Migrating birds find refuge in pop-up habitats
A program that pays rice farmers to create wetland habitats is a rare conservation win.
Befriending wildfire
A new book from Obi Kaufmann illustrates the reciprocal connection between California ecosystems and fire.
The Forest Service is cutting its seasonal workforce and public lands will suffer
Temporary employees warn that important work will go undone all over the country.
The mother-daughter duo fighting fossil fuels in Colorado
How Madhvi and Lalitha Chittoor teamed up against a proposed oil and gas development.
What to read next about Latinos in the 2024 election
Five stories we think you should make time for.
Will exploratory lithium mining continue near a sacred hot spring?
A judge will decide the fate of Ha’Kamwe’ as the Hualapai Nation fights the drilling in court.
On the road with Latino organizers in the swing states of the West
In Nevada and Arizona, Latinos make up nearly a third of all voters. What are they thinking this election year?
El voto indeciso latino
De gira con organizadores en Arizona y Nevada.
Latino voting power is building in Yakima
Activists in central Washington focus on informing voters and getting them to show up to the polls.
Poder latino
En el centro del estado de Washington, los organizadores latinos están promoviendo el voto y eligiendo a sus propios candidatos
The Native vote dilemma
Every election year, Indigenous people grapple with whether and how to engage in electoral politics.
What the Bundy Bunkerville standoff foreshadowed
Ten years after the impasse between the Bundy family and the BLM, the doctrine of white oppression is widely embraced.
The downballot issues driving the West’s 2024 elections
From climate and public lands to shifting political allegiances, the region faces critical choices at the ballot box.
Wildfires could devastate Butte’s water supply
How officials are working to get ahead of disaster.
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In This Issue
October 2024: Latino Vote
This month, we look at the upcoming elections from a Western viewpoint. Some Latino organizers in Washington are working on behalf of local elections, while others pursue the swing vote in Arizona and Nevada. Why are some Indigenous voters uncomfortable with the idea of voting,…
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Water
What happens when a concrete jungle becomes a ‘sponge city’
Utah wants your public land — for more roads
The New Mexico utility that wants to go all in on green hydrogen
Wildlife
Dancing goats, fallen arches, runaway reptiles and a ‘Renaissance Faire Bear’
Audio: What do we really learn from trail cams?
A mixed report for Colorado’s wolves
Public Lands
Kamala Harris tries to navigate the convoluted politics of oil and gas
Why Utah is suing the U.S. for control of public land
Washington solar project paused amid concern about Indigenous sites
Indigenous Affairs
How do you describe a sacred site without describing it?
‘Rez Ball’ is no easy feat, but Indigenous communities win in the end
The Department of Energy promised Yakama Nation $32 million for solar. It’s nearly impossible to access.
Communities
Remembering Colleen McElroy, the ‘literary North Star’ of the Pacific Northwest
A dinner party at the end of the world
The California Forever debate moves underground
Books
The vision of Little Shell
Indigenous people deserve gushy romance novels
When the end of the road brings a new beginning
In the News
What a Kamala Harris presidency could mean for the West
Harris has prioritized protecting public lands and pursued accountability for polluters, but her track record on tribal affairs is mixed.