Nathan Rott
Nathan Rott is a correspondent on NPR's National Desk, where he focuses on environment issues and the American West.
Based at NPR West in Culver City, California, Rott spends a lot of his time on the road, covering everything from breaking news stories like California's wildfires to in-depth issues like the management of endangered species and many points between.
Rott owes his start at NPR to two extraordinary young men he never met. As the first recipient of the Stone and Holt Weeks Fellowship in 2010, he aims to honor the memory of the two brothers by carrying on their legacy of making the world a better place.
A graduate of the University of Montana, Rott prefers to be outside at just about every hour of the day. Prior to working at NPR, he worked a variety of jobs including wildland firefighting, commercial fishing, children's theater teaching, and professional snow-shoveling for the United States Antarctic Program. Odds are, he's shoveled more snow than you.
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The wetlands damaged in southern California's oil spill had been restored decades ago, and are some of the last remaining in the area. Ecologists say damage from the recent spill will be long lasting.
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The clean up and investigation continues after a major oil spill off California's coast. In a place where most marshes have been lost, it damaged a restored wetland that's a refuge for shorebirds.
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An oil spill off Huntington Beach has released more than 140,000 gallons of crude oil into coastal waters — killing marine life and fouling wetlands.
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Nearly two dozen species are being removed from the endangered species list because they are extinct. More than a million other species are at risk of extinction because of human activities.
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To slow the collapse of nature, the Biden administration is promising to protect nearly a third of the country's land and water by 2030. The plan is expected to rely heavily on private landowners.
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For the millions of Americans dealing with wildfire smoke this summer, the message is to stay inside and shut windows. But new research shows smoke is making indoor air hazardous, too.
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Tens of millions of Americans are forced to live with wildfire smoke now every year. New research shows that it's more invasive than previously thought, infiltrating homes, schools and offices. -
Another large fire season is casting smoke across the country, with conditions ripe for major devastation. But not all fires are bad, and the widespread burning also brings long-term benefits.
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The deadliest fire in American history was in a place many don't associate with wildfire: Northeast Wisconsin. The warming climate is amplifying the risk of more major fires outside the Western U.S.
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Buckling roads in the Pacific Northwest are just one example of how climate extremes can damage all kinds of infrastructure. President Biden wants to make it more resilient to heat, floods and storms.
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Deepening drought is raising fears of another bad year for wildfires. It's also expected to trigger more water cutbacks in a number of states.
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One of President Biden's most popular infrastructure proposals hearkens back to FDR's New Deal. A Civilian Climate Corps would aim to tackle climate change while caring for public lands.
