Environment and climate change journalist based on Canada's east coast.
http://moira-donovan.com
Moira Donovan
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By teasing DNA from ancient ground squirrel poop, scientists have reconstructed the mammoth-steppe ecosystem of hundreds of thousands of years ago—a window with lessons for our current period of environmental turmoil. My story for @biographic.bsky.social with edits from @colinschultz.bsky.social
According to legal experts, Canada's backtracking on climate policy — including the Alberta MOU — opens the country up to legal, political and environmental risks. My story for @cba-nationalmag.bsky.social
In 2025, I learned something surprising: scientists were starting to freeze samples of threatened microbial ecosystems in the name of conservation.
For @noemamag.com I explored how this is part of the emerging idea of microbial conservation — a practice scientist say we need before it's too late
Legal experts and NGOs say the dismantling of climate policies and proposed reforms of environmental regs may be the biggest rollback of environmental rules in Canadian history - and will create a massive blind spot when assessing projects' long-term impacts
Once in a while an editor suggests you take on something that seems like a head-scratcher at first. Thanks @jessehirsch.bsky.social for asking me to do this story on the rise in used cooking oil theft - and the greasy practices flowing from attempts to find alternatives to fossil fuels
There's increasing evidence that fish feel, and though the science isn't settled, researchers and fish farmers are undertaking projects to help fish have painless deaths - and enriching lives. My story for Offrange (with astute edits from @jessehirsch.bsky.social) ambrook.com/offrange/stu...
Moira Donovan
“I think it’s inevitable that this is going to make its way to the Supreme Court,” says Merle Alexander, principal at Miller Titerle + Company, and a member of Kitasoo Xai'xais First Nation. @moiradonovan.bsky.social has more. www.nationalmagazine.ca/en-ca/articl...
Moira Donovan
My documentary for CBC's Atlantic Voice. As climate change intensifies, a growing burden is falling on volunteer first responders. The group of Nova Scotian firefighters I spoke to are reckoning with how to protect their community - but it's taking a heavy personal toll www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
FOI documents show in some Atlantic Canadian fisheries, at-sea observers cover less than 1% of trips - for CBC Nova Scotia, I dug into documents and spoke to advocates about why the observer program is broken, and how electronic monitoring could help www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Atlantic Canada's first hyperscale data centre is proposed for a neighbourhood on the outskirts of Saint John. But the project threatens old growth forest and wetlands— and the community is fighting back. My story for @thenarwhal.ca with edits by @michellecyca.com thenarwhal.ca/lorneville-a...
Two very different decisions on Aboriginal title and private property rights expose a gap in Supreme Court doctrine
www.nationalmagazine.ca
Moira Donovan
"The government seems to be taking out a mortgage on future generations to pay for the crisis today," says David Wright at the University of Calgary's faculty of law. nationalmagazine.ca/en-ca/articl...
Moira Donovan
A new episode of Atlantic Voice details how one Nova Scotia fire department is dealing with floods, fires and the mental toll it all takes on its small group of volunteers.
Advocates say the observer program for Atlantic Canada’s fisheries is "broken," with many fisheries failing to meet required levels for monitoring by at-sea observers.
The proposed data centre and its on-site gas plant in Lorneville, N.B., would raze wetlands and forest and be one of the province’s largest greenhouse gas emitters
Life in the Last Ice Age, as Told by Squirrel Scat
Ancient DNA, preserved for 700,000 years in ground squirrel poop, offers a new view of Pleistocene ecology
by @moiradonovan.bsky.social
www.biographic.com/life-in-the-...
Moira Donovan
Moira Donovan
Moira Donovan
‘The government seems to be taking out a mortgage on future generations to pay for the crisis today’
“Many of the planet’s microbiomes are under serious threat, with untold numbers of species & ecosystems flickering silently out of existence.”
— @moiradonovan.bsky.social
#microbes #microbiome #conservation #environment
On this World Oceans Day, legal experts say the Carney government is pushing an unprecedented rollback of Canada’s environmental laws and protections. @moiradonovan.bsky.social has the details. www.nationalmagazine.ca/en-ca/articl...
CBA/ABC National
Ancient DNA, preserved for 700,000 years in ground squirrel poop, offers a new view of Pleistocene ecology.
Used cooking oil has grown so expensive that organized crime is now deeply involved.
@moiradonovan.bsky.social takes a look at the greasy gold rush: ambrook.com/offrange/sup...
bioGraphic
Conservation has traditionally ignored the planet’s smallest life forms. Microbiologists are trying to change that — before it’s too late.
