News at a glance: Plants ’ tree of life, conserving U.S. federal lands, and entertaining invertebrate sentience

CONSERVATION Interior Department boosts restoration The largest manager of public lands in the United States last week announced it will manage them to promote ecological stewardship, while continuing to allow extractive commercial uses such as mining, oil drilling, and cattle grazing. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) oversees nearly 1 million square kilometers of federal land, about 10% of the country’s landmass, mostly in Western states. Under a rule issued on 18 April, BLM will now assess the ecological condition of all hectares it manages , not just grazing land. The agency will also offer leases for restoration of federal land damaged by wildfire, invasive species, and other kinds of degradation. Developers can purchase these leases to compensate for their activities elsewhere that damage habitat, as U.S. agencies sometimes require when granting permits for projects on public or private land. ANIMAL WELFARE Are even insects conscious? Thirty-nine scientists and philosophers have signed a declaration stating all vertebrates and some invertebrates may experience consciousness —and, consequentially, humans should weigh actions that threaten their welfare. The New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness, unveiled last week at a conference at New York University, cites “strong scientific support” that nonhuman mammals and birds not only experience sensory stimuli, but are also consciou...
Source: Science of Aging Knowledge Environment - Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research