News
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Smokey Bear: From cute to buff, and in between
Smokey Bear’s many image changes over the years reflect the Forest Service’s changing attitudes toward wildfire.
by Jodi Peterson , Jul 22, 2012 -
Beyond the politics of no: Luther Propst and collaborative conservation
The Sonoran Institute's departing founder reflects on 20 years of conservation work and how he developed his approach to protecting land while working with a wide range of stakeholders.
by Paul Larmer, Jul 18, 2012 -
On the prowl with Oregon's pygmy owls
Biologist John Deshler knows more about pygmy owls than just about anyone. Writer Nick Neely spent a fascinating day with Deshler tracking, capturing and measuring the owls in Portland's Forest Park.
by Nick Neely, Jul 13, 2012 -
Afield with a vegan gas man
HCN talks with Eric Sanford of SG Interests about the politics of energy development, split estate, and more.
by Paul Larmer, Jul 08, 2012 -
Three days in the Four Corners
A loop around the Four Corners, where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah meet, leads into a land of both historical and geological friction.
by Jonathan Thompson, Jul 05, 2012 -
Three days in eastern Montana
A saunter through the grasslands of eastern Montana brings interesting encounters with cowboys, bull-riders, small-towners and BLM rangers, not to mention wildlife and endless skies.
by Neil LaRubbio, Jul 03, 2012 -
Three days in western Nevada
A lot of places call themselves "gateway cities," but Reno, Nev., is truly the gateway to a lot of strange and amazingly gorgeous places.
by Ray Ring, Jun 28, 2012 -
Three days in southwest New Mexico
Santa Fe may be too ritzy for its britches, but the funky, far-flung towns of southern New Mexico still have that special "spice" that makes the state unique.
by Cally Carswell, Jun 26, 2012 -
Faraway, favorite and less-than-famous places
Staffers and subscribers briefly describe some of their favorite outdoor hangouts in the West.
by Staff and HCN readers, Jun 24, 2012 -
Western travel tips
The travelers at High Country News offer some hard-earned advice for Western adventurers.
by Staff, Jun 24, 2012 -
Surveying the oft-snubbed (and very cool) spider with citizen scientists
Volunteers at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science's Colorado Spider Survey help scientists gather important data by roaming nooks and crannies across the state, finding and cataloguing Colorado's myriad spiders.
by Marian Lyman Kirst, Jun 14, 2012 -
Gregory Jaczko's resignation weakens federal nuclear regulation
The San Onofre nuclear power plant has problems that are perhaps endemic to the industry, and chairman Gregory Jaczko's May 2012 resignation from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission means there's one less strong regulator keeping a sharp eye on industry.
by Judith Lewis Mernit , Jun 12, 2012 -
Helping hikers before they get hurt
National parks are increasingly focusing on educating hikers before they get hurt or lost, a technique known as preventative search and rescue.
by Sarah Gilman, Jun 10, 2012 -
On the hunt for abalone poachers in Northern California
Don Powers, of the California Department of Fish and Game, spends his days relentlessly pursuing abalone poachers who can't seem to resist the chance to bring in some illegal shellfish cash.
by Matt Jenkins, Jun 10, 2012 -
Do subdivisions designed for conservation actually help wildlife?
Conservation development is supposed to reduce the habitat fragmentation caused by exurban sprawl -- but it only works if it's done right.
by Emily Wortman-Wunder, Jun 05, 2012 -
Conservation agreements try to head off endangered species listings
Candidate conservation agreements try to keep rare species, like Colorado's Gunnison sage grouse, off the endangered species list, or at least healthy enough to lessen the restrictions that come with listing.
by Joshua Zaffos, May 31, 2012 -
Coping with two-headed fish and other effects of selenium
Researchers try to determine if unhealthy amounts of selenium are entering Western soil and water due to energy development.
by Danielle Venton, May 29, 2012 -
Secretly funded Montana sportsmen dive into political fray
The group Montana Hunters and Anglers Action is wielding its cash to help pro-conservation candidates win elections.
by Gabriel Furshong, May 28, 2012 -
Dead trees, biodiversity, and the black-backed woodpecker
Forests ravaged by fires and beetles are unlikely havens for certain species, including the rare black-backed woodpecker.
by Marian Lyman Kirst, May 27, 2012 -
Recycling diesel emissions for farm fertilizer?
Canadian farmer Gary Lewis, fed up with the failures of synthetic fertilizer, has invented a system called Bio-Agtive Emissions Technology, a tractor add-on that recycles diesel emissions into fertilizer.
by Marian Lyman Kirst, May 22, 2012
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