WIND RIVER RESERVATION, Wyo. - The nomination of Deb Haaland for U.S. Secretary of the Interior has won praise from conservation groups eager to get to work restoring America's natural resources.

Jason Baldes lives on the Wind River Reservation and is the tribal buffalo program manager of the National Wildlife Federation's Tribal Partnership team. He said he sees opportunity in Haaland's strong advocacy to fuel tribal conservation efforts through the Recovering America's Wildlife Act.

"Which would provide $1.4 billion annually for collaborative efforts between states and tribes to recover wildlife species," said Baldes. "This would be the most significant investment in wildlife conservation in a generation."

The measure is one of many policies championed by Haaland during her term as a congressional Rep. for New Mexico.

Haaland would be the first Native American to lead the Interior Department, the agency charged with overseeing tribal interests. Some critics see her nomination as a shift away from so-called energy dominance policies that they claim could lead to job loss.

Baldes said he's confident Haaland's Interior Department would bring balance to public-lands management, and expand efforts to keep rivers and streams healthy, restore clean air, and protect wildlife and the ecological integrity of America's landscapes for future generations.

"It's time for that type of healing," said Baldes. "For not only the land, the animals and plants, but for our communities. We have to reconnect with the natural world in some way. I think there's a hope that there can be some restoration with the confirmation of Deb Haaland."

Independent watchdog groups have given Haaland high marks for securing bipartisan support for legislation to conserve public lands and waters, while also expanding access for hunting, fishing and recreation, including recent passage of the Great American Outdoors Act.

Over the weekend, Nevada's Lehman Caves celebrated its 100th anniversary as a national monument. Supporters behind a proposal to add another monument in the state hope the observations serve as a reminder of the need to preserve public lands.

The proposed monument - south of Las Vegas - would be called Avi Kwa Ame, which is the Mojave Tribe's term for Spirit Mountain.

Paul Selberg, executive director of the Nevada Conservation League, said establishing these 450,000 acres as a federally protected site would balance a range of goals amid the climate crisis.

"Heeding the call and serving as a prime, shining example of how future investments can protect our lands," said Selberg, "respect Indigenous efforts and also support economic growth."

The land is considered sacred to a dozen Indigenous tribes. Supporters say preserving it also would benefit the state's economy through a variety of recreational activities, such as hiking.

The coalition backing the plan is hoping for either Congress or the Biden administration to take action on the idea. Members held talks with federal officials in recent days.

Taylor Patterson, executive director of the Native Voters Alliance, said the urgency behind this effort is due in part to shield the land from proposed renewable energy projects.

"It's important to know nobody in this process is against renewable energy," said Patterson. "We all want to see renewable energy goals met. But there is an appropriate place, for wind and for solar."

She said these lands are not that place.

Opponents have noted the area already has some federal protections. However, a national monument designation would preclude any future commercial development.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Pennsylvania has more than 6,000 local and state parks, and the people who manage them and run all the park activities are being honored this week.

Park and Recreation Professionals Day is this Friday, and it takes thousands of them to help build strong, vibrant communities.

Tonya Brown, director of parks and recreation for Mechanicsburg and president of the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society, said 86% of adults in a national survey think access to the outdoors and nature is helpful, especially during stressful times, and it's important to recognize the workers who make it accessible.

"Not just directors and full-time staff, but the part-time staff that are working in playgrounds with our community children, or lifeguards, individuals that are running leagues, everybody," Brown outlined. "Because it takes really a village to raise a child correctly, through parks and recreation."

She noted parks and rec centers also serve in many towns as emergency shelters, for COVID testing and vaccination sites, and as summer food program sites for low-income families.

Park use during the pandemic jumped more than 26% in the Commonwealth.

Heather Dighe, executive director of the Lancaster Recreation Commission, said it is further proof ready-to-use parks are vital to people's health.

"A recent study by the National Recreation and Parks Association said that 93% of adults say that parks improve their mental health," Dighe pointed out. "Having free, accessible, safe, clean parks means that people can benefit their physical health but also their mental health as well, which is so important."

Brian Barrett, director of parks and recreation for Haverford Township near Philadelphia, said his department has recreational programs for adults and even a preschool program to safely introduce the area's youngest residents to the outdoors.

"What the Parks and Rec added to a community is community," Barrett asserted. "It gives people a chance to gather and use sports settings. It gives people a chance to just go to their local playground, play on the swings, run in the field, and walk their dogs."

Increased use of many park facilities and the tendency for their budgets to be cut when times are lean, means there is a backlog of repairs and maintenance, which the workers also deal with on the job.

Public comments are being accepted for a proposed project in the Black Hills National Forest that would involve exploratory drilling for gold. Some safeguards have been added to the plan, but opponents still have concerns.

Minnesota-based F-3 Gold has been pursuing the project in western South Dakota and wants to drill along three acres near Pactola Reservoir.

Lilias Jarding, executive director of the Black Hills Clean Water Alliance, said her group worries it would move beyond the exploratory phase and pollute the water supply for Rapid City and tribal communities.

"If we got to the point where there was gold mining," she said, "the big concerns are arsenic, mercury and cyanide, which is used for processing the gold."

Despite its history with the industry, there's currently only one active gold mine in the Black Hills. Jarding said it's important to preserve the popular tourist area and not disrupt its economic impact. The U.S. Forest Service has given initial approval to a draft plan, but added provisions to protect resources. The company touts a "higher standard for sustainable exploration."

Despite any assurances, Jarding thinks anyone who loves the Black Hills should not endorse this kind of work on the landscape, even if it starts as something small.

"It's not reflective of reality," she said, "which is that any mining is destructive."

There are other proposals for the area, including another planned drilling project farther north of the reservoir. As for the F-3 plan, comments can be submitted online by Aug. 23. After that, federal officials are expected to make their final decision.