Public News Service

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

The lands under consideration for the S�tt�tla National Monument in the Medicine Lake Highlands are currently managed by the U.S. Forest Service. (Bob Wick)

Tribes call for new Sáttítla National Monument in northeastern CA

Tribes in far northeastern California are pressing President Joe Biden to create a new national monument about 30 miles from Mount Shasta. The Pit …

California is home to 18 national forests, covering more than 20 million acres of land. (Galyna Andrushko/Adobe Stock)

Conservation groups cheer feds' move to protect old-growth forests

Groups fighting to protect public lands are praising first-of-their-kind moves to protect old-growth forests on U.S. Forest Service land. The Biden …

Around 99% of species listed under the Endangered Species Act since 1973, including the chinook salmon, have been saved from extinction. (Ryan Hagerty/USFWS)

Endangered Species Act turns 50 today

Fifty years ago today, President Richard Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act into law - establishing protections that saved species such as the …

The Mecca Hills, southeast of the Coachella Valley, are part of the proposed Chuckwalla National Monument. (Bureau of Land Management)

CA Tribes press to protect more land at White House Tribal Nations Summit

California tribes are headed to the White House Tribal Nations Summit tomorrow, where they will ask Congress and the Biden administration to create …

Research shows people who live near parks or natural spaces have lower rates of disease and higher rates of social cohesion. (Yaya Ernst/Adobestock)

California launches new 'outdoors for all' strategy

Have you ever wanted to see the California redwoods, play in the Sierra snow, take a dip at the beach or just throw a family barbecue at the park? …

Local groups want to add a section of the Angeles National Forest that includes Trail Canyon Falls to the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. (Bob Wick)

Advocates Push to Expand San Gabriel Mountains National Monument

Lawmakers and conservation groups are asking President Joe Biden to use his powers under the Antiquities Act to expand the San Gabriel Mountains Natio…

Trees being clear-cut in a forest near Tuckahoe, North Carolina, for use in wood pellet production. (TV2 Denmark)

Hearing Tomorrow on Proposal to Build CA's First Large Wood Pellet Plants

Conservation groups are encouraging people to speak out at a virtual hearing tomorrow on two proposed wood pellet plants. They would be among the …

A 2014 study predicted one million new homes will be built in very high wildfire severity zones between the years 2000 and 2050. (Sundry Photography/Adobestock)

Experts: Wildfire Risk Hurting CA Home Values, Increasing Insurance Costs

It is getting increasingly expensive to have a home on the edge of the woods in California, in terms of home value and insurance costs. A new study …

A new park, San Vicente Redwoods, opened up late last year near Santa Cruz, Calif., in an area previously ravaged by fire and logging. (Nadia Hamey)

Californians Celebrate National Trails Day by Volunteering This Saturday

This Saturday, June 3, thousands of Californians will be among hundreds of thousands of Americans heading into the great outdoors to celebrate …

This year's theme for National Parks Week is

This Earth Day: A Chance to Reconnect with Mother Nature

Earth Day is this Saturday, April 22, a chance to get out into the great outdoors and maybe even volunteer your time in service of Mother Nature…

The English Ridge proposed wilderness in Mendocino County is an example of land that could be protected administratively by the Bureau of Land Management, in lieu of congressional action. (Cal Wild)

CA Conservation Groups Praise Feds’ Proposal for Managing Public Land

The feds are seeking public comment now through June 20th on a proposal to put habitat restoration and conservation on equal footing with mining…

Student leaders learn about the estuary near Morro Rock, which is part of the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary. (Kai Monge)

Latino Advocacy Week Promotes Environmental Justice

This week, Hispanic environmental advocates are heading to Washington, D.C., from around the country to engage lawmakers on issues affecting us all…

Inhaling the essential oils of trees or ingesting microparticles of healthy bacteria from soil is believed to boost the immune system. (Ronstik/Adobe Stock)

“Forest Bathing”: A Worthy New Year’s Resolution?

Get in shape. It's a common New Year's resolution, but research shows the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku - or "forest bathing" - has multiple …

Pile burning in Whitaker Research Forest within Redwood Mountain Grove. (Rob York/UC Berkeley)

Coalition Teams Up to Save Sequoias

California's old-growth sequoia trees are dying at an alarming rate - so land managers across the Sierras are mounting an emergency response…

Backers of the Public Lands Act said it would improve public access to nature for millions living in densely populated areas of Los Angeles. (Daxiao Productions/Adobe Stock)

CA Outdoor Recreation Worth $54 Billion Per Year: Federal Data

California is number one in the country for dollars spent on camping, hiking, climbing, and biking, according to the latest federal data. The most …

The site of the old Orick Mill has been a top priority for conservation groups because it is a scar on the landscape in California's old-growth redwood forest. (Save the Redwoods League)

Work on Gateway to Redwood National Park Winds Down for 2022

Crews are making progress in building a new gateway to Redwood National Park in Humboldt County. Work has just wrapped up for the year at the site …

UCLA scientists tracking SoCal mountain lions found that 93% have abnormal sperm rates and others have deformed tails and testicular defects, signs of inbreeding. (Christian/Adobe Stock)

Governor Signs Bill to Integrate Wildlife Corridors into Highway Plans

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law on Friday to require Caltrans to integrate wildlife corridors into its plans as roads are built around the …

Elementary school students on a field trip marvel at the size of a redwood tree. (Victoria Reeder)

For Students, A Trip to the Forest is a Game Changer

As California's children settle into the new school year, about 1,500 students will soon take the field trip of a lifetime to see the giant redwoods…

Families hike in the mountains near Riverside, Calif. (Hispanic Access Foundation)

For Hispanic Heritage Month, People Reconnect with Public Lands

Hispanic Heritage Month begins this week and runs through mid-October, and conservation groups are encouraging people to celebrate by getting the …

Conglomerate Mesa is designated as California Desert National Conservation Land and protected by the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. (Friends of the Inyo)

Campaign Expands to Protect Conglomerate Mesa

Conservation groups are working to raise awareness of the fight to protect a pristine California desert landscape from development, near Death Valley …

The Quino Checkerspot Butterfly is one of dozens of species listed under the Endangered Species Act that lives in the area to be protected as a wildlife refuge in Western Riverside County. (Andrew Fisher/USFWS Volunteer Biologist/Flickr)

Local Officials Promote Proposed Wildlife Refuge in Riverside County

Local leaders are pressing Congress to create a new wildlife refuge in Riverside County. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Sen. Alex Padilla…

The Yurok Tribe hopes that money from the Inflation Reduction Act will allow a big expansion of its forest restoration programs, like this one along the Trinity River in northern California. (Matt Mais/Yurok Tribe).

CA Groups, Tribes Praise New Bill, Call for Climate Emergency Declaration

As President Joe Biden gets ready to sign the Inflation Reduction Act into law, California conservation groups are hailing it as the country's …

The Monterey Bay Aquarium hosts an event today (Monday) as part of Latino Conservation Week, one of dozens of activities planned statewide. (Fastily/Wikimedia Commons)

9th Annual Latino Conservation Week Kicks Off Today

This week is a great chance to enjoy the great outdoors - with more than fifty free events, up and down the state of California, as part of Latino …

A California newt attempts to cross the road. (Jose Benedicto de Jesus/Center for Biological Diversity)

State Lawmakers to Consider Wildlife Crossings Bill Today

A bill to prioritize wildlife crossings gets a hearing in the state Senate Transportation Committee today. The Safe Roads and Wildlife Protection …

Lawmakers Propose New National Monument Honoring Chavez

Congress is considering a new bill to establish a national historical park honoring union organizer Cesar Chavez and the farmworker movement he led…

The Cuyama Badlands are part of the area that would be protected under the PUBLIC Lands Act. (Bryant Baker/Los Padres Forestwatch)

PUBLIC Lands Act Promoted for National Rivers Month

June is National Rivers Month, and conservation groups are pressing the U.S. Senate to vote on the PUBLIC Lands Act, a bill that would add …

A new bill in Congress would rename Walker Ridge as

Tribes, Lawmakers Press to Expand Berryessa Snow Mtn. Monument

Local lawmakers and Native American leaders are speaking out in favor of a new bill to add almost 4,000 acres to Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monu…

Latino Advocacy Week was started in 2021 to improve upon gains in Latino voting power made in the 2020 election. (Hispanic Access Foundation)

Groups Tackle Immigration, Conservation for Latino Advocacy Week

It's Latino Advocacy Week - an initiative designed to empower local groups to go out and effect change in their communities. The Hispanic Access …

The sage grouse is considered a sentinel species, whose health status reflects the state of the entire Western desert ecosystem known as the

Budget Bill Blocks Endangered Species Protection for Sage Grouse

Conservation groups are slamming a spending deal in Congress that's expected to pass this week - because it would forbid Endangered Species Act protec…

A wildlife camera at a culvert underneath U.S. Highway 395 collects data on deer migration. (Pathways for Wildlife)

New Camera Study Tracks Wildlife Migration to Reduce Collisions Along I-395

A new study aims to reduce wildlife collisions in one of the biggest hotspots for them - Highway 395 from Reno, Nevada, through Tahoe up to …

Environmental groups are circulating a petition asking elected officials to oppose a mining exploration project at Conglomerate Mesa near the town of Lone Pine, Calif. (Brian Ferwerd/BLM)

Groups Fight Proposed Mining Exploration Near Death Valley

Local environmental groups are voicing their concerns about a proposed mining exploration project about two miles west of California's Death Valley…

The Carrizo Plain National Monument would receive extra protections from development under the proposed Public Lands Act in Congress. (Bob Wick/Bureau of Land Management)

Coalition Presses Senators to Protect CA Public Lands

A coalition of more than 50 local elected officials is pleading for action on the Public Lands Act, a bill that would add protections for more than a …

The proposed Western Riverside County Wildlife Refuge is key habitat to the federally endangered Quino checkerspot butterfly. (Eric Porter/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Conservation Groups Build Support for Riverside County Wildlife Refuge

HEMET, Calif. -- Public-lands groups are asking Congress to support the proposed Western Riverside County Wildlife Refuge, a 500,000-acre swath …

The Amboy Crater, outside Twentynine Palms, is part of the desert habitat that conservation groups hope to protect with funds from a new Desert Conservation Program. (Bureau of Land Management)

Conservation Groups Celebrate New Program to Fund Desert Restoration

JOSHUA TREE, Calif. -- Projects to protect the Mojave and Colorado Deserts stand to get a lot more funding, as Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill …

In 2018 an unknown hunter killed and skinned one of the few remaining jaguars in Arizona, a male named Yo'oko. (Center for Biological Diversity)

Groups Look to Expand Jaguar Habitat After Victory Against Proposed Mine

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The battle against copper mining the Santa Rita Mountains outside of Tucson continues - even though the feds just handed a …

Churches and community groups are organizing dozens of events this week in California to promote outdoor recreation for all. (Hispanic Access Foundation)

Latino Conservation Week Draws Families Across State

LOS ANGELES -- This week is the eighth annual Latino Conservation Week, sponsored by the Hispanic Access Foundation, with more than 150 events taking …

Local groups like the Sal Castro Foundation are pressing for federal recognition of Hazard Park in East Los Angeles, for its role in the 1968 student protests. (Manuel Galaviz)

Report: CA Latino Heritage Sites Need Greater Protection, Recognition

SANTA ANA, Calif. -- Sites tied to Latino history and culture are underrepresented on the list of historic places, according to a new report from the …

President Bill Clinton used the Antiquities Act in 2012 to designate the Carrizo Plain National Monument. (Bureau of Land Management)

Antiquities Act More Relevant Than Ever on Its 115th Anniversary

DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Calif. - Some of California's most dramatic landscapes have been protected under the Antiquities Act, which turns 115 …

Sponge beds teeming with life, such as this one in Mendocino, can be destroyed by seabed mining. (Northwest Fisheries Science Center/NOAA)

As WA Bans Seabed Mining, Advocates Call on CA to Follow Suit

MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. -- Ocean advocates in California are calling for a preemptive ban on seabed mining, saying the Golden State is the weak link …

Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., speaks at an event announcing the PUBLIC Lands Act at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area in Irwindale, in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. (Bryan Matsumoto/Nature for All)

Bill Introduced to Protect More Than 1 Million Acres of CA Public Land

SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS, Calif. -- More than a million acres of public land and 500 miles of rivers in the Golden State would get new wilderness …

Many cycling groups aim to make biking more accessible to communities of color. (SF Bicycle Coalition)

CA Cycling Groups Promote Community During Pandemic

By Marianne Dhenin for Yes! Media.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the YES! Media-Public News Service …

Kern County produces about 70% of California's oil and more than 90% of its natural gas. However, 20% of county residents live at or below the federal poverty line. (Zhengzaishuru/iStockphoto)

Kern County Clean-Air Advocates Plead for State Intervention

KERN COUNTY, Calif. -- Groups fighting for clean air and against climate change are calling for the State of California to step in after the Kern …

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CA: Public Lands/Wilderness