Public Lands/Wilderness / Public News Service

The Mojave Desert Tortoise is now listed as endangered in California, but is still listed as �threatened� under the federal Endangered Species Act. (Joanna Gilkeson/USFWS)

Thursday, May 9, 2024

CA lists Mojave Desert Tortoise as endangered

Groups that fight to recover endangered species are praising the California Fish and Game Commission's decision to change the Mojave Desert tortoise f…

In 2022, 10.3 million park visitors spent an estimated $1.2 billion in local gateway regions while visiting National Park lands in Arizona, according to the National Park Service. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

New BLM rules could help national parks in AZ

As opponents to the Bureau of Land Management's new rules push back, public lands advocates are praising the agency's decision to put conservation on …

More than 80 national park units, including Rocky Mountain National Park, sit next to public lands managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. (Adobe Stock)

New BLM rule could help protect America's national parks

As critics work to roll back new Bureau of Land Management rules, public lands advocates are defending the agency's move to put conservation uses on …

There are more than 31,000 orphaned oil and gas wells within 30 miles of National Parks nationwide. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming leaders push back on new BLM rules

New rules on how the Bureau of Land Management oversees more than 18 million acres of public lands in Wyoming have drawn criticism from Gov. Mark …

New federal rules will govern 245 million acres of public lands in the United States, including in Montana. (Adobe Stock)

New oil and gas mining rules benefit wilderness, rankle companies

The Bureau of Land Management has released a pair of rules that will change how the agency manages 245 million acres of public land. The rules …

Currently, 90% of public land managed by BLM is open to commodity-driven extraction, like mining and oil and gas development, according to the National Parks Conservation Association. (Adobe Stock)

National parks in UT benefit from BLM rules

Conservation experts are applauding the Bureau of Land Management for releasing two new rules that recognize conservation as an essential part of publ…

The impact of the Public Lands Rule goes beyond BLM-managed lands, benefiting 80 neighboring national parks, according to the National Parks Conservation Association. (Adobe Stock)

NV's public lands to benefit from BLM's new rules

The Bureau of Land Management recently released two rules that alter how the agency manages its 245 million acres of public lands, 48 million of …

Stalactites cling to the roof of what's called the

NM's Chaco, Carlsbad parks gain protection from new BLM rule

New Mexico's diverse national parks located adjacent to extraction sites will enjoy greater protections under a new federal rule. Changes to how the …

Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument's new Molok Loyuk region provides habitat for tule elk, mountain lions, bears, bald eagles and golden eagles. (Hispanic Access Foundation)

Public lands groups cheer expansion of two CA national monuments

Conservation groups, tribes and community organizers are praising President Joe Biden's decision Thursday to expand two national monuments in …

Last month, tribal and community leaders joined members of Congress from across the West to present more than 800,000 petition signatures, urging President Joe Biden to use the Antiquities Act to designate and expand national monuments. (Dominic Gentilcore/Adobe Stock)

NV Tribal Nations push for Bahsahwahbee National Monument

Native American tribes in Nevada are calling for designation of a new national monument within the National Park System in east central Nevada…

The Public Lands Rule helps ensure BLM management decisions will continue to be guided by science and data. (Adobe Stock)

Utah opposes BLM's new Public Lands Rule

The Bureau of Land Management recently released its final Public Lands Rule, which is set to put conservation on equal footing with other multiple …

Blackwater Falls in Blackwater Falls State Park attracts visitors who spend more than $25 million in the region yearly, according to West Virginia State Parks. (Adobe Stock).<br />

Report: WV’s Blackwater River among America’s most endangered

The Blackwater River, which flows more than 30 miles through West Virginia's Allegheny Mountains, ranks among the top 10 most endangered rivers in …

Birds are attracted to the Fernhill Wetlands in Forest Grove, Ore., where wastewater is treated naturally. (Bryn Nelson)

Wastewater wetlands in OR, US provide natural filtration option

By Bryn Nelson for Yes! Media.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Oregon News Service reporting for the YES! Media-Public News Service …

The manu o ku, or white fairy tern, is among the thousands of bird species that have benefited from the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act, a more than century-old federal law. (Adobe Stock)

Conservation groups celebrate biodiversity of Hawaiian bird species

Conservation groups say the Hawaiian Islands are on the leading edge of the fight to preserve endangered birds, since climate change and habitat loss …

For centuries before Europeans arrived in North America, the buffalo not only provided Indigenous societies powerful spiritual support and healing, but also food, clothing, toys, tools, shelter and other necessities of life. (Adobe Stock)

Call for artists to create Wind River Water and Buffalo Alliance logo

The Wind River Water and Buffalo Alliance is looking for a graphic artist to develop a logo. Before Europeans arrived, some 60 million buffalo …

According to Colorado College's 2023 Conservation in the West Poll, 82% of voters in the Rocky Mountain West support a national goal of conserving America's lands and waters in the next decade. (Adobe Stock)

BLM finalizes rule to prioritize protection of public lands in CO, West

The federal Bureau of Land Management has released its long-awaited final Public Lands Rule, which aims to reconcile a perceived imbalance between …

The Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is the second-largest national park in the United States. (Patrick/Adobe Stock)

Denial of mining road in Alaska has ripples across U.S. national parks

The Biden administration has blocked a mining road in Alaska, and public-lands proponents see the move as a win for national parks around the country…

A proposed mining road would have been built near the Brooks Range in northwest Alaska. (Irenabyss/Adobe Stock)

Rejection of AK mining road seen as victory for national parks across U.S.

The Biden administration has blocked a mining road in Alaska and public lands proponents see the move as a win for national parks around the country…

Advocates say a proposed bond measure could help improve fire resiliency in California's redwood forests. (Kchassiephoto/Adobe Stock)

On Earth Day, climate activists press for CA bond measure

Today, in honor of Earth Day, climate advocates are asking California lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom to rally around a plan to put a $15 billion …

The proposed Ambler industrial mining road would have crossed nearly 3,000 waterways, including the Kobuk and Koyukuk rivers, which are important spawning grounds for the Yukon salmon. (National Wild and Scenic Rivers System)

Biden administration moves to protect Alaska wilderness

Conservation groups are rejoicing over the decision Friday by the Biden administration to reject a proposed mining road in Alaska. The 211-mile …

The 17,371 acre Dolly Sods Wilderness in the Monongahela National Forest is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System, according to the U.S. Forest Service. (Adobe Stock)<br />

After Alaskan mining decision, other states may step up conservation efforts

The Biden administration has denied approval for a project to build more than 200 miles of road in the Alaskan wilderness. On this Earth Day…

Much of Oregon's BLM lands are in the southeastern part of the state. (John Chedsey/Adobe Stock)

New BLM rule creates opportunities for conservation in OR

Conservation and public access are on equal footing with other considerations for Bureau of Land Management lands under a recently announced rule…

About 67% of Nevada's lands are managed by the Bureau of Land Management. (Adobe Stock)

NV stakeholders celebrate new BLM public lands rule

This week, the Bureau of Land Management announced an update to its Public Lands Rule to help recognize conservation as an essential component of …

The Bureau of Land Management's newly issued Public Lands Rule is designed to safeguard cultural resources such as New Mexico's Chaco Culture National Park. (Photo courtesy SallyPaez)

BLM's 'Public Lands Rule' could reform conservation, access in NM

Balancing the needs of the many with those who have traditionally reaped benefits from public lands is behind a new rule issued Thursday by the Bureau…

Outdoor recreation added $11.7 million to the Arizona economy in 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. (Adobe Stock)

AZ conservation groups pleased with Biden's move to protect public lands

Arizona conservation groups and sportsmen alike say they're pleased the Bureau of Land Management will now recognize conservation as an integral part …

The 1922 Colorado River Compact gives priority to Lower Basin states: Arizona, California and Nevada, for rights to Colorado River Water. (Adobe Stock)

Study: 90% of CO River irrigation water goes to cattle

As Colorado and other states grapple with shrinking Colorado River water levels, new research pinpoints how much water is being diverted for cattle …

From Alabama to the Everglades, the Florida Wildlife Corridor is a superhighway of interconnected acres of wildlands, working lands and waters. (FAU/FWC aerial view)

FL Wildlife Corridor study reveals role in climate resilience, population growth

As the Sunshine State grapples with rising temperatures and escalating weather events such as hurricanes, a new study sheds light on the pivotal role …

Montana has more than 3 million acres of inaccessible public lands, tops in the West, according to the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. (Adobe Stock)

SB 442 veto override ballots due back this week

Ballots are due back in the Montana Secretary of State's office later this week, as lawmakers decide whether to override Gov. Greg Gianforte's veto …

The Nature Conservancy Arizona will use the funding to purchase conservation easements from willing landowners on up to 20,000 acres. (Juliana Swenson/Adobe Stock)

Millions of dollars going to Verde River conservation in north central AZ

More than $11 million in federal grant money will go to improve land and water conservation in the upper Verde River Watershed and Big Chino Grassland…

Prescribed burning is the purposeful use of fire to reduce the risk from fire fuel sources in the forest. (Heidi/Adobe Stock)

NW states, fed collaborate on prescribed burns to fight wildfires

State and federal agencies are collaborating to increase the use of prescribed fires in the Northwest. Prescribed fire is the controlled use of …

New research at the University of Montana recommends letting smaller wildfires burn where possible, heading off potentially more dangerous blazes later. (Adobe Stock)

MT researchers: Let smaller wildfires burn

A new study in the journal Nature Communications by Montana researchers said suppressing small wildfires is leading to larger, more intense and …

$A new fracking well pad visible from the property of Ohio resident Randi Pokladnik. (Randi Pokladnik) <br />$

Ohio considers opening 40,000 acres in Wayne National Forest to fracking

Ohio's Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comments - and will answer questions in virtual sessions today and tomorrow, on a draft …

More than 90% of available land in the Greater Chaco region, former home of Ancestral Puebloan civilizations, is dotted with oil and gas wells, according to WildEarth Guardians. (WildEarthGuardians.org)

Orphaned wells: Environmental, visual pollution for SW Indian Country

Tribal communities, including those in New Mexico, can now apply for grant funding and direct assistance to clean up orphaned oil and gas wells …

Researcher Michael Zeiler with GreatAmericanEclipse.com estimated between 84,000 and 337,000 people will visit the Natural State to view the solar eclipse. (Adil/AdobesStock)

Arkansans encouraged to observe birds, wildlife behavior during solar eclipse

On Monday, Arkansans will have the opportunity to witness a once-in-a-lifetime event, a total solar eclipse. It will be visible along a narrow track …

Lake Creek runs along the northern boundary of nearly 1,000 acres to be protected within the Houston metropolitan area. (Photo courtesy Bayou Land Conservancy)

Houston metro residents benefit from conservation easement

A conservation easement nine years in the making will benefit a local Texas community by preserving almost 1,000 acres. The Bayou Land Conservancy …

Tiny particulate matter in wildfire smoke can lodge deep in the lungs and cause serious respiratory problems. (Adobe Stock)

MT earmarks millions to cooperate on reducing wildfire threat

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation has awarded $3.1 million for 13 projects to reduce wildfire risk to communities and impro…

Utah's Orphan Well Plugging Program has spent about $2.5 million to plug orphan wells since its inception in 1992. (Adobe Stock)

Greater accountability sought for abandoned well cleanup in West

According to the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining, there are at least 49 orphan wells in the state -- wells that are abandoned and not plugged -- …

The Lolo National Forest's geographic location is seen as critical for connecting wildlife habitats. (Adobe Stock)

Wildlife habitat, connectivity, key to Lolo National Forest management plan

Today is the deadline for public comment on Montana's Lolo National Forest management plan. Advocates say the input will shape how the land is used …

While they remain listed as endangered, federal officials say the whooping crane's recovery from the brink of extinction is one of the most notable success stories under the Endangered Species Act. (Adobe Stock)

Endangered Species Act gets another makeover, drawing partial praise

The Biden administration is moving forward with plans it says will strengthen the Endangered Species Act, after it saw a major overhaul under former …

A bill called Save Our Sequoias to fund wildfire resilience is tucked into this year's farm bill, currently being negotiated in Congress. (Save the Redwoods League)

Major progress in effort to protect CA giant sequoias from megafires

Crews have been ramping up wildfire resilience projects to thin out brush and dead wood in California's giant sequoia groves, clearing twice as many …

Montana land proposed for solar power

The Bureau of Land Management has proposed expanding the public land available for solar power production in 11 states, including Montana. The BLM's …

There are about 200 grizzly bears in Idaho. (tomreichner/Adobe Stock)

Fed judge's wolf trapping decision could help ID grizzly recovery

A federal court ruling that limits wolf trapping and snaring in Idaho could aid recovery of grizzly bears in the region. U.S. Judge Candy Dale …

A Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership survey found 92% of Pennsylvania sportsmen and women support designating streams for protections when they meet the right criteria. (Adobe Stock)

A push to update PA stream designations for wild trout protection

Pennsylvania's wild trout streams are getting some much-needed attention and outdoor enthusiasts across the state can voice their views on safeguardin…

Small seasonal streams lost Clean Water Act protections last year when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the Biden administration in 'Sackett v. EPA.' (Derrick/Adobe Stock)

On World Water Day, advocates call on Congress to reinstate protections

Today is World Water Day, established 21 years ago by the United Nations to promote clean, fresh water. This year, advocates in the U.S. are …

Leaders from the Yurok Tribe and the nonprofit Save the Redwoods walk among native plants planted as part of a revegetation effort at 'O Rew. (Evan-Marie Petit)

Historic agreement to return Redwoods land to Yurok Tribe

Plans to open a new gateway to Redwoods State and National Parks got a big boost Tuesday, paving the way for a key parcel of land to be returned to …

Environmental advocates contend a logging project bordering Montana's Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness Area threatens habitat for the lynx, which is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental advocates sue over MT logging project

The Alliance for the Wild Rockies has sued the U.S. Forest Service over a logging project in southwestern Montana. The group claims the agency …

Tourism and outdoor recreational are top drivers of New Mexico's economy. (Pew Charitable Trusts)

NM ambassadors travel east to advocate for West's Gila River

New Mexico has one of the nation's last "wild" rivers, free of human-made structures and community representatives will be back in the nation's …

An update to the Northwest Forest Plan could be available by this fall. (jamesdcawley/Adobe Stock)

Update coming for 30-year-old Northwest Forest Plan

The U.S. Forest Service has announced its intention to update a 30-year-old plan for managing forests in the Northwest. The agency has issued a …

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