million acres) of intact forest; these could be lost if palm oil expansion in the country is left unchecked The industry’s expansion beyond existing concessions is also likely to push threatened species closer to extinction 54% and 64% respectively of all threatened amphibians mammals and birds are set to be affected by future expansion of the industry is nowhere near as good at retaining water as the forest trees it replaced environmentalists have long called on the government and the industry to focus on increasing the yields of existing plantations rather than continuing to expand into forested areas This is particularly important as there’s already too many plantations in Indonesia to the point that the industry almost exceeded the country’s environmental capacity Recent research by Satya Bumi and the NGOs Sawit Watch and Madani Berkelanjutan estimated that the maximum extent of oil palm plantations that Indonesia can host without doing further catastrophic damage to the environment is 18.15 million hectares (44.8 million acres) The current planted area is 17.3 million hectares (42.7 million acres) “These findings are important [when you] remember that the palm oil industry in Indonesia has been expanding too much in the past two decades,” he said “If the development of the palm oil industry is left unchecked there will be massive ecological and economic loss.” Experts warn that Prabowo’s remarks also risk undermining Indonesia’s credibility in international climate negotiations as the country’s leadership may appear out of touch with global priorities in tackling climate change This could jeopardize billions in green investments and palm oil exports to markets like the EU that demand sustainability “Our climate commitment to the world where we [have pledged to] reduce emissions could be threatened,” Sawit Watch executive director Achmad Surambo said as quoted by local media the country’s main palm oil business association welcomed Prabowo’s call to expand oil palm plantations He suggested such an expansion should be aimed at meeting domestic demand for programs like the government’s biofuel initiative “If [an expansion us] done, then it should be tasked to state-owned enterprises so that there’s no perception that the private sector will keep expanding the size of palm oil plantations,” he said as quoted by local news Eddy said there should be no worry if the expansion is done in areas categorized as degraded or no longer forested saying that any future expansion of palm oil plantations should ideally be done on nonforested lands of which there are around 3 million hectares But even if new plantations are established on nonforested lands there are still risks of conflicts with local and Indigenous communities living in those areas This is because the government often perceives these state-owned lands as vacant disregarding the fact that there may already be communities living there for generations “If we go to Papua [Indonesia’s easternmost region] nearly all [the land is] Indigenous territory,” Surambo said “[So] it’s not wise to expand [plantations] What’s realistic is to intensify [production on existing plantations].” Risks of conflicts are especially heightened as Prabowo instructed officials to “protect oil palm plantations everywhere,” describing them as “national assets.” This then prompts authorities to interpret this as a mandate to prioritize corporate interests over environmental and human rights concerns activists and communities protesting land grabs deforestation or Indigenous rights violations could face heightened scrutiny or even criminalization under the pretext of protecting economic interests “That’s why it’s not a stretch for us to think that this instruction will legitimize the approach of militarized enforcement in palm oil plantations,” Uli said violence and criminalization against people.” With heightened risks of land conflicts and deforestation from future expansion of plantations CIFOR’s Herry urged Prabowo to not forget that he’s the leader of all Indonesians including those who want to protect the country’s remaining forests “People who support forest conservation are also the citizens of Indonesia not only those who work in plantations,” he said “So we need to find balance between forest conservation and plantation productivity.” Banner image: An oil palm plantation adjacent to tropical forest in Borneo [means] there is a compelling global case for prioritzing their conservation,” the scientists write FEEDBACK: Use this form to send a message to the author of this post The “fortress conservation” model is under pressure in East Africa as protected areas become battlegrounds over history and global efforts to halt biodiversity loss Mongabay’s Special Issue goes beyond the region’s world-renowned safaris to examine how rural communities and governments are reckoning with conservation’s colonial origins and trying to forge a path forward […] A new kind of magazine for a new kind of South Standing Together for a Better South - 2020 Membership drive We want our customers happy. If you have a problem, just email us Longleaf pine can survive natural disasters Writer and naturalist Janisse Ray visits a longleaf champion who wants to bring back this forest of heart-stopping beauty – one match at a time Noss called the landscape “critically endangered.” Longleaf pine once covered 92 million acres of the upland South Although it survives disturbances like hurricanes and fires it could not survive the greatest disturbance of all I imagine Jesse lying in the darkness listening to his trees cracking apart Yours is a special worry when redemption is what you’re seeking.    Jesse Wimberly is a man who got a second chance he worked as a community activist in Seattle when one day his mother phoned and he needed to come home to take care of it Jesse is not sure why he answered the call and took up residence in a historic heart-pine cabin on his property in nearby West End Jesse’s ancestors pulled up onto their newly purchased land in a covered wagon You can bend down and see those original 16-by-16 timbers A hitching post made of resinous heart-pine still sticks up from the ground in front of the cabin A small piazza holds a single rocking chair And Jesse — the same Jesse who wants a better world who wants peace and happiness for everyone — logged them all Jesse Wimberly in the living room of his West End built entirely of longleaf pine by his ancestors in 1870 Wimberly is founder of the Sandhills Prescribed Burn Association in North Carolina teaching landowners skills about prescribed fires Longleaf pine is a strange and beautiful life form I’d like to tell you a few things about it I really want you to fall in love with it and praise it as I did with all my heart in Ecology of a Cracker Childhood All round the cabin his new forest is singing Here’s what you need to know about longleaf pine Seedlings remain in what’s called a “grass stage” for one to seven years while they strike a deep taproot sometimes developing a proper trunk in one growing season their heartwood becoming dense and red with resins they lose the signature cone shape of evergreens flattening and taking the form of a chalice.  This tree ranges from southern Virginia to eastern Texas covering vast acreages of coastal plains and also diverse niches from open savanna to sandhill to wet pine meadow to the hills of Berry College in others bluestem grass or turkey oak trees.  A medley of plants and animals evolved with the pine I’ll just lay down a little longleaf list poem here Many of them diminished as forests were lost Denizens of longleaf differ from place to place Gopher tortoises don’t range into the sandhills of North Carolina Venus flytraps are mostly limited to North Carolina.  Some longleaf pine habitats are among the most diverse ecosystems in the world Over 40 species of plants per square meter (about the size of a yard) have been found in pine savannas for example.  If a bunch of us parachuted into longleaf across its entire range Its natural history varies from place to place.  Fire is why I visit Jesse soon after the January ice storm He fills the chalices of the trees with fire.  the federal government gave Americans an enormous gift It promised to bring back our iconic longleaf pine landscape It announced America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative with a goal of 8 million acres restored by 2025 Eight million is a far cry from the 92 that once were In a minute I’ll tell you where we actually are America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative is managed by a group of folks called the Longleaf Partnership Council which they call a “recovery area,” includes 18 hotspots and these hotspots are represented by Local Implementation Teams By focusing on certain areas for longleaf recovery money can be funneled to places of highest priority.  It encompasses six North Carolina counties including much of the 70,000-acre Sandhills Game Land and then eastward to Fayetteville and the Cape Fear River It picks up 270,000 acres of Fort Liberty (formerly Bragg) Military Reservation At the heart is Jesse’s territory and the town of Southern Pines Jesse and I walk a trail through the forest he has been painstakingly restoring for over 30 years his dark hair switching to a gray I’ve come to love He wears calf-high duck boots and a dark blue fleece jacket over a couple of shirts and he levels a pottery mug of coffee in one hand “Longleaf was the prized possession of the early settlers,” he says It’s fence posts.” He keeps listing: medicine “Every aspect of their lives came from the forest “Longleaf seemed so infinite,” Jesse continues ‘We can’t affect this thing.’ But we did.”  gradually descending a sandhill of pines and wiregrass toward a shining body of water that I learn is a beaver pond.  then stops and for the next 20 minutes tells about a seepage bog or how he lived in the cabin seven years without electricity Ours is a long walk over a short distance through a forest that does not show signs of trauma but appears elegant Our last stop at Jesse’s place is his boneyard It’s a museum of heart pine that he’s dragged out of the woods — stumps The pine here is gray from sitting out in the weather Restoration of longleaf pine means more than tree-planting Once saplings are in the ground and a forest is coming back Fire is necessary for battling shrubs and hardwood trees determined to colonize for scoring the ground so that seeds can germinate in mineral soil Here in Jesse’s forest I see blackened bark The range of longleaf pine corresponds to a high number of lightning strikes per year That’s why seedlings stay small for a few years — they huddle close to the ground during fires — and why they spring quickly upward rushing to get their growing bud out of the reach of fire The original inhabitants and early settlers throughout the range lived with fire One of Jesse’s favorite stories is of taking his mom — 95 and suffering from macular degeneration and dementia — outside to sit under a pecan tree near the kitchen door “Is that grass growing around the cabin?” she asked.  Early settlers kept their yards meticulously raked and free of grass or tree litter Lightning would strike and fires would travel through the woods The woods needed fire and the people recognized that and longleaf aficionados still recognize it.  For restoration of the landscape to be successful This makes the term “hotspot” especially apropos about 90 percent of Southern land is privately owned and the average landowner in the South owns fewer than 100 acres To meet America’s goals for recovery of the longleaf pine landscape Private land is expensive to buy for conservation and if owners aren’t interested in selling conversion to longleaf pine forests requires landowner buy-in.  “There’s a lot of enthusiasm for moving a landowner from interest to action,” Jesse says.  and the group’s goals are simple: 1) return fire to the land; 2) educate the public about fire; and 3) support independent fire practitioners “That’s the only way to restore this landscape,” Jesse says.  Some 70 Prescribed Burn Associations have been formed in 12 states Eighty percent were interested in using fire They didn’t know how; they were nervous about liability; and they didn’t have enough people to help with a burn Often federal agencies like forestry commissions don’t have the resources to serve small landowners well Jesse set out to create a critical mass of burners in the Carolina Sandhills “It’s like the old barn-raising,” Jesse says He points out placards that indicate landowners who burn: Pardon Our Smoke a longleaf restoration director for the group brown-eyed man wearing hemp shoes and a plaid flannel shirt pulls out a laminated map of the Sandhills “A big part of our conservation strategy has been to work across The Gap,” Jeff says with long sandy hair,  and wears black leather work boots and skinny-leg jeans The Calloway preserve not only fills a hole in The Gap but is hundreds of acres of mature so we get in a vehicle and drive for miles on car-wide paths through long rolling vistas of longleaf and wiregrass burned pine with a grassy understory is the goal,” says Jeff a longtime proponent of longleaf pine restoration and one of the ecosystem’s best friends has planted more than a million longleaf pine seedlings in the region Especially important in this hotspot is the recovery of the red-cockaded woodpecker Numbers of woodpeckers is one way the ecologists measure success each symbolizing an active cluster of woodpeckers Restoration in The Gap helps create landscape corridors for the birds to use.  and restoration does not end with any one species “There are a lot more species to think about,” Deb says we need to accomplish more thinning and more burning.”  I ask Deb to list other species important to longleaf  habitat She’s listing when we decide to stop and get out The vast majority of Southern land is privately owned and recovery of the longleaf pine landscape is going to require the dedicated buy-in of working landowners some 70 Prescribed Burn Associations have been formed in 12 states Across the 92 million acres of historic longleaf range ecologists put the system back together in such a way that everything is restored piece by piece The Longleaf Partnership Council releases annual data on progress — number of acres protected we are right about [at] 5.2 million acres of longleaf pine on the Southeastern landscape.”  Some of the additions are outright land purchases some are conversions from pine plantations to natural forest restorationists realize that we won’t reach 8 million by 2025 and at the same time folks continue to restore other elements of the ecosystem some landowners are trying growing-season burns to encourage growth of native plants Some states set up burn trailers containing drip torches and “smoke ahead” signs and make them available for private landowners where neighborhoods surround a remnant longleaf forest neighbors have embraced burning as a tradition More Prescribed Burn Associations form.  biologists install more artificial nest cavities for red-cockaded woodpeckers The Orianne Society breeds eastern indigo snakes to release in the wild Four hundred  captive-bred Louisiana pine snakes one of the most rare and endangered snakes in North America have been returned to  the Kisatchie National Forest volunteers collect wiregrass seeds so that local genetics can be used in replanting Texas is developing locally adapted native seed sources for restoration.  The Jones Center in Georgia studies the effects of hurricanes on longleaf pines an ancient longleaf’s birthday is celebrated with festivities “Our cultures are short on vision-keepers,” Jesse said to me at one point during our two days together I know dozens and dozens of people who have fallen in love with longleaf pine because together these longleaf-lovers make a conflagration.  He is keeping the vision of a forest that went for hundreds and hundreds of miles across the entire South all my personal disturbance about its present and future left me so hot I could put my hand to my chest and feel the heat.  It asked me to see its suffering and give it a hand The word “psalm” comes from the Greek “psalmos,” meaning the twanging of a harp; longleaf played its harp for me and I wrote a psalm to it Every one of them exists because of a vision-keeper from the wet meadows to the piney mountains Someone reading this homage to Jesse and fire will stand up holding open the hope that we get it all back They will stand and pick up the torch.  ◊ Janisse Ray is an American writer whose subject most often falls into the borderland of nature and culture She has published six books of nonfiction and two collections of eco-poetry Southern Environmental Law Center Writing Awards The author has been inducted into the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame She lives on an organic farm near Reidsville North Carolina-based visual journalist and filmmaker documenting the American South Her work focuses on storytelling and environmental portraiture and often explores issues of social justice and the shifting politics of the region her first job was making snowballs at a gas station SUBSCRIBENEWSLETTERGENERAL STORE STORIESPODCASTFOODWAYSPARTNERSHIPS ABOUT USTEAMCONTACT MEDIA KITCUSTOMER SERVICESUBMISSIONS the world’s biodiversity is disappearing at a rapid pace Humans are going to increasing lengths to save what’s left But to what extent should humans be “playing God” to preserve the planet as we know it When Hurricane Douglas came barreling toward Oahu in 2020 David Sischo quickly packed up and drove to higher ground Sischo works with some of the rarest endangered species on the planet it's said they were like Christmas ornaments covering the trees Almost all of the 750 different species were found only in Hawaii the extinctions happening in the span of a human lifetime Sischo and his team with Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources have the heavy task of saving what's left live in human care inside an unremarkable trailer near Honolulu their wild populations having completely disappeared when they think endangered species going extinct they think of pandas and tigers and elephants but imagine having 40 different panda species that are all as rare as pandas are," Sischo says one species of snail will inch toward an auspicious milestone It will be released in a special enclosure in the mountains of Oahu one that has been painstakingly prepared to give the snails the best chance of survival in their natural environment the outlook for Hawaii's snails is uncertain symbolizing a new era in the conservation of endangered species plants and animals are being brought into captivity as a last-ditch effort against extinction But as the climate heats up and invasive species continue to spread many have no clear path to return to nature in the near-term many wildlife biologists say there's no other choice "These are biological treasures that are irreplaceable," Sischo says What we manage to keep on Earth will be what the next generation is able to put back." Around 1 million species of plants and animals are at risk of extinction around the planet With habitat loss and temperatures rising with climate change the biodiversity crisis is only accelerating and the effects can be cumulative Lose enough species and an ecosystem can crumble like a house of cards "I don't think people realize how fast things are changing," Sischo says To keep that from happening to Hawaii's native snails They rely on life support systems in the Snail Extinction Prevention Program trailer kept in environmental chambers that control temperature and release mist to simulate their native rainforest habitat alerting Sischo and his team 24 hours a day Sischo pulls out one with snails the size of a fingernail hiding among the leaves a snail with a pale yellow shell and a bold black stripe swirling around it Most are withdrawn into their shells because they're nocturnal but a small one gingerly pokes out its antenna "I've never had anyone come in here before and not leave thinking the snails were really cool and cute." Other snails have intricate stripe patterns almost like they're sporting a plaid shirt One snail has a shell like a miniature cinnamon roll "Our tree snails are known as the jewels of the forest," he says Hawaii's tree snails play a crucial role in the ecosystem having evolved over millions of years on the isolated islands instead eating the fungus that grows on them That helps keep the native trees clean and recycles nutrients in the forest The snails also hold an important place in Native Hawaiian culture So they were probably one of the most revered invertebrates in the world." Hawaii's tree snails were no match for the barrage of changes that humans brought The snails' habitat disappeared as Hawaii's forests were cleared for agriculture But the biggest threat came in the form of another snail a predatory snail was introduced to Hawaii from Florida The rosy wolf snail was released to control another invasive snail but as so many invasive species stories go Rosy wolf snails are exceptionally good at eating native snails hunting them down by following their slime trails and ripping them from their shells they know the direction it was going," Sischo says "Once they're locked in on a trail from a native snail As hundreds of native snail species began disappearing Sischo and other biologists realized the only way to save them was to bring them into captivity was known to persist in a group of trees that somehow hadn't been invaded by rosy wolf snails Sischo's team found only six of the snails on the ground and collected them One species thought to be extinct was rediscovered in a tree but it was too late by the time Sischo's team hurried back to collect them "It was gut-wrenching to know we had that chance And then there's George, the only remaining individual of Achatinella apexfulva. It lived in Sischo's lab, but with no remaining potential mates, died as the last of its species. Even for the snails secured in captivity, recovery is slow. Hawaii's native snails are 5 years old when they start reproducing and give live birth to a single baby. Over a year, they only produce between one and five offspring in all. Growing the population from a small number of individuals can be a decades-long process. Inside the lab, there are also risks lurking. The snails need fresh native plants for food, so the team is continually in the process of cleaning the tanks, removing old leaves (without missing a snail) and replacing them with new leaves. But the plants can carry pathogens that kill the snails, potentially wiping out an entire species. "It is super stressful," Sischo says. "All of us feel it. People might think it's silly to feel that for snails, but if we mess up, it's over for a species. So yeah, I have sleepless nights." Sischo didn't dream of being a snail expert as a kid but was introduced to them as part of a science internship as an undergraduate. The snails "picked me," he says with a laugh. Now, with so many of them in peril, Sischo says the only choice is to keep going, despite the long hours. "I feel it's unacceptable to let a species go," he says. "I feel like we have to try, at the very least. We're not going to be able to save everything, but we have to try." This winter, after decades in captivity, one snail will make a momentous journey back to its forest home. In the mountains of Oahu, Sischo's team has been carefully preparing a small patch of forest for Achatinella fuscobasis to return to. Survival in the wild means keeping out predators, so Sischo's team has constructed a wall, Jurassic Park-style. The large fence is covered in rosy wolf snail deterrents. There's a rough metal patch they don't want to crawl on, a sharp metal lip they get stuck under, and a wire at the top to give them a small shock. Around the quarter-acre enclosure, rosy wolf snails are not hard to spot. Sischo's team lets down a ladder to get inside and then immediately pulls it up again. "We don't take any chances," he says. "So we go in and then pull up the drawbridge. It's almost like they're trying to storm the castle." Removing the rosy wolf snails from inside the enclosure is an even harder task. For the last year and a half, a field team has periodically searched the ground and trees for them, examining each blade of grass. Rosy wolf snail eggs are as small as a Tic Tac. "We line up in a line and then comb through the leaf litter," says field technician Sidney Stiefel, with a half-smile. "You're on your hands and knees, in the rain, in the hot sun, feeling and looking." Returning the native snails to the wild will be a big moment, but it's not about setting them free in nature. At the most, it's about creating redundancy, another population that helps ensure their survival if something goes wrong. "A lot of people, when you're talking about endangered species, you're talking about recovery," Sischo says. "But we're not. We're talking about stabilization. Keeping them on Earth is what we're trying to do." There are 13 of these snail enclosures across several Hawaiian islands now, with 10 more being planned. Sischo says the challenge is scaling up, given how labor-intensive they are. Finding the resources to save snails can be a tough sell, especially compared to some of the better-known endangered species. The future of Hawaii's treasured snails is not guaranteed. Real recovery will mean finding a way to control rosy wolf snails on the landscape, a solution that still is elusive. In the meantime, Sischo's team will keep going. "It's like caring for a critically ill patient or family member," he says. "I feel like I have to do this. What we do now will matter to the trajectory of the Earth." “It says, ‘This enormous medical bill is being sent to you on the off chance that you might go ahead and pay it.’ ”Cartoon by Barbara SmallerCopy link to cartoonCopy link to cartoonLink copied On a hot day last November, I drove from Malindi to Shakahola. By the time I got out of the city, rain was falling heavily on the lush, green countryside. The roads became mush, and I had to stop several times to determine whether I could pass through pools of water without being submerged. I came to a village bordering the forest. Beyond the thickets of trees, where birds sheltered from the rain, lay mud huts built by Mackenzie’s followers. The forest seemed like a fortress. “Double pay on rainy days and clear bike lanes I can do. People coming halfway downstairs to meet you—you’ve got a better chance wishing for more wishes.”Cartoon by E. S. GlennCopy link to cartoonCopy link to cartoonLink copied “He was a great painter in his youth, but then he developed a ruinous addiction to drapery.”Cartoon by Adam Douglas ThompsonCopy link to cartoonCopy link to cartoonLink copied “You may now let me go try to get the sand out of my shoes and suit just in time for my next beach wedding.”Cartoon by Carolita JohnsonCopy link to cartoonCopy link to cartoonLink copied Mackenzie has been charged with the manslaughter of two hundred and thirty adults and the murders of a hundred and ninety-one children “Mackenzie will not get out of jail,” Kindiki “He will age in there” and “meet the wrath of God.” Residents of Malindi were so angry after Mackenzie’s arrest that they vandalized the building that once housed his church He said that the state was compelling church members to make statements against their will He claimed that the government was dumping bodies from around the country in Shakahola “Any person who has disappeared in Kenya is being blamed on Mackenzie,” Makasembo said “They’re fixing him.” (When contacted later about accusations that Mackenzie staged fake miracles Makasembo refused to comment unless he was paid for it I visited Mackenzie in a holding cell at a courthouse in Malindi Several of his family members were visiting He was wearing a blue-and-green striped shirt and a red baseball cap I sat next to him on a bench; we were so close that our legs and arms were touching He said that he had advised his followers not to go to hospitals or schools but that he had not forced them to do anything His wife noted that he was not the only one concerned over the types of things that children were being taught in schools—including L.G.B.T.Q issues—and that in Florida the government was censoring textbooks Mackenzie said that he had stopped preaching in 2019 and that he had never set up a formal place of worship in Shakahola It was just shambas.” He had lived there as a member of the community Mackenzie denied that he had told his followers to fast: “No no!” He said that allegations that his security force had killed followers were false I asked him about the accounts of mutilated bodies found in graves in Shakahola I mentioned that more than a hundred children had reportedly been found in the ground there “The thing is that I’m just hearing it,” he said Government officials “have never taken me there.” When I said that there seemed to be substantial evidence that people had died in the forest it was because Jesus Christ had come and raptured them away who said that she had never been to Shakahola was more careful; she said that there seemed to have been a “mixture of some fights and conflicts,” and that she was “convinced” this was the cause of the deaths “I don’t—I don’t have a view of that because I wasn’t there.” (Since my visit she has been charged as an accomplice to manslaughter declined to comment on her case.) Mackenzie argued that his religious beliefs were being repressed “What I can say is that they are trying to fight my faith,” he said “The government doesn’t want what I believe and what I used to preach.” His expression was clear-eyed and assured because I know where I’m going,” he continued I visited Yaa at her simple homestead in the countryside outside Malindi she was preparing dinner with Halifu and Remi The child that Remi was pregnant with in Shakahola Remi and Halifu said that they wanted to get back to work and provide for their children He will help me.” The government had put many survivors into mandatory “rescue centers,” and had released them only when they said that they would testify but she now feared retaliation from Mackenzie’s supporters “I’m afraid my life will be in danger,” she said Halifu and Remi are in hiding from Mackenzie’s sympathizers The country is still reeling from the tragedy Some people have been reunited with loved ones “He’s everything to us.” Some are still waiting to learn the fate of their relatives and just heard that they found a match for one of his twin sons “It is now a reality that my children are all dead.” Kaudo said that had tried to persuade other survivors to continue fasting declined to comment on her case.) She recently called her family from jail asking that they take responsibility for her so that she could be released “She was telling me the kids escaped in the forest,” Betty “But with all the search operations those kids have not been found.” Trials for Mackenzie and his co-defendants have now begun on a trip to look at land near the Shakahola community that he was considering buying he and a group of associates came across four emaciated naked women crying for help; men from Mackenzie’s security force then chased the group away One of Mackenzie’s former followers described having to let his daughter starve to death Another said that Mackenzie tasked the force with surveilling followers and that he decided which members should be killed next Kenyans seeking a salve in religion remain in danger of exploitation “There are so many Mackenzies in Kenya—people who take advantage of ignorance and poverty,” Martin Olando Mackenzie’s TV station was taken over by a pastor named Ezekiel Odero who claims that he can make infertile women conceive and sells holy water and handkerchiefs that he says have the power to heal the sick The wife of Kenya’s Deputy President has attended his crusades the police reported that fifteen people had died at his church after coming there to be healed told the Kenyan newspaper the Nation that they had been critically ill when they arrived for their “spiritual interventions.” He has denied any wrongdoing and feels guilty that she took Halifu and Remi with her She considers it her duty to take care of them even though she barely has the means to provide for her own family She sometimes sees the faces of people who died in the forest in her sleep The other women are also haunted; Remi occasionally sleeps in Yaa’s bed She told me that she doesn’t blame Yaa: “We were just following salvation It was our decision to go with her.” Today Yaa doesn’t let pastors pray for her; she does it herself She no longer believes in Mackenzie’s teachings “I know how to read a Bible—there is nowhere in the Bible saying that we fast until we die,” she said A long-ago crime, suddenly remembered A limousine driver watches her passengers transform The day Muhammad Ali punched me What is it like to be keenly intelligent but deeply alienated from simple emotions? Temple Grandin knows The harsh realm of “gentle parenting.”  Retirement the Margaritaville way Fiction by F. Scott Fitzgerald: “Thank You for the Light.”  Sign up for our daily newsletter to receive the best stories from The New Yorker. INDIANAPOLIS -- DeForest Buckner did not mince words Buckner, a three-time Pro Bowler, a player who’s been a key part of a defense that went to a Super Bowl and arguably the most respected player in the Indianapolis locker room, did not like what he saw from the Colts defense in 2024 “There were times I feel like we were 11 individuals out there playing football It didn’t look like a unit out there at times.” Indianapolis finished 29th in the NFL in total yardage (361.2 yards per game), 24th in rushing defense (131.8), 26th in pass defense (229.4) and although the Colts improved their ranking in scoring defense going from 28th in 2023 to 24th this season The numbers have prompted widespread speculation that the Colts will end defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s three-year tenure in Indianapolis a tenure that has been marked by disappointment on that side of the ball Colts Shane Steichen: No decision on defensive coordinator Gus Bradley Colts owner Jim Irsay has already said he plans to bring back general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen but a decision could still be coming at defensive coordinator “There’s no decision that’s been made yet,” Steichen said on Bradley Steichen did not rule out a change at defensive coordinator “That’s part of the evaluation process,” Steichen said Bradley is not the only man responsible for the team’s defensive issues Ballard did not add any starting-caliber players to the secondary and his antidote for a young group of defensive backs  But Buckner’s concerns go beyond the team’s defensive talent “Looking back at the schedule and the season you saw us playing at a high level and playing as a defense,” Buckner said “And then we played some offenses that weren’t very good and it was like what happened to the defense from the week before I’m one of the leaders on the defensive side and that’s one of those things where I have to look back at how I can be better as a leader.” The issues came to a head in the penultimate game of the season when the Colts defense gave up five touchdowns to vagabond quarterback Drew Lock and 38 points to a Giants offense that finished 31st in the NFL in scoring Indianapolis should have had an advantage in chemistry Ballard brought back essentially the entire defense that struggled in 2023 betting on continued development from a young secondary and the addition of first-round defensive end Laiatu Latu to take the team to the next level A lot of the team’s core defensive players have been together for at least half a decade making the defense’s lack of cohesion surprising Buckner has an answer for why the Colts defense did not play like it should have “Everybody needs to check their ego at the door they all sacrifice that ego and check it at the door.”  Buckner believes the lack of offseason additions led to a lack of competition and that led to an air of complacency on the defense from players whose egos were not put in place by being pushed from the outside Buckner is not the only Colts defensive leader who called out his teammates during the season issued his own warning to the Colts after the team’s midseason loss to Buffalo “I don’t think everybody is working as hard as possible “I’m not the type to sugarcoat it; honestly and I don’t see everything correlating from the meetings to practice to the games Both Buckner and Moore acknowledged that the defense’s shortcomings fall Buckner is known within the locker room for checking players when they don’t meet the standard but he said the defense’s issues will prompt him to examine his leadership this offseason; Moore said on Monday that he must do a better job of being there for teammates who are struggling even when he’s playing well “It’s not like we haven’t called things out throughout the season that’s one of the things that I do on a weekly basis We’ve just got to do a better job of eliminating that stuff,” Buckner said “You can hold guys accountable and all this but part of it is taking personal ownership.”