Presentation on The Future of Wolves at MCLA's Green Living Seminar

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Carnivore Conservation Director Renee Seacor will give a presentation on the future of wolves on Feb. 26 as part of MCLA's Green Living Seminar Series.
 
Seacor, who directs Project Coyote at the Carnivore Conservation, will discuss the potential of wolf recovery in the Northeast, highlighting the history of wolves in the region, previous attempts at reintroduction in the Adirondack Park, the emerging science of wolf and coyote genetics, and the intersection of these issues with public policy.
 
Despite being federally protected as an endangered species, the wolf faces significant challenges as it attempts to reclaim its historical range in the region after decades of extirpation. Meanwhile, eastern coyotes—whose genetics reveal historical interbreeding with wolves and wolf-like traits—are hunted throughout the region with few restrictions.
 
This talk will explore the future of wolf recovery in the Northeast highlighting the urgent need for progressive policy changes that protect wild Canis species to facilitate their recovery.
 
In her role, Seacor works to advocate and advance policy solutions aimed at compassionately coexisting with our wild carnivore neighbors nationwide. She is an interdisciplinary environmental advocate with a background in wildlife ecology and environmental law and policy. She holds a bachelor's in Environmental Science from Rocky Mountain College in Montana and a JD with a concentration in environmental law from the University of Oregon School of Law.
 
Presentations occur every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation (FCSI) Room 121. Each presentation is free and open to the public. Podcasts will be posted online following each presentation. 
 
All lectures will be recorded and can be replayed on the MCLA ENVI Youtube Channel and broadcast on Northern Berkshire Community Television Channel (NBCTC) 1302 at the following times: 
  • Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.
  • Fridays at 4 p.m.
  • Saturdays at 3:30 p.m.
  • Sundays at 11:30 p.m.
  • Mondays at 5:30 p.m. 
Community members can find up-to-date information about the schedule at mcla.edu/greenliving.

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Williamstown Board of Health Looks to Regulate Nitrous Oxide Sales

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Board of Health last week agreed to look into drafting a local ordinance that would regulate the sale of nitrous oxide.
 
Resident Danielle Luchi raised the issue, telling the board she recently learned a local retailer was selling large containers of the compound, which has legitimate medical and culinary uses but also is used as a recreational drug.
 
The nitrous oxide (N2O) canisters are widely marketed as "whippets," a reference to the compound's use in creating whipped cream. Also called "laughing gas" for its medical use for pain relief and sedation, N2O is also used recreationally — and illegally — to achieve feelings of euphoria and relaxation, sometimes with tragic consequences.
 
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association earlier this year found that, "from 2010 to 2023, there was a total of 1,240 deaths attributable to nitrous oxide poisoning among people aged 15 to 74 years in the U.S."
 
"Nitrous oxide is a drug," Luchi told the board at its Tuesday morning meeting. "Kids are getting high from it. They're dying in their cars."
 
To combat the issue, the city of Northampton passed an ordinance that went into effect in June of this year.
 
"Under the new policy … the sale of [nitrous oxide] is prohibited in all retail establishments in Northampton, with the exception of licensed kitchen supply stores and medical supply stores," according to Northampton's website. "The regulation also limits sales to individuals 21 years of age and older and requires businesses to verify age using a valid government-issued photo ID."
 
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