skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Saturday, February 15, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump administration begins sweeping layoffs with probationary workers, warns of larger cuts to come; NYC music school teachers strike after union negotiations break down; Ohio advocates push for inclusive policies during Black History Month; Health experts recommend sunshine, socializing to cure 'winter blues.'

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Federal workers tasked with securing elections from foreign interference are placed on leave, parents' organizations reject dismantling Dept. of Education, and the Congressional Black Caucus presses discussions on slavery reparations.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rural America struggles with opioids and homelessness in unexpected ways, Colorado's Lariat Ditch could help spur local recreation, and book deliveries revive rural communities hit by Hurricane Helene.

"State of the Land:" Balancing Energy and Recreation in CO

play audio
Play

Wednesday, August 21, 2013   

"State of the Land" is a weekly look at the issues that affect Colorado's outdoor way of life. Hosted by Chris Thomas of Public News Service, it runs 1:46 with voice narration. This week's topic: Is it possible to have an energy boom and still keep Colorado wild and inviting enough to attract both tourists and high-tech companies? We hear the perspective of John Land Le Coq (la-COKE), founder, Fishpond (a fishing gear designer and manufacturer), and longtime professional outdoor photographer. Image available: Photo of Gore Range, north of Vail.

I'm Chris Thomas for State of the Land.

One Coloradan who wants to be at the table to help find a balance between conservation and energy development in the state is John Land Le Coq. He's a renowned nature photographer and founder of Fishpond, a Denver-based company that designs and makes outdoor gear. Le Coq points out that a lot of people in the oil and gas industry also are avid sportsmen - and he's convinced that balance is possible, with a little more effort.

"Is Colorado doing enough to bring private industry like ourselves and also people in the oil and gas industry to address the issues that we're all facing? I think we can always do more. And we have a lot of consumers who hunt and fish, and they care about habitat, they care about open land."

A report out this month from the Center for American Progress says public land now is being leased for oil and gas development at a rate two-and-a-half times faster than it's being protected as parks, monuments and wilderness.

During this energy boom, the researchers recommend policymakers bring the equation back into balance - by directing that the impacts on conservation and recreation be considered in all oil and gas planning. Le Coq says his business also is booming - and to him, the case for conservation is just as compelling as for drilling.

"Places like here in Colorado, they're attracting a lot of high-tech industry - very talented people from around the world who are coming to Colorado to set up business here because they enjoy the lifestyle and the recreational aspects of what our state offers."

The Interior Department says more than 60,000 jobs in Colorado alone depend on public lands. The diversity of those jobs underscores Le Coq's message of the importance of balance.

I'm Chris Thomas for Public News Service, member and listener supported and online at publicnewsservice.org.

---

Statistics from the Interior Department are online at doi.gov. The Center for American Progress report is at americanprogress.org.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
The largest flock identified in the Great Backyard Bird Count was a group of four million bramblings in Germany. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

This weekend, Virginians will participate with other birders around the world in the Great Backyard Bird Count. Thousands of birding enthusiasts …


Environment

play sound

This weekend, birders across the world, including in Maryland, will participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count. Thousands of birding enthusiasts …

Environment

play sound

Grasslands are considered a vital component of South Dakota's landscape. But on the heels of new research, an expert suggests they might not fare as …


More than a dozen states, including Minnesota, have created paid-leave programs to fill gaps when workers can't get paid as they or a relative recover from an illness. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Minnesota is little less than a year away from launching its paid-leave law, but state lawmakers are debating whether to delay the start until 2027…

Social Issues

play sound

A New York City music school's faculty is back in the classroom after a weeklong strike. The Manhattan School of Music's Precollege Program faculty …

The nonprofit Facing History and Ourselves offers a mini-lesson for teachers about the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol attack, designed for grades 6-12. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

A New York bill would require schools to teach about the Jan. 6 insurrection. The bill calls for all K-12 students to be taught about the event…

Health and Wellness

play sound

An Atlanta-based group is making sure more people have access to an unconventional but effective treatment for their moderate mental health challenges…

Social Issues

play sound

The Texas Department of Agriculture is accepting sponsor applications for its 2025 Summer Meal Programs. The Summer Food Service Program and the …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021