The Independent covers the latest volley in the spat between conservationists and humanists over just how racist the war on invasives/non-natives/exotics/illegals/three-fifths is. The defensive cry of “Don’t call me Goebbels” hits just the right hysterical note, if you ask me. I do wonder what the ecological equivalent of the Obama election would be…

• Remember how Red Kites weren’t doing so well in Northern Ireland? Well, they’re doing great in Scotland.
• An interesting article about potato farmers in Peru dealing with climate change. I had always heard that Peru, the homeland of the potato, had an extreme diversity of potatoes that would allow them to adapt to changing climate, and in fact had saved them in the past. It’s one of those classic arguments in favor of biodiversity: more diverse crops means more possibility for quick response to changing conditions. The article doesn’t touch on that aspect.
• “Is California on the Bring of Environmental Collapse?” is a good and thorough article that focuses on water issues and hyperbole.