The Comeback- Spring ‘21
Dear Reader,
The new warmth and budding greenery of spring hark a time of growth and renewal. Now, as more and more of the population recieves the COVID-19 vaccine and the world begins to open back up, we at The Planet have been feeling the revitalization of springtime more than ever. With cautious optimism, we are looking forward to a post-pandemic future. In light of this hope, we have chosen to dedicate the spring 2021 issue to stories on revival, resurgence and response. Our theme this quarter is ‘The Comeback.’
As editor-in-chief, it has been my honor to oversee the process of putting together this issue. Our reporters this quarter have spent countless hours researching, interviewing and writing to bring you stories about rebirth. We are excited to share their stories, including a tooth and nail legal battle to return a stolen orca to the Salish Sea, a once-eradicated predator reintroduced to its forests, the adaptations to the Outback Farm as COVID waxes and wanes and invasive geese that just won’t stop returning to an island in Chuckanut Bay. We present these tales and many more.
I hope these stories will resonate with your sense of spring revival and a potential return to normalcy. Stay safe, dear reader, but remain hopeful for our comeback from COVID.
Sincerely,
Anna Thomas
Editor in Chief
Stories
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In a personal photo essay, Sadie Fick describes the daily struggles that she and others have faced in attempts to live zero waste.
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Lummi Nation tribal members fight for the return of Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut, an orca who was stolen from the Salish Sea over 50 years ago.
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On the coast of Whidbey Island, researchers and community scientists are using pigeon guillemots to learn about the condition of the birds’ environment.
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In a race against time, Washington state government and Indigenous groups are hurrying to remove thousands of stream-blocking culverts by 2030.
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While mountain bike trail builders work tirelessly on Galbraith Mountain, some bikers just can’t wait their turn.
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After a new decision by park commissioners, Navy SEALs may be using Washington parks as training grounds, but a group of Whidbey locals is pushing back.
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As the Klamath Basin faces water shortages, the battle over who can use how much water goes to court.
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Through the pandemic, the Outback helped feed Western students in need. Now, students are returning to lend a hand at the farm.
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A furry predator is returning to the forests of Washington thanks to years of collaboration.
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Farmers of Color in Colorado are getting an economic boost.
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The small island in Chuckanut Bay is challenged with invasive plants and birds, but humans present the biggest threat.
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Magdalena Angel-Cano speaks on the disproportionate effect industrial contamination has on members of her community in the South Park neighborhood of Seattle.