Feature stories

Browse High Country News feature stories

Can snowshoe hares outrace climate change?

The seasonal coat changes of snowshoe hares may provide wildlife biologists with clues about how wild animals evolve in response to climate change.

by Hillary Rosner, Feb 06, 2012
Billboard corporations use money and influence to override your vote

In Salt Lake City and other Western communities, billboard companies battle local democracy by fighting attempts to regulate the giant signs.

by Ray Ring, Jan 30, 2012
The perilous journey of Wyoming's migrating pronghorn

Along the 120-mile-long "Path of the Pronghorn," migrating animals cross rivers, dodge traffic, battle blizzards and navigate the infrastructure of Wyoming energy development.

by Emilene Ostlind, Jan 04, 2012
Protecting wildlife corridors remains more theory than practice

There's a growing understanding of the scientific importance of wildlife migration corridors, but protecting them is a huge political challenge.

by Mary Ellen Hannibal, Dec 30, 2011
Stitching habitat together across public and private lands

Migrating animals can't read "no trespassing" signs, so it’s up to human beings to try to find ways to connect wildlife corridors that crisscross public and privately owned lands.

by Cally Carswell, Dec 26, 2011
A tree-climber's tale of harvesting cones to save whitebark pines

As whitebark pines in the Northern Rockies succumb to pine beetles and blister rust, hardworking climbers defy gravity to collect pine cones from canopies to supply efforts to breed more resilient and resistant trees.

by Hal Herring, Dec 19, 2011
A citizen activist forces New Mexico's dairies to clean up their act

When a giant dairy proposed building near Jerry Nivens' beloved New Mexico home, the chain-smoking Texas hermit became an activist who organized other locals to fight the industry.

by Stephanie Paige Ogburn, Dec 05, 2011
Can an old mine become a work of art?

The old Ute-Ule mine site outside Lake City, Colo., is under scrutiny by the Hardrock Revision Team, which wants to clean up the mine and yet preserve it as a living and historic work of art.

by Laura Pritchett, Dec 02, 2011
Farm incubators help would-be farmers succeed on their own

Viva Farms is a "farm incubator" in Washington's Skagit Valley that helps aspiring cash-poor farmers like Nelida Martinez start and successfully operate their own businesses.

by Jennifer Langston, Nov 28, 2011
The forgotten North Cascades grizzly bear

As grizzly bear populations in the Rockies rebound, the great bruins face extirpation in the North Cascades. Can they hang on until the feds fund recovery?

by Nathan Rice, Nov 23, 2011
Behind the scenes in the lives of captive wolves

Captive wolves and wolf-dog hybrids are kept all over the West for various purposes, often in poorly regulated facilities.

by Ceiridwen Terrill, Nov 21, 2011
Utah's ancient Lake Bonneville holds clues to the West's changing climate

In Utah, scientists are exploring the site of a long-vanished inland sea called Lake Bonneville to understand the West's past - and future - climate.

by Douglas Fox, Nov 07, 2011
Life as a fire lookout

It's a long way from Lower Manhattan to a remote fire lookout's perch in New Mexico.

by Philip Connors, Oct 21, 2011
Lack of medical care on the firelines endangers firefighters

Firefighter Rob Palmer crusades for better emergency medical care in memory of his brother, Andy.

by Neil LaRubbio, Oct 19, 2011
Good policy and good intentions won't stop big wildfires

Federal agencies have made strides in reducing fire danger in the West's forests, but many factors hinder their efforts

by Jodi Peterson, Oct 17, 2011
Remediating a Superfund sacrifice zone on Montana's Clark Fork river

The town of Opportunity, Mont., is weighed down by pollution from old copper mining and a modern-day river restoration project.

by Brad Tyer, Sep 25, 2011
Rebuilding a river as Washington's Elwha dams come down

How much can we learn from restoring the Elwha River, after the two dams that block it are finally removed?

by Kim Todd, Sep 18, 2011
Helping Hummingbirds with Citizen Science

The dedicated volunteers of the Hummingbird Monitoring Network gather field data to help conserve the birds they love.

by Jean Palumbo , Sep 11, 2011
Navajo Monster Slayers: a tribe struggles to fight corruption

The West's largest tribe works to reform its government -- while keeping its traditions strong.

by Marilyn Berlin Snell, Aug 28, 2011
Ganjanomics: bringing Humboldt's shadow economy into the light

Marijuana growers and government officials in California's notorious "Emerald Triangle" work towards legitimizing the local cash crop.

by Matt Jenkins, Aug 15, 2011