Hello and welcome to Eco Report.

On June 9th, 2025, the City of Bloomington posted a news release that explained an insect, named the Spotted Lanternfly, had been confirmed in Bartholomew County, about 50 miles from Bloomington. The insect, a non-native and invasive species, can feed on more than 70 plants, harming growth and health of plants. Correspondent Katrine Bruner spoke with the City’s Urban Forester, Haskell Smith, to learn more about the insect and what the City of Bloomington has been doing to mitigate risk. We will hear from her later in the program.

And now for your environmental reports:

  • If you were in Evansville on Tuesday evening, you may have caught one of the Open House meetings hosted by the Indiana Dept of Environmental Management, or IDEM. They are currently taking input from Hoosiers on the transition to a Materials Management Plan (MMP) which would replace the Solid Waste Management Plan currently in place. The goal of these open houses is to engage local residents and establish a clearer understanding of the updated priorities of this department. The previous plan focused more on traditional recycling and waste disposal, but the MMP will adopt a sustainable materials management approach that encourages better access to recycling, as well as organics management and waste reduction. This expanded plan will cover pre- and post-consumer recyclables, and other materials ranging from organics and wood to e-waste and demolition waste. The next open house meetings will take place in South Bend and Valparaiso.
  • Marine mammals will benefit from new import restrictions coming from the Trump administration due to seafood import bans, which affects over 40 countries. America imports about 80% of its seafood, giving it serious leverage over the global fishing industry. Although the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) is admittedly positioned around improving America’s role as a seafood producer, legislators have acknowledged that this benefits wildlife, too. More than 650,000 whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals die from being accidentally caught and killed in fishing nets each year.
  • Indiana is welcoming a new insectivore: the nine-banded armadillo! Spotted in parts of southern Indiana since 2003, this armored visitor has been reported over 230 times. Similar to other tough-but tender shelled animals like the box turtle or hedgehog, these peculiar-looking critters tend to keep to themselves. It’s assumed that their migration has been due to the warming temperatures in North, South, and Central America, reduction in large predators, and human-made passageways bridging paths previously inaccessible to the nine-banded armadillo. These traditionally nocturnal animals spend their time digging with the dual purpose of creating burrows and find food such as insects, worms, and grubs. Biologists are still gathering data on the impact armadillos are having on Indiana as the populations slowly increase.
  • Last week we reported on a Department of Energy climate report that downplayed and even praised the effects of climate change. Well since then, the criticism has rolled up the ladder and the team of climate-skeptical scientists has since been dissolved. Although the initial report will remain in tact, a DOE spokesperson insists that they will entertain conversations about what is actually known and unknown about climate science, and “continue to engage in the debate in favor of a more science-based and less ideological conversation around climate science.” We hope to see a renewed report focused on the impacts of climate change and the opportunities for mitigating those effects.

Feature Report:

Andy Lavalley / Tribune News Service via Getty ImagesAnd now, lets listen to Katrine Bruner as she talks with Haskell Smith, Bloomington’s City Urban Forester, about the Spotted Lanternfly.

And now for some upcoming events:

  • Enjoy Stargazing at Brown County State Park on Saturday, September 13th, from 8 to 10 pm. Meet the park naturalist at Hoen Point for an evening of stargazing. A telescope will be available to view the fall constellations.
  • An Exploring Mindfullness In The Garden workshop is scheduled for Saturday, September 20th, from 9 to 10:30 am at the Willie Streeter Community Gardens. Learn about mindfulness and how to deepen your gardening experience. Sign up at bloomington.IN.gov/parks.

Credits:

This week’s headlines were written by Carrie Albright.
Today’s news feature was produced by Katrine Bruner.
Julianna Dailey assembled the script which was edited by the EcoReport team and compiled our events calendar.
Rich Benak is our engineer.
Julianna Dailey and Carrie Albright are our anchors.

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