Public Lands/Wilderness / Public News Service

The Conservation Fund says it aims to protect five million acres of forest by 2035. (Zack Frank/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

1 million acres of forest protected under The Conservation Fund, including in OR

The Conservation Fund, which works to protect land and nature across the U.S. has announced it has protected more than 1 million acres of working …

Wild animals can be aggressive if people don't respect their space, according to the National Park Service. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, July 1, 2024

After 83-year-old gored in Yellowstone, wildlife experts warn bison 'not in a zoo'

Wildlife experts are warning people not to get too close to the animals in national parks as the summer travel season heats up. Overeager tourists …

There were 165 wildlife-vehicle collisions in Teton County between May 2020 and April 2021, according to the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation, the lowest number since data collection started in 2011. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, July 1, 2024

Park visitors cautioned to respect wildlife

July is one of the busiest months for national parks and wildlife advocates have tips for reducing conflicts with animals. Grand Teton and …

The union representing Minneapolis park keepers says since 1984, the department's superintendent's salary has increased by 229%, but in contrast, frontline workers' wages have fallen behind when factoring in inflation. (Adobe Stock)

Mpls. labor dispute highlights park workers' job challenges

With the July 4 holiday approaching, families are likely to spend time at municipal parks to celebrate and Parks Department staff in Minneapolis hope …

Oso Outdoors offers winter and summer programs, including mountain biking, which aim to help bring more diversity to outdoor recreation in Summit County. (Adobe Stock)

Conservationists want free national park access for newest U.S. citizens

Conservation groups are asking federal agencies to give newly naturalized U.S. citizens a free America the Beautiful National Parks pass. Javier …

Congressional Republicans have taken steps to remove the gray wolf from the endangered species list but the White House strongly opposes such a move. (Adobe Stock)

New legal action stems from WI wolf management plan

Wisconsin's wolf management plan has been in place for months now but the legal fallout continues. Wildlife organizations have filed a court appeal …

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River was one of the first rivers protected as Wild and Scenic by the federal government in 1968. (NorthwestWildImages/Adobe Stock)

As Rivers Month wraps up, action still needed to protect ID rivers

National Rivers Month comes to an end this week and conservation groups said it is a reminder more action is needed to protect Idaho's rivers…

The wild and scenic Eel River is part of the Bureau of Land Management's planned 382,000-acre management area in northwest California. (Wikimedia Commons)

BLM releases final conservation plan for NW California public lands

Conservation advocates say a new Bureau of Land Management final Environmental Impact Statement takes positive steps toward developing a management pl…

Heavy flooding was seen in Dos Rios in April 2023. (River Partners)

A ranch, rewilded: The transformation of California’s newest state park

By Elizabeth Hewitt for Reasons to be Cheerful.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism …

The Minnesota DNR says rivers in several parts of the state are running extremely high and fast, and conservation officers recommend people stay off the areas until water levels drop. (Photo courtesy of DNR)

Soggy MN weather prompts safety issues as state park season kicks off

Recent bouts of heavy rain are not just leading to flooded basements in Minnesota, they are reducing access to state parks just as summer demand …

The U.S. government recognized the Black Hills as part of the Great Sioux Reservation in the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie. The Black Hills Forest Reserve was established in 1897 and transferred to the U.S. Forest Service in 1905. (R. Blauert, Wikimedia Commons)

Black Hills Visitor Center under new joint tribal, federal oversight

The Black Hills National Forest is one of the latest federal lands to enter a co-stewardship agreement with local tribal nations-a management model en…

Groups call for new citizens to have greater access to federal lands, waters

June is National Immigrant Heritage Month, and advocates in Utah want to see a pathway to U.S. citizenship include easier access to public lands and …

The Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness is popular with hikers in Montana. (Adobe Stock)

Judge set to rule on massive MT logging project

A federal judge in Montana is holding a hearing next Tuesday on a motion for an injunction against the Pintler Face logging and burning project on Bea…

A report by The Nature Conservancy says if clean energy continues to be sited the way it always has been, the U.S. will need an area the size of Texas to meet its climate targets. (Adobe Stock)

Conservationists tout IN old mines, brownfields to develop renewable energy

Today is the summer solstice, the day of the year with the most sunshine, and Indiana conservationists said they have a plan to make the best use of …

Sage grouse have been petitioned for addition to the federal endangered species list nine times over the last 25 years, according to a U.S. Geological Survey report. (Western Watersheds Project)

Feds updating management plans for threatened sage grouse ecosystem

After nearly a decade of delays, a federal agency is working on a new resource management plan that will affect an iconic Western bird species…

Environmental groups are working to attract more Latino families to enjoy the great outdoors on public lands such as the Alabama Hills National Scenic Area in southern Inyo County. (Louis Medina)

Latino environmental groups push for greater access to public lands

Conservation groups are circulating a petition asking the feds to give "America the Beautiful National Parks and Recreation Lands" passes to new citiz…

Olympic National Park received nearly 3 million visitors in 2023. (Francisco/Adobe Stock)

Great Outdoors Month highlights recreation impact on WA

June is Great Outdoors Month, which also underscores the importance of outdoor recreation in Washington state. As temperatures warm up, people are …

The Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in central Idaho was established a century ago in 1924. (MelissaMN/Adobe Stock)

ID recreation economy in focus during Great Outdoors Month

June is Great Outdoors Month, which underscores the importance of outdoor recreation in Idaho. As temperatures warm up, people are enjoying nature…

Illinois is bordered by 880 miles of water - the Mississippi River, Ohio River, and Wabash River. according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. (Adode Stock)

Tug-of-war for more access to IL streams continues

Federal law and Illinois law are at odds over ownership, access, and use of the state's streams, lakes & rivers - and the Legislature failed to pass …

More than a half million people visited Crater Lake National Park in 2023. (reisegraf/Adobe Stock)

Great Outdoors Month: Outdoor recreation 'economic multiplier' for OR

June is Great Outdoors Month, which also underscores the importance of outdoor recreation in Oregon. As temperatures warm up, people are enjoying …

Amphibians and reptiles have more restricted geographic ranges than other vertebrates and are highly susceptible to threats like habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation. (Adobe Stock)

BLM could throw lifeline to amphibians and reptiles

The recently finalized Bureau of Land Management Public Lands Rule could give a boost to America's most at-risk terrestrial vertebrates: amphibians an…

North Dakota's Pembina Gorge Recreation Area will soon become the state's 14th state park, with a 55-site campground and six all-season full-service cabins. (Photo courtesy of North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department)

New ND state park adds weight to Great Outdoors Month messaging

As temperatures warm up, people are enjoying nature - and North Dakota officials hope to see many more do so in the future as a new state park comes …

Many of the rules governing oil and gas operations on Montana public lands had not been updated in a century. (Adobe Stock)

MT groups fight to preserve new BLM oil and gas rule

Montana groups are working to save a new Bureau of Land Management rule about oil and gas leasing on public lands. They have hand-delivered a …

Officials welcomed visitors to California's newest state park this week. Dos Rios State Park sits at the confluence of the San Joaquin and Tuolumne Rivers near Modesto. (California State Parks)

Dozens of events planned this weekend for CA State Parks Week

Close to 200 events are planned now through Sunday at California state parks for the third annual State Parks Week. The events advance Gov. Gavin …

A new Colorado law provides local and tribal governments with science-based resources for siting and permitting new renewable-energy projects, including maps identifying sensitive wildlife habitat. (Adobe Stock)

New resources available to site CO clean-energy projects, protect wildlife

To reach 100% clean energy by 2040 - a move seen as critical for averting the worst impacts of climate change - Colorado must generate five times more…

Lake County, despite its small size, annually contributes about $22 million to the state of Oregon in outdoor recreation revenues. (flickr)

Public lands in Oregon's Dark Sky Sanctuary set for BLM update

More than 3 million acres of public lands in southeastern Oregon are poised for enhanced management by the Bureau of Land Management. The BLM is …

The group says the United States should work with partner countries willing and able to enforce strict terms or face sanctions. (Anastasiia/Adobe Stock)

Environmental groups want say in Critical Mineral Agreements

A group of environmental and civil society organizations is fighting for better working conditions for people in countries that supply critical minera…

The white-nosed coatimundi, classified as an endangered species in New Mexico, roams and hunts during daytime hours in the Gila Wilderness. (National Park Service)

New Mexico celebrates 100 years of Gila Wilderness preservation

New Mexico's Gila Wilderness is special - not only for its natural beauty, but also because it received the world's first-ever "wilderness" …

More than one-third of plants and animals in Maine are expected to suffer dramatic population decline by the end of the century due to the impacts of climate change, according to the Natural Resources Council of Maine. (Adobe Stock)

Climate change alters ME biodiversity as species' range shifts north

Scientists said climate change is having an unprecedented and accelerating effect on the biodiversity of plants and animals in Maine. Rising sea …

Around 34% of plants and 40% of animals are at risk of extinction, and 41% of ecosystems are at risk of range-wide collapse, according to NatureServe. (Adobe Stock)

New rule to update energy grid must account for Arizona wildlife

In the face of climate change and the need for clean energy, a new federal plan aims to update the country's outdated power grid. One Arizona …

Of the Environmental Protection Agency's Region 8 states, Wyoming produces the most nitrogen oxides annually, at nearly 38,000 tons. (Adobe Stock)

WY awaits EPA decision on updated haze plan

Wyoming is one of several states currently updating its plan to address regional haze, but local environmental groups say its plan isn't enough…

Coal production in the Powder River Basin was 50% lower in the first quarter of 2024 than the first quarter of 2014, by about 49 million tons. (Robert Coy/Adobe Stock)

Changes in WY coal production may call for changes in tax structure

A new policy could affect the future of coal mining in the Powder River Basin and in turn, Wyoming's tax structure. The Powder River Basin produced …

Conservation groups say the Northwest's old growth forests need greater protections. (Bob/Adobe Stock)

Update to Northwest Forest Plan expected soon

An update to the 30-year-old Northwest Forest Plan is expected soon. The plan has a been a critical tool for managing 19 million acres of federal …

The U.S. Forest Service received 275 public objections to its management plan for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests. (pmilota/Adobe Stock)

Conservation coalition: Management plan would 'degrade' ID, MT forests

A coalition of groups are criticizing plans for managing about 4 million acres of national forest lands in Idaho and Montana. Conservation groups in …

The final rule reflects more than 15,000 pages of comments from nearly 200 stakeholders, according to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. (Adobe Stock)

NV conservation group supports FERC's transmission planning rule

A new plan for updating the power grid is being applauded by a Nevada conservation group. The goal is a path toward a more resilient and cost-…

New Mexico has received two and a half times the amount of federal money awarded last year to fortify wildfire defenses. (photo BLM)

NM among states with longer, more intense fire weather seasons

Areas of northern New Mexico now see 60 more annual fire days than 50 years ago, creating longer, more intense fire seasons. A report from Climate …

The North Carolina Division of Mitigation Services has determined the real estate value of salt marshes in the state is more than $123 billion, based on their overall contributions to the environment and economy. (Adobe Stock)

North Carolina launches five-year plan to restore salt marshes

North Carolina's 220,000 acres of salt marshes face multiple threats to their major roles in climate protection and ecosystem health, from rising …

Warmer nighttime temperatures decrease the overnight relative humidity, making it more difficult for firefighters to gain control over wildfires, according to Climate Central's report. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Arizona now sees two more months of fire weather

A new report found Arizona is experiencing some of the greatest increases in annual fire weather days, with some areas seeing around two more months …

The federal government collects more than $1 billion every year through an excise tax on such items as licenses, guns, arrows and fishing tackle to fund wildlife conservation programs. (Adobe Stock)

As Congress debates new Farm Bill, hunters and anglers speak up

This week, Congress is picking up work on a new Farm Bill and hunters and anglers said billions of dollars in investments in private-lands …

Farm Bill debate is back on; hunters, anglers hope for more support

This week, Congress is picking up work on a new Farm Bill and hunters and anglers say billions of dollars in investments in private-lands …

Iowa's hunters and anglers are advocating to increase wildlife habitat and ecosystem funding in the next Farm Bill, which the U.S. House Agriculture Committee is set to discuss for the first time this week. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa hunters, anglers push for Farm Bill support

The U.S. House Agriculture Committee is scheduled to take up the first version of the new Farm Bill tomorrow morning. Outdoor enthusiasts in Iowa …

The federal government collects more than $1 billion every year through an excise tax on items such as licenses, guns, arrows and fishing tackle to fund wildlife conservation programs. (Adobe Stock)

Conservationists: Farm Bill crucial to future access to IL wildlife habitat

As Congress prepares to start work on a new Farm Bill this week, hunters and anglers say billions of dollars in investments in private-lands …

The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument encompasses about 14,000 acres in east-central Oregon. (Zack Frank/Adobe Stock)

New BLM rules better protect national parks, supporters say

Conservation groups said two new federal rules aim to help better protect public lands, including national parks. The Bureau of Land Management's …

The new Public Lands Rule is designed to protect places such as Joshua Tree National Park, which is bordered by vast swaths of Bureau of Land Management land. (Dmitry/Adobestock)

Conservation groups praise new rules governing oil and gas on public lands

Groups fighting for public lands and national parks are praising two recent Biden administration rules for managing federal land. The oil and gas …

Fungal decay and fire both break down hydrogen and carbon bonds, a process that releases energy. But while fire releases heat, mushrooms absorb that energy like people do when digesting food. (Adobe Stock)

Mushrooms can help prevent mega-wildfires

By Stephen Robert Miller for the Food and Environment Reporting Network.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for t…

The Environmental Defense Fund said methane emissions from oil and gas wells, including abandoned sites which were never capped, remain a significant driver of short-term climate change. (Adobe Stock)

North Dakota gets more federal funds to cap abandoned oil wells

A new round of federal funding is coming North Dakota's way to help plug dozens of abandoned oil wells. The U.S. Department of the Interior this …

The southern resident sea otter was listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1977. The population went from just 50 animals in the 1930s to more than 3,000 today. (Lilian Carswell/USFWS)

Many outdoor events planned in CA for Endangered Species Day

Nature walks, festivals and more are happening this weekend to celebrate the 19th annual Endangered Species Day, which is tomorrow. California is …

The Pikes Peak Challenge helps provide support to brain injury survivors, including stroke victims, in Colorado, one of just two states in the nation with a brain injury organization. (Adobe Stock)

Brain injury survivors aim to defy the odds climbing Pikes Peak

Several hundred hikers are expected to climb to a summit of over 14,000 feet for this year's Pikes Peak Challenge in Colorado Springs, an annual …

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