Public Lands/Wilderness / Public News Service

Peatlands store up to 30% of the world's terrestrial carbon despite occupying just 3% of its land surface. (Photo courtesy Minnesota DNR)

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

MN's little-known emissions-fighting tool at a crossroads

Minnesotans have until next Tuesday to offer their thoughts on the state's next Climate Action Framework. Those tasked with protecting a distinct …

According to America's Health Ranking, nearly 28% of Hoosiers age 16 and older volunteered in the last 12 months. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, January 20, 2025

IN DNR seeks volunteers for MLK Jr. Day of Service

Today the nation honors the "drum major for peace" - the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The civil rights leader committed his life to equal …

Canada lynx in the contiguous United States were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2020, so their habitat must be considered by agencies pursuing logging projects. (Stan/Adobe Stock)

MT groups sue USFS over logging in lynx habitat

The U.S. Forest Service is facing a lawsuit from Montana conservation groups for authorizing a major logging project in a critical wildlife habitat…

Women of color are often the sole providers of care for their families and communities and are far too often the last to receive nurturing care, rest and recreation for themselves. (Women's Wilderness)

Mountain retreat to 'pamper' Colorado’s caregivers of color age 50+

If you are a woman age 50 and older, and you provide care for a parent, a child, a loved one or neighbor, you are invited to sign up for a weekend …

The Bureau of Land Management manages about 22.8 million acres in Utah. (Nathaniel Gonzales/Adobe Stock)

SCOTUS rejects Utah's attempt to control public lands

The U.S. Supreme Court has opted not to hear a lawsuit brought by the State of Utah, which alleged the federal government's ownership of large parts …

As apex carnivores, wolves sit at the top of the food chain, affecting everything in surrounding ecosystems, from elk to soil. (Adobe Stock)

Livestock industry still howling about wolves' return

It's been 30 years since wolves were reintroduced in Yellowstone National Park, a move that remains controversial today - as Colorado's livestock …

At least 75 tree species, more than 225 bird species and eight federally listed, threatened or endangered bird, bat, salamander and plant species call the Monongahela National Forest home, according to the U.S. Forest Service. (Wikimedia Commons)<br />

WV groups urge shutdown of Monongahela coal haul road

Advocates want federal regulators to shut down what they say is an illegal coal haul road in West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest. South Fork …

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed a new lower 48 Distinct Population Segment boundary for grizzly bears that receive protections under the Endangered Species Act, connecting and broadening the current isolated recovery zones. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Grizzly bears keep federal protections, despite state efforts

After a months-long delay, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Wednesday that grizzly bears will retain protections under the Endangered …

A crew helped Jim Hoffman build beaver dam analogs on his cranberry farm in central Wisconsin. (Jim Hoffman)

WI farmer uses 'mock beaver dams' to restore wetlands

By Bennet Goldstein for Wisconsin Watch.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for Wisconsin Watch-Public New…

The new Chuckwalla National Monument is part of the Biden Administration's commitment to preserve 30% of the nation's land and waters by the year 2030. (Bureau of Land Management)

Tribes applaud as Biden announces two new national monuments in CA

The White House announced two new national monuments in California on Tuesday, one just east of Palm Springs and the other near Shasta Lake. A …

Grand Teton's Kelly parcel, now owned by the National Park Service, starts the Path of the Pronghorn, the longest land migration route in the lower 48. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Teton park acquires addition after widespread, multiyear effort

The 640-acre Kelly parcel has been in limbo for decades. It sits within the bounds of Grand Teton National Park but has long been owned by the state …

NV groups celebrate temporary oil, gas ban in Ruby Mountains

The Biden-Harris administration is taking another step to protect northeast Nevada's Ruby Mountains - by putting them temporarily off-limits to oil…

Outdoor recreation accounted for 5 million jobs in 2023. (Ray Redstone/Adobe Stock)

As outdoor recreation keeps fueling Arizona GDP, 'EXPLORE Act' could help

Arizona, like other western states, could see outdoor recreation opportunities increase under the EXPLORE Act - which was recently EXPLORE Act…

New Mexico's whitewater rafting companies and other outdoor recreation businesses are expected to benefit from the EXPLORE Act. (VisitAlbuquerque.org)

'EXPLORE Act' expected to bolster NM’s outdoor industry

Western states such as New Mexico could see recreational opportunities expand under the EXPLORE Act, now awaiting President Joe Biden's signature …

Outdoor recreation supported 5 million jobs in 2023, or 3.1% of employment, according to an analysis from the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. (Westley/Adobe Stock)<br />

Outdoor recreation continues to fuel GDP

A bill passed by Congress could expand opportunities for recreation on public lands in places like Montana. The EXPLORE Act, presented to President …

Among recently surveyed Wyomingites, 88% support constructing wildlife crossings across major highways intersecting with known migration routes, though only 48% consider the loss of wildlife and fish habitats an extremely or very serious problem, according to the 2024 State of the Rockies Project poll. (Danita Delimont/Adobe Stock)

Wyoming gets mixed scores on 2024 conservation report card

A new scorecard from the Center for Western Priorities points to Wyoming's success as a western state balancing conservation goals and economic growth…

Regional drought and fluctuating snowfall at the head of the Rio Grande basin in southern Colorado in recent years have left El Paso Water officials increasingly unsure how much water will flow through the river into the city each year. (Marcos/Adobe Stock)

Drought brought on by climate change affects West TX water supply

By Diego Mendoza-Moyers for El Paso Matters.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Texas News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Publ…

More than three-quarters of Western voters say more emphasis should be placed on conserving wildlife migration routes than on economic uses of lands in these areas, according to the State of the Rockies Project. (Adobe Stock)

Report: AZ one of eight Western states that could improve conservation policies

Arizona could be doing more to improve conservation policy, according to a new report by the Center for Western Priorities. The Center's Policy …

75% of Nevadans think more emphasis should be placed on conserving wildlife migration routes than on new developments, according to Colorado College's State of the Rockies Project. (Adobe Stock)

Report: NV emerges as conservation leader among Western states

Nevada scored high for its well-funded conservation programs and for the state's commitment to public land protections. A new report by The Center …

Since the passage of The Clean Energy Plan in 2022, Utah has seen more than 3,800 new jobs across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Utah lags on conservation policy

Among Western states, Utah could be doing more to support conservation policy, according to a new report by the Center for Western Priorities…

Federally employed firefighters hope to see a permanent pay bump to replace the pay increases granted in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates: Federal wildland firefighters need permanent pay bump

As the federal government works this week to avoid a shutdown, federal wildland firefighters are waiting to see if their recent pay increase will …

Enbridge's Line 5 pipeline is currently routed as close as 11 feet to a riverbank caused by flooding and erosion. (Bad River: A Story of Defiance)

Documentary brings WI tribe's pipeline resistance to national stage

By Amy Felegy for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Servic…

Offshore wind turbines such as these in Maine are currently in the planning stages at sites off of the coast of Morro Bay and Humboldt. (Jack Shapiro/Natural Resources Council of Maine)

Reports: Transmission grid plans must take wildlife into account

The power grid will need to be dramatically upgraded and expanded in the coming years to handle the transition to renewable energy - and two new repor…

Julie Su, acting Secretary of Labor and Deb Haaland, Secretary of the Interior, joined labor advocates to celebrate President Joe Biden's establishment of the Frances Perkins National Monument in Newcastle, Maine. (Maine AFL-CIO)

National monument in Maine honors labor advocate Perkins

A new national monument in the town of Newcastle in Maine will honor FDR-era Labor Secretary Frances Perkins. The first woman to serve in a …

American martens require very specific living parameters and are hyper sensitive to any changes in their habitat. (Adobe Stock)

WI receives federal funds to recover state’s only endangered mammal

The federal Department of the Interior has awarded the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission more than $800,000 for recovery efforts for Ame…

The Hilton Family Forest in Northwestern Maine lies within the Appalachian chain and contains the headwaters of the south branch of the Penobscot River. (�Jerry Monkman/Conservation Fund)

Conservation efforts keep Maine’s Hilton Family Forest wild

A national land trust has purchased 44,000 acres of forest in Northwestern Maine to keep it wild and free for generations to come. The Hilton Family …

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management claims fire suppression tactics like large-scale logging would cause Garnet Mountains forests to grow back more densely. This 1898 photo of the forest shows it was thick and mature, decades before industrial logging was practiced. (Western Mining History)

Conservation groups sue to protect wildlife corridor from logging

Conservation groups have sued the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to stop a logging project in Montana's Garnet Mountains. Wildlife advocates said …

Seven in 10 Utah residents say protecting water, air, wildlife habitat and recreation opportunities on public lands is more important than maximizing the amount of land available for drilling and mining. (Galatas)

Utah lawsuit could affect public lands in Colorado, nation

As the U.S. Supreme Court considers a lawsuit brought by Utah officials, asking the court to transfer more than 18 million acres of federal lands to …

Oregon forestry officials say climate change, warmer-than-average temperatures and current megadrought conditions present new fire prevention and suppression challenges. (Adobe Stock/AI)

Rural OR communities face new challenges in fighting wildfires

By Julia Tilton for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Oregon News Service for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collaborati…

In addition to thousands of jobs, analysis shows outdoor recreation annually contributes $3.2 billion to New Mexico's economy. (Upper Pecos Watershed Association)

NM designates 250 miles as 'Outstanding National Resource Waters'

A New Mexico agency has stepped up vigilance of the state's limited water resources. On Tuesday, the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission …

Nearly 23 million acres of public lands in Utah, representing about 42% of the state, fall under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management. (AdobeStock/AlcornImagery)

Utah leads effort to sell off public lands in NM, other states

Utah is leading a battle over control of public lands, with New Mexico and other Western states caught in the crosshairs. Utah's Republican …

About 70% of the 40,000 acres burned by wildfires across Wyoming in 2024 were on private or state lands, Gov. Mark Gordon said in a budget speech Monday. (Adobe Stock)

Gordon seeks $130 million more for WY wildfire mitigation budget

In the Wyoming governor's new supplemental state budget, the biggest line item by far is wildfire recovery. Gov. Mark Gordon on Monday gave a …

The Union of Concerned Scientists warns that several Midwestern states, including Minnesota, could lose $22 billion in flood mitigation benefits as industrial farm expansion threatens wetlands. (Freepik)

New research says Midwest is prime target for wetlands loss

Minnesota is credited for having strong wetland protections. But the research community warns the growing presence of factory farms in the Midwest …

Save Ohio Parks group photo taken July 1st 2023 at Salt Fork State Park. (Photo Credit Paul Becker Photo)

Protesters rally against fracking near Ohio parks

Protesters are gathering at the Columbus Public Safety Building today to voice opposition to plans that could expand fracking activities near the stat…

A lawsuit could affect management of public lands, including Idaho's Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. (Zack Frank/Adobe Stock)

ID joins lawsuit that could threaten access to public lands, critics say

Advocates for public lands access are raising alarms about a lawsuit that could be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. Utah has filed a suit arguing …

According to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, mule deer were uncommon in the early 1900s. Their populations surged in the 1950s and 1960s, peaked in 1991, but are now seeing historic lows. (M. Leonard Photo/Adobe Stock)

State agency hosts talks across Wyoming on declining mule deer

After a devastating recent winter, the already-struggling mule deer population in Wyoming took a big hit and the state's wildlife agency is …

Studies show nature-based outdoor learning has measurable socio-emotional, academic and physical health benefits for students. (Adobe Stock)<br />

ME counters learning loss with expanded outdoor programs

Maine educators are expanding outdoor learning opportunities to help build the next generation of environmental stewards. The state has unveiled a …

A new U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service cattle grazing rule is being challenged by environmental advocates who claim it would increase dangerous interactions between cattle and grizzlies. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental groups buck grazing expansion in MT's Custer Gallatin

A federal court in Montana has held a hearing more than two years after a coalition of environmental advocates sued the U.S. Forest Service and the …

Goats on the Go clear brush and other unwanted vegetation, including poison ivy, often to restore native grasses to Iowa farm and grass lands. (Matt Vermeersch)

Hungry goats help restore native Iowa habitat

Some Iowa farmers are putting a new spin on an age-old animal behavior. They're using goats to remove weeds, overgrown brush, and non-native …

An Emmy award-winning television spot features regenerative ranching practices in grasslands on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation. (Ron Nichols)

SD PSA on grasslands wins regional Emmy award

Native grasslands are the most threatened ecosystem in North America. A South Dakota advocacy group hopes its educational campaign will reach a …

Backers of the Maine Trails Bond said an infusion of $30 million will provide greatly needed funding to design, build and maintain all public-use trails statewide. (Adobe Stock)

ME voters weigh trail bond measure as climate change alters terrain

It is Election Day and Maine voters are weighing the future of the state's extensive trail system. If passed, the Maine Trails Bond would inject …

Since 1991, Minnesota's Environment and Natural Resources Fund has provided about $700 million to over 1,700 projects statewide, including things like research work for soil health. (Adobe Stock)

MN voters asked to reauthorize key environmental funding

Election Day in Minnesota will bring environmental funding into focus in the form of a ballot question. At stake is lottery revenue that over the …

The proposed Chuckwalla National Monument near Joshua Tree National Park is home to more than 50 species which are threatened, endangered, sensitive or otherwise of concern. (Adobe Stock)

CA Tribes call for national monuments at world biodiversity conference

This week, more than 100 Californians are in Cali, Columbia, for the 16th United Nations Conference on Biological Diversity. Tribes, policymakers …

Conservation experts say less than 7% of the acreage within Wisconsin's Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest has old-growth forest characteristics. (Adobe Stock)

Could WI forests see more towering old trees? Federal plan provides hope

CORRECTION: In the second paragraph, the term "mature forests" was replaced with language to more accurately describe the lands connected to the …

Fewer U.S. House members have received an 'A' on the National Parks Action Fund Scorecard since 2022, and more have received failing grades for not voting to fund and preserve national parks. (Adobe Stock)

Sharp divides among WI reps in Congress over protecting national parks

A conservation group wants people heading to the polls to consider an issue that hasn't come up on the campaign trail - preserving and funding the nat…

According to Hispanic Access, an urban canopy provides enormous benefits, from reducing the urban heat island effect and lowering energy bills to absorbing carbon dioxide and pollutants. (Hispanic Access Foundation)

'Nuestros Bosques' to boost urban green spaces in disadvantaged communities

A national nonprofit dedicated to empowering Latino communities and improving access to public resources has launched a $10 million initiative to incr…

There are 24 national park units in New York State, with about half located in New York City. (Adobe Stock)

NY, federal lands prove important in 2024 election

National parks and public lands in New York and nationwide are proving to be an important issue in this year's election. Despite increasing …

According to the National Park Service, visitors to national parks in North Carolina spent $2.6 billion and supported 38,800 jobs in local communities in 2023. (Adobe Stock)

National Parks: How NC's votes could shape future of public lands

As public lands emerge as a defining issue in November's elections, advocacy groups like as the National Parks Action Fund are urging North Carolina …

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