Land trades are supposed to serve a public purpose
In late August, national headlines exposed the National Park Service’s efforts to swap land from one of America’s natural crown…
One access to the Blue River that was privatized by last year’s federal land swap. Photo by A. Ezman
MoreWhat makes Yellowstone unique is at risk
There’s a major reason that Yellowstone National Park attracts close to 5 million visitors every year. Yes, there are spectacular…
Yellowstone grizzlies, photo by Tom Murphy
MoreContain a wildfire? Call in the cows
When fire commanders try to figure out how to contain a major wildfire, the last thing you might expect them…
haltered cows working the fire line Big Cimarron, Tyler Westhoff photo
MoreOregon forests are a test case for stripping protections
Picture a clear stream where spawning salmon undulate over clean gravels, pressing upstream through waters the iconic fish once vanished…
Joseph Canyon Roadless Area Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, David Mildrexler photo
MoreLet’s celebrate the trailblazers who can inspire us today
When I was 18 and first worked as a river guide, I assumed I had to be as tough —…
Georgie White running the Grand Canyon in the 1950s
MoreWendell Berry, champion of rural life
When Wendell Berry, 92, died this Monday, August 31, the West lost a writer who focused on the importance of…
MoreTrump administration legalizes extinction of the Gunnison sage-grouse
Had Donald Trump been president in 1973, when Richard Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act into federal law, the Gunnison…
Gunnison Sage Grouse. Courtesy Bureau of Land Management Bob Wickjpg
MoreThe sadness of a river running dry
I drove to the bluff overlooking the “Gunny” to process the sad news — news that hasn’t yet been made…
Gunnison Gorge Wilderness in wetter times, courtesy Bureau of Land Management
MorePublic comments count — keep them coming
Trump’s answer to the 20 or so executives in the room was that they raise him a billion dollars. He was specific about the return — more oil and gas leases auctioned on federal land. He called it a deal.
File written by Adobe Photoshop¨ 4.0
MoreStates must not determine the fate of grizzly bears
It’s no secret that grizzly bears in the Lower 48 live close to the edge of extinction. Now, with little…
Grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park, photo by Wendy Keefover
MoreCelebrate the nation’s anniversary by speaking up for public land
As we mark our nation’s 250th anniversary, it’s worth celebrating what we the people have in common. What we literally…
Idaho, hiking in the Selkirk Mountains photo by David Gluns
MoreWhat keeps you going?
I’ve been asked that question twice recently, in very different contexts. The first time was after I described a hike…
Hiking the rugged Siskiyou Mountains of Oregon, photo by Pepper Trail
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