Phil Levin
@phillevin.bsky.social
7.7K followers 2.9K following 110 posts
Former Director, National Nature Assessment. Conservation Scientist. Marine ecologist. Poultry Farmer. University of Washington Professor. https://sites.uw.edu/levinlab/
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Reposted by Phil Levin
elizabarclay.bsky.social
Rainn Wilson from The Office: "About six years ago, during my daily practice of sitting in my underwear and sending out angry tweets to climate science deniers, I looked at myself in the mirror and decided it was time to be more than a keyboard warrior." www.nytimes.com/2025/09/24/o...
Opinion | A Sitcom Star and the King of England Walk Into a Fire Ceremony
www.nytimes.com
Reposted by Phil Levin
phillevin.bsky.social
When democracy falters, science is among the first casualties—truth silenced, data erased, expertise sidelined. But history shows us: scientists can build independent institutions that preserve truth, counter misinformation, and defend both knowledge and democracy. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Scientists’ role in defending democracy
The United States’ democratic leadership, commitment to freedom of expression, and investment in the pursuit of knowledge have long enabled its preeminence in science and technology. Yet today we are ...
www.science.org
Reposted by Phil Levin
phillevin.bsky.social
A century‑and‑a‑half of urbanization (from ~7% in 1810 to ~83% in 2020) has amplified a generational loss of nature connection. Richardson links parental disconnection to child connectedness—suggesting family-based interventions could help restore our bond with nature. 🌳 www.mdpi.com/2673-4834/6/...
www.mdpi.com
phillevin.bsky.social
A century‑and‑a‑half of urbanization (from ~7% in 1810 to ~83% in 2020) has amplified a generational loss of nature connection. Richardson links parental disconnection to child connectedness—suggesting family-based interventions could help restore our bond with nature. 🌳 www.mdpi.com/2673-4834/6/...
www.mdpi.com
phillevin.bsky.social
When democracy falters, science is among the first casualties—truth silenced, data erased, expertise sidelined. But history shows us: scientists can build independent institutions that preserve truth, counter misinformation, and defend both knowledge and democracy. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Scientists’ role in defending democracy
The United States’ democratic leadership, commitment to freedom of expression, and investment in the pursuit of knowledge have long enabled its preeminence in science and technology. Yet today we are ...
www.science.org
Reposted by Phil Levin
thepoetslizard.bsky.social
We are so excited to share this
cover reveal of THE NATURE OF OUR TIMES:
Poems on America’s Lands, Waters, Wildlife, and other Natural Wonders Edited by Luisa A. Igloria, Aileen Cassinetto,
and David Hassler; Foreword by Phil Levin.
Forthcoming from Paloma Press on 18 September, 2025...
Reposted by Phil Levin
greeningscience.bsky.social
The @ecologicalsociety.bsky.social needs your input on a collective research agenda for actionable ecological science. Are you attending #ESA2025 in Baltimore? Join us on Monday August 11 for a community discussion about how we can help solve urgent socioenvironmental problems with sound science.
SS 15 - Advancing an Actionable Research Agenda for Ecological Science: An ESA Community Discussion - Details
events.rdmobile.com
phillevin.bsky.social
I’m joining UW EarthLab as Interim Executive Director. Same mission as always—helping people & nature thrive—just with more meetings. @EarthLab to United by Nature (weareunitedbynature.org), I’m still chasing the big questions. Why I said yes earthlab in link below ➡️
Reposted by Phil Levin
natureandhealth.bsky.social
We're thrilled to welcome @phillevin.bsky.social, PhD to the EarthLab team! Phil has been a long-time leader in the field of nature and health and served as Director of the first-ever National Nature Assessment. Welcome, Dr. Levin!

earthlab.uw.edu/2025/08/why-...
Why Now: Reflections on Joining EarthLab | EarthLab
earthlab.uw.edu
Reposted by Phil Levin
lizneeley.bsky.social
Each Friday I summarize what happened in science 🧪& higher ed. This was Week 28:

- $300M frozen at UCLA + updates on university “deals”
- jobs report, Bureau of Labor Statistics firing & data quality fears
- Corporation for Public Broadcasting shutting down

+ more at buttondown.com/liminalcreat...
Week 28
July 28 - Aug 1, 2025 - failing down the garden path
buttondown.com
Reposted by Phil Levin
phillevin.bsky.social
Nature doesn’t live in a PDF—and neither should our vision for it. Deep thanks to the Esri team for helping turn the United by Nature assessment into something interactive, beautiful, and alive. This partnership gives me hope.
deepseadawn.bsky.social
Sharing this impt call to provide valuable input (data, GIS expertise, etc.) to United by Nature, formerly the National Nature Assessment, CANCELLED by DOGE/Trump. Use the QR code or survey123.arcgis.com/share/8d1d79...
cc @nature.org @natureserve.bsky.social @katharinehayhoe.com #gischat 🧪🌎🌍🌏
As many of you know, the first ever National Nature Assessment for the US began in 2024. This is the equivalent to the National CLIMATE Assessment in terms of the nation’s lands, fresh waters, and wildlife, including its ecosystems, biodiversity, and the benefits it provides for the economy, public health, and climate. Unfortunately, the National Nature Assessment was CANCELED shortly thereafter. However, many of the people involved in the NNA are NOT giving up on this. They have regrouped to continue this work on their own, privately funded, in what is now being called United By Nature, or UBN. We at Esri deeply appreciate how important this work is, and along with UBN’s leadership, are looking to develop a digital atlas…bringing to life, in dynamic web maps, the visuals and ideas contained within the UBN’s 15 chapters. And this would be similar to the recent 5th National Climate Assessment Atlas that is still online as an ArcGIS Hub (esriurl.com/nca5) even though government access to NCA5 has disappeared. UBN will be a community effort – something that many of you in the room can support with authoritative data, GIS expertise, and amazing cartographic skill.  Go to https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/8d1d79b22f5848f2bf771a420afbcf37
Reposted by Phil Levin
gretchentg.bsky.social
We are six months into the second Trump administration and the scale and severity of its assault on our nation's science and democracy has been unrelenting.

Today, @ucs.org releases a detailed assessment of the damage so far and where we go from here: www.ucs.org/resources/sc... #ProtectScience
Science and Democracy Under Siege
Documenting Six Months of the Trump Administration’s Destructive Actions
www.ucs.org
phillevin.bsky.social
Nature doesn’t live in a PDF—and neither should our vision for it. Deep thanks to the Esri team for helping turn the United by Nature assessment into something interactive, beautiful, and alive. This partnership gives me hope.
deepseadawn.bsky.social
Sharing this impt call to provide valuable input (data, GIS expertise, etc.) to United by Nature, formerly the National Nature Assessment, CANCELLED by DOGE/Trump. Use the QR code or survey123.arcgis.com/share/8d1d79...
cc @nature.org @natureserve.bsky.social @katharinehayhoe.com #gischat 🧪🌎🌍🌏
As many of you know, the first ever National Nature Assessment for the US began in 2024. This is the equivalent to the National CLIMATE Assessment in terms of the nation’s lands, fresh waters, and wildlife, including its ecosystems, biodiversity, and the benefits it provides for the economy, public health, and climate. Unfortunately, the National Nature Assessment was CANCELED shortly thereafter. However, many of the people involved in the NNA are NOT giving up on this. They have regrouped to continue this work on their own, privately funded, in what is now being called United By Nature, or UBN. We at Esri deeply appreciate how important this work is, and along with UBN’s leadership, are looking to develop a digital atlas…bringing to life, in dynamic web maps, the visuals and ideas contained within the UBN’s 15 chapters. And this would be similar to the recent 5th National Climate Assessment Atlas that is still online as an ArcGIS Hub (esriurl.com/nca5) even though government access to NCA5 has disappeared. UBN will be a community effort – something that many of you in the room can support with authoritative data, GIS expertise, and amazing cartographic skill.  Go to https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/8d1d79b22f5848f2bf771a420afbcf37
phillevin.bsky.social
Wonderful piece by Emmett Duffy. Science is a sacred obligation—and a team sport. It thrives on curiosity, humility, and the wisdom of crowds. Let’s keep exploring, questioning, and building a better world together. Let’s do this, people!
doi.org/10.1093/ices...
Let’s do this, people
Abstract. Science is a labor of love. That’s why I got into the business after a childhood obsessed with animals. Here, I offer a few scenes along my own w
doi.org
Reposted by Phil Levin
katharinehayhoe.com
Newspaper coverage of climate change around the globe dropped 6% from May to June 2025 -- and by 28% compared to June 2024, despite increasing frequency and severity of climate-fueled extreme weather events.

Read more from the @media-climate.bsky.social here: mecco.colorado.edu/summaries/is...
A line graph of world newspaper coverage of climate change or global warming from 2004 to 2025 in continents around the world.
phillevin.bsky.social
Honored to give the Opening Plenary at this year’s ESA meeting. Drawing on work with the United by Nature initiative, I’ll explore how radical amazement—deep awe evoked by nature—can guide and spark transformative action. Hope to see you there! Weareunitedbynature.org
Reposted by Phil Levin
Reposted by Phil Levin
gretchentg.bsky.social
Our Federal agencies are facing dire threats. The cuts to staffing and programs across the government has already been devastating. And now Congress is working towards further destruction. Today I spoke at a rally outside NOAA. Keep up the pressure. #SaveNOAA. Save Science. Save Lives.
Me speaking at a podium at a NOAA rally
Reposted by Phil Levin
petergleick.bsky.social
There are 2 previous historical cases of countries destroying their science and universities, crippling them for decades: Lysenkoism in the USSR and Nazi Germany. The Trump administration will be the 3rd.
It's not just budgets but research, institutions, expertise, and training the next generation.
Graphs showing 25 years of budgets for the National Institute of Health, NASA, and the NSF. In all cases, the proposed budget for next year is far, far below any year of the previous quarter century.
phillevin.bsky.social
USGS’s Ecosystems Mission Area faces elimination, threatening salmon, bat, and wildlife research. Cuts align with Project 2025’s rollback of environmental protections. A generational setback for science. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/31/c...
Trump’s Proposed Budget Would Cut a Major Ecology Program
www.nytimes.com
Reposted by Phil Levin
bowseat.org
🌊 After the success of our last cohort, the True Blue Fellowship is BACK!

Opening June 1st, it offers youth (13–24) up to $2,500, mentorship & support for creative projects tackling ocean, waterway, or climate issues.

📅 Apply: www.bit.ly/TrueBlueFellowship

#TrueBlueFellowship #Artivism #Ocean
Reposted by Phil Levin
lizneeley.bsky.social
Today (May 20) is World Bee Day, a moment to appreciate these small marvels.

I am poking around iNaturalist to see the species people are finding in my city - www.inaturalist.org/observations.... Which species are keeping your landscape alive?
Screenshot of iNaturalist page, where search has been set to "bees" and "Oakland, CA" There is an underlying map, with observations marked by orange dots, and each one can be opened to see photograph and species information.