Eve Zuckoff, CAI

In a Massachusetts pond, toxic algae is disrupting tribal heritage

"It's taken 400 years to get to this level," Pocknett said, taking in the decline of Santuit Pond. "Something needs to be done."

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Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe member Vernon “Buddy” Pocknett looks out while standing along the edge of Santuit Pond on July 22, 2023, in Mashpee, Mass.

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe member Vernon “Buddy” Pocknett looks out while standing along the edge of Santuit Pond in Mashpee, Massachusetts. (Raquel C. Zaldívar/New England News Collaborative)

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Environment

Summers are changing in New England. We’re seeing more severe storms and new impacts like wildfire smoke — and it’s a lot hotter. Here are stories from the New England News Collaborative about how climate change is affecting our region.


Beyond Normal

Stories published by WBUR in partnership with members of the New England News Collaborative.

New England News Collaborative

Local content from WBUR's Morning Edition broadcasts

WBUR's Morning Edition

Boston

Food

Health

News

Increasingly hot summers and warming winters could allow for new plant varieties and a longer growing season in the Northeast.

Climate change means a longer growing season in New England, but brings other challenges

Jill Kaufman, New England Public Media

A hand reaching an apple in an orchard on Mount Warner in Hadley, Mass. Cider maker Jonathan Carr is experimenting with an apple variety typically grown in the South, the Old Fashioned Limbertwig. (Raquel C. Zaldivar/New England News Collaborative)

Before he decides to put hundreds of trees in his orchard on Mount Warner in Hadley, Mass., cider maker Jonathan Carr is experimenting with an apple variety typically grown in the South, the Old Fashioned Limbertwig. (Raquel C. Zaldivar/New England News Collaborative)

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Public health experts aren't sure how many people die because of the heat each year, because there's no standard for what constitutes a "heat-related" death.

Most New England states don’t track ‘heat-related’ deaths. Experts say that’s a problem

Miriam Wasser

Senior Reporter, Climate and Environment

Heat waves distort the view of a work crew as they resurface a road in South Boston. (Chris Christo/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images)

A weather app forecasting 90-degree weather. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Science

Heavy rains have caused massive damage for New England farmers this summer. Problems from heat, pests and drought are common. Some farmers are changing their practices to become more resilient to climate change.

Climate change is threatening farms across New England. Here’s how farmers are responding

Mara Hoplamazian, New Hampshire Public Radio

Anthony Munene stands under one of Fresh Start’s high tunnels, which extend the growing season. He says that’s especially helpful for crops that take a long time to grow, like African eggplant.

Anthony Munene stands under one of Fresh Start’s high tunnels, which are structure that help extend the growing season. He says they're especially helpful for crops that take a long time to grow, like African eggplant. (Mara Hoplamazian/NHPR)

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Local content from WBUR's All Things Considered broadcasts

WBUR's All Things Considered

Gabrielle Emanuel

Senior Health and Science Reporter

QUIZ: How good are you at identifying poison ivy?

Poison ivy. (Gabrielle Emanuel/WBUR)

Field Guide Featured

A collection of stories from our ongoing series, Field Guide to Boston. The series at wbur.org/fieldguide offers guides and public service journalism focused on how residents can better connect with each other while exploring the city's neighborhoods and rich culture. 

Field Guide to Boston

New England has seasons, and we want you to make the most of them. Here are stories with helpful guidance on how to prepare for and enjoy fall, spring, summer and even winter.

Seasons

The dreaded three-leafed vine is expected to take full advantage of warmer temperatures and rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to grow faster and bigger — and become even more toxic. Some New Englanders are seeing changes on the ground: a l

Bigger, earlier and itchier: Why poison ivy loves climate change

Peter Barron pulls out poison ivy vines in Harvard, Mass. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Heat is much more dangerous for some people than others. And heat-related health risks begin much earlier in the year than most people realize. New alerts aim to get this information to patients through doctors and nurses, and emphasize the root cause of 

How heat alerts could help clinicians intervene for people at high risk

Martha Bebinger

Reporter

A basketball player shoots hoops on a hot day at the O'Day Playground in Boston's South End neighborhood. (Jonathan Wiggs/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

WBUR has partnered with El Planeta to translate certain stories into Spanish. Below is our complete list of WBUR stories that El Planeta Media has translated. To read these Spanish translations, click the link atop each story to El Planeta Media. WBUR ha establecido una alianza con El Planeta para traducir historias clave al español. Aquí podrá encontrar la lista completa de historias de WBUR que El Planeta ha traducido. Para leer estas traducciones al español, haga click en el link al principio de cada historia y será llevado a El Planeta.