Portia Bharath

United States

Digital Content Coordinator at National Wildlife Federation Blog

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Articles

Becoming a Mature Butterfly: Celebrating a Decade-Long Pledge for Monarchs

3 days ago | blog.nwf.org | Portia Bharath

2025 marks 10 years of the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge program’s work to build an unstoppable movement that supports healthy communities, wildlife, and ecosystems for all. The program is grounded in protecting our ambassador species, the monarch butterfly, and the many other native pollinator species that are declining across North America. Along this ten-year journey, we have witnessed stages of growth that mirror the life cycle and journey of the monarch butterfly.
Forage Fish are the Unsung Heroes of the Sea

4 days ago | blog.nwf.org | Portia Bharath

Forage fish are small schooling species that serve as prey (food) for larger fish, marine mammals and sea birds. Forage fish are critical to healthy marine ecosystems because they serve as a key link in the food web, transferring energy from plankton to the larger predators. They also play an important role in the commercial and recreational fishing industries, as they are a primary food source for fish such as tuna, salmon, and cod.
The Heat That’s Here to Stay

4 days ago | blog.nwf.org | Portia Bharath

You may have found yourself trying to stave off the staggering heat last summer, and you’re not alone. Over 75 million people in the U.S. were under heat advisories by June. Though heat waves and unusually warm temperatures are normal variations in weather, climate change is making heat more intense, prolonged, and deadly. People around the country are experiencing the extreme heat season sooner and for longer—46 days longer, in fact.
Campuses Receive Wild Kingdom Grant Award to Protect Endangered Wildlife

5 days ago | blog.nwf.org | Portia Bharath

Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and the National Wildlife Federation have joined forces again to inspire and support the efforts of the next generation of conservation leadership. We are collaborating on a series of grants that support colleges and universities to showcase and fund innovative and solutions-based programs that help protect threatened and endangered wildlife and their habitats.
Q&A with ECHO’s Landscape Designers

1 week ago | blog.nwf.org | Portia Bharath

At the National Wildlife Federation’s Early Childhood Health Outdoors (ECHO) initiative, landscape architecture is a major piece of their mission to expand access to nature for young children across the United States. ECHO’s landscape designers work with sites including child care centers, family child care homes, schools, and public spaces to reimagine their outdoor space for nature play and outdoor learning.
The Truth About Clean Energy

1 week ago | blog.nwf.org | Portia Bharath

Fossil fuels are the leading cause of energy grid blackouts. As the climate crisis worsens, America’s rising energy demand and increasingly frequent extreme weather events are leading to more energy grid blackouts. Some are quick to point the finger at renewable energy, however, renewable energy has actually become more reliable than traditional fossil fuel-based energy in recent years.
Two Years After Sackett: Still Wading Through Muddy Waters

1 week ago | blog.nwf.org | Portia Bharath

As music pioneer Fela Kuti once audaciously sang—water no get enemy (water has no enemy). This is a proverb from the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria that sums up a universal basic reality: water sustains life. It is simply irreplaceable, essential, and ubiquitous. The Supreme Court’s ruling in Sackett v. EPA has left basic federal pollution protections for many waterways across the country and the communities that depend on them in a state of uncertainty.
Sustainable Aviation Fuels: How Do They Fit into Our Climate Goals?

2 weeks ago | blog.nwf.org | Portia Bharath

When you think of greenhouse gas emissions, what sources do you think of? The energy sector, cars, and airplanes might be some of the industries that come to mind first. And you’d be right! Transportation as a sector makes up 28% of all greenhouse gas emissions and air travel alone makes up 11.5% of these emissions. Unlike small vehicles like cars, there is no way to electrify the aviation industry.
Using Landscape Architecture to Help Shape the Lives of Young Children

3 weeks ago | blog.nwf.org | Portia Bharath

We may not always realize it, but the outdoor spaces where we spend time daily help shape our lives and support our well-being. The spaces where we live, work, and play help to keep us active, safe, cool, healthy, and connected. From the gardens where we relax, to the parks where we play, even the greenways we walk or ride through each day, these spaces are a central part of everyday life.
A Call to Renew the Habitat Conservation Fund

3 weeks ago | blog.nwf.org | Portia Bharath

California is home to an incredible wild heritage. I can observe with wonder across the state: humpback whales breaching in the Pacific Ocean, monarch butterflies clustering in trees on California’s coast, Chinook salmon spawning in the Sacramento River, mule deer migrating in the Eastern Sierra, and mountain lions roaming the Santa Monica Mountains in Los Angeles. This abundance, with no doubt, can be attributed partly to the Habitat Conservation Fund.