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Emmett FitzGerald

Emmett Fitzgerald is a reporter and producer based in the Bay Area. He’s currently working for Living on Earth, and focuses on the relationship between humans and the natural world. Fitzgerald has reported on threats to wild salmon in southeast Alaska, a sinkhole disaster in Louisiana and the impacts of light pollution in National Parks.In 2015 he traveled to Paris to cover the UN climate change conference, and thinks a lot about how to talk about climate change in ways people can engage with. His favorite saxophone is the tenor saxophone. 

salt ponds

Bay Area voters are being asked to pay more taxes to rebuild lost wetlands

Environment

As the climate changes and oceans rise, seaside communities are contemplating how to deal with it. In San Francisco, one idea is to bring back wetlands that were paved over decades ago. Next week, voters will be asked to pay for it.

Port of Miami

A Miami port dredging project may have damaged the city’s offshore coral reef

Environment
Crystal Cruises’ new luxury vessel

The Arctic is opening for business this summer when a cruise ship plies the Northwest Passage

Environment
Beehives and almond trees

California’s almond farmers depend on beekeepers — and billions of bees

Environment
South Window

Why we all should be worried that we don’t get enough darkness in our lives

Environment
a bat

On the farm, new allies to save America’s endangered bats

Environment

In Vermont, white nose syndrome is endangering the lives of bats. But landowners are being called on — and given training how — to help save the ones that are left.

A Common Murre in Iceland.

Along the Pacific Coast, a seabird is starving — and we don’t know why

Environment

Murres live most of their lives at sea, but lately they’ve been coming ashore — and not doing well. They’re starving, and while scientists rush to save them, they don’t know why it’s happening.

Dean Wilson in a swamp

These people are practically the last line of defense for Louisiana’s endangered cypress swamps

Environment

Louisiana’s swamps are shelters for the cities during floods, and home to incredible biodiversity. But they’re also targets for the energy industry, farmers and ranchers and all manner of businesses that would put them to new uses.

A vaquita swims in its natural habitat, somewhere in the northern part of the Gulf of California.

A Mexican porpoise is facing extinction — almost by accident

Science

A small porpoise in Mexico is being threatened with extinction on two sides. Legal fishing often sweeps up the five-foot creatures, meanwhile illegal poaching of another endangered species is also sweeping up the few remaining animals.

Alaskan salmon in Bristol Bay, Alaska

Will Canada’s new mines hurt Alaska’s salmon?

Environment

Southeast Alaska comprises a huge portion of the US seafood industry — as much as 50 percent. So locals are extremely nervous as British Columbia expands its mining industry, on the upstream portions of those same Alaskan rivers.