How can all of the state's tiny, elusive nocturnal flyers be counted? That's not possible. But the downward spiral of several bat species in Wisconsin can be tracked through the work of passionate conservation professionals, specialized technology and, crucially, legions of enthusiastic volunteers.

A handful of North American bat species that were once common in Wisconsin are possibly heading toward extinction, or at least disappearance from the state.

The connection between Wisconsin's rivers and the wetlands that feed them has become increasingly tenuous. Its consequences for human communities come into clearer focus when heavy rains transform streams and rivers into forces of wanton destruction.

The stage had been set for a public health scare prompted by vaping long before July 2019, when health officials in Wisconsin announced a cluster of severe lung illnesses in eight otherwise healthy teens in the state.