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The Indiana Wildlife Federation invites you to join the National Wildlife Federation and a panel of experts on April 24 from 2-3 p.m. ET for an educational webinar: Hydrogen in Appalachia: Opportunities, Challenges, and Federal Investments . While Indiana does not fall into Appalachia, many of the struggles are shared between the Appalachian region and the Hoosier state, come learn about the risks and rewards of hydrogen production! Hydrogen’s ability to store and produce energy without harmful byproducts has made it a prime focus for future use in electricity generation, transportation, and other hard-to-decarbonize sectors. However, scaling up the use of hydrogen comes with numerous challenges, risks, and considerations. Join to learn more about hydrogen as a potential clean energy solution and recent federal investments in hydrogen – including what we know about plans for a hydrogen hub in Appalachia. Our panelists: Dr. Simone Stewart, Senior Industrial Policy Specialist, National Wildlife Federation Sarah Spence, Midwest Regional Director, Conservative Energy Network Rob Altenburg, Senior Director for Energy and Climate, PennFuture Sean O’Leary, Senior Researcher, Energy and Petrochemicals, Ohio River Valley Institute Wednesday, April 24 | 2-3 p.m. ET | Register: https://nwf-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fUBq-iIhRDiiNfOrigkO-Q
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Tax Day, April 15, is also a good harbinger of ruby-throated hummingbird migration in Indiana! While warmer than normal temps and early blooms have spurred these magical creatures along more quickly than normal, now is the time to put out your feeders! These tiny migratory jewels feast on nectar, and you can supplement them with specially designed feeders and native plantings! To make hummingbird nectar mix 1 part granulated white sugar with 4 parts filtered water. Bring the solution to a simmer for one minute, cool and you have home-made hummingbird nectar! Don’t forget to change this solution and clean your feeders every three days to make sure you keep our feathered friends healthy throughout their breeding season! Cheers to migration and magical birds! @amosbutleraudubonsociety @indianaaudubon #nodye #nativeplants #migration #jewels
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First positive case of chronic wasting disease in Indiana The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has confirmed Indiana’s first positive case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in LaGrange County. CWD is a neurological disease that affects white-tailed deer, resulting in their eventual death. This positive case is adjacent to a region where CWD had previously been detected in Michigan. CWD has been detected in wild deer in 33 states, including all states bordering Indiana. “CWD has been in our region for many years with positive cases in all of our surrounding states,” said Joe Caudell, Indiana DNR deer biologist. “The public can help by reporting sightings of sick or dead deer to the DNR, as well as submitting harvested deer for testing during deer hunting season. Through increased awareness and testing, we can work to monitor CWD within Indiana’s deer population.” Because CWD had previously been detected in Michigan near the Indiana border, finding it in this area of Indiana was highly likely, Caudell said, and DNR will continue monitoring the area for CWD. There have been no reported cases of CWD infection in humans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that hunters strongly consider having their harvested deer tested before eating the meat. The CDC also recommends not eating meat from an animal that tests positive for CWD. For more information about the CDC’s recommendations, visit cdc.gov/prions/cwd. The Indiana white-tailed deer was a male harvested by a hunter and confirmed positive for CWD by two independent tests. CWD is caused by a misfolded prion that causes damage to the animal’s nervous system. CWD can spread from deer-to-deer contact or through contaminated environments and remains in the soil for many years. Animals in the late stages of CWD can appear emaciated, show erratic behavior, and exhibit neurological irregularities. If you see any sick or dead wildlife, please report it at on.IN.gov/sickwildlife.