Invasive Species Awareness Week is a time to pause and take a closer look at a growing issue that often goes unnoticed, yet has profound impacts on ecosystems, wildlife, and even our communities. Invasive species are plants, animals, or pathogens that are introduced to areas outside their natural range and cause harm to the environment, the economy, or human health. It is important to note that not all non native species are invasive . A non native species is one that has bee

Photo Credit: Ronen Zilberman/AP Pronounced: Pa-pa-hah-now-mo-koo-ah-keh-ah In my blog last week, I shared why Papahānaumokuākea is one of the most important marine protected areas in the world, from its vast size to its role as a refuge for wildlife like the albatross. But one piece of its story deserves a closer look. This week, I want to dive even deeper into a growing threat that reaches this remote monument despite its protections: plastic pollution. Papahānaumokuākea is

(Pronounced Pa-pa-hah-now-mo-koo-ah-keh-ah) Far northwest of the main Hawaiian Islands lies Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, the largest marine protected area in the world. Covering more than 582,000 square miles of ocean, coral reefs, and remote islands, it protects one of the most ecologically intact marine regions left on the planet. Designated in 2006 and expanded in 2016, Papahānaumokuākea was created to protect entire ecosystems rather than individual species

Biodiversity is a term you’ve probably heard, but what does it really mean? Simply put, biodiversity refers to the variety of life on Earth — from the tiniest microbes to the largest whales, and everything in between. It includes not just the number of species, but also the genetic differences within species and the ecosystems they form. Examples: Blue Whale 🐋 – The largest animal on Earth. Monarch Butterfly 🦋 – Famous for its long migrations. Giant Sequoia Tree 🌲 – Among