
Items by Pat Ford

Cheering the return of salmon to the Elwha River after the dam came down

Woody Guthrie's long history of writing about dams and hydropower.

Pat Ford reminds us that sockeye salmon face enormous hurdles – especially if they’re trying to return to Redfish Lake.
A eulogy for conservationist Jim Thrash, who died in the
Canyon Creek fire.
A guide to federal agencies involved in salmon
issues.
Agencies will try to find a way around new salmon
ruling.
An influential congressman's proposal to create the nation's first all-wilderness national forest in central Idaho has the Forest Service scrambling.
I want to tell you about a fish, a place named for it, and a recent weekend there that I will not forget.
The big hydroelectric dams stand as symbols of the crossroads now confronting the Pacific Northwest's salmon and steelhead. A century ago these wild fish numbered some 16 million. Now their annual count is dropping below 1 million.
The Columbia Basin's eight mainstem dams account for nearly all of the Northwest's annual salmon slaughter, and could be modified.
Three Northwest forest researchers conclude that converting old-growth to young forests won't slow down global warming. Their results may help settle one question in the Northwest's intense debate over its remaining ancient forests.
A former timber sale planner says "it's all talk."
For a variety of reasons, Idaho is the first Western state to seriously attempt to control nonpoint source water pollution.
Conservationists haven't yet figured out how to blow the whistle on McClure without also appearing to be attacking Andrus.
The Idaho National Energy Lab is the biggest blind spot in Idaho politics. Politicians who rail against the evils of big government while pulling every string for INEL projects are faithfully reflecting those who elect them.
Statewide, conservation and outdoor issues played a key role only in the race won by Rep. Richard Stallings.
A combination of technological change and free market ideology has led the nation to abandon not just railroad and bus lines but its long-held commitment to universal transportation and communication. The article describes the Balkanization process and its consequences for the rural West.
In theory, wild, beautiful and lightly populated Idaho should be bursting with national parks. In
fact, its ranching, logging and mining roots have kept it totally free of parks.
Lest you think that the entire West succumbed to the hypnotic beat of boom, boom, boom, here is
an account of how the conservative state of Idaho behaved conservatively -- resisting the lure of a coal-fired power plant that was to carry the state to the land of milk and honey.
The McClure-Andrus package is obviously superior, statewide, to McClure's 1984 proposal. But the transformation of public perceptions that we require has not occurred. Now the exigencies of substantially improving or fighting this legislation will dominate our time.
The Idaho Conservation League joins a battle to regain access to a part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.
Idaho's John Peavey proves that a legislator can win major fights against the West's power triangle -- big business, utilities and the farm-ranch establishment.
Ten years after the collapse of the Teton Dam, irrigators and city officials in eastern Idaho are beginning a campaign to rebuild it.
The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory near Idaho Falls is preparing for its first major nuclear weapons project.
1
2
- Missoulians nearly lost access to their beloved community ski hill
- LDS environmentalists want their institution to address the Great Salt Lake’s collapse
- This Washington experiment could rebuild eroding coastlines
- Save public lands: Put solar on Walmart!
- Montana’s anti-Indigenous politics aren’t going away
Featured stories
-
PLANNED GIVING OFFICER National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), the nation's oldest and largest national parks nonprofit advocacy organization seeks a Planned Giving Officer. Do you find energy in...
-
NORTHERN NEW MEXICO PROJECT MANAGER Seeking qualified Northern New Mexico Project Manager to provide expertise, leadership and support to the organization by planning, cultivating, implementing and managing land conservation activities,...
-
REGIONAL TRAIL STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR Are you passionate about connecting people to the outdoors? The Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) is looking for someone with trail maintenance and volunteer engagement...
-
TRAIL CREW MEMBER Position Title: Trail Crew Member Position Type: 6 month seasonal position, April 17-October 15, 2023 Location: Field-based; The RFOV office is in Carbondale, CO, and...
-
CEO BUFFALO NATIONS GRASSLANDS ALLIANCE Chief Executive Officer, Remote Exempt position for Buffalo Nations Grasslands Alliance is responsible for the planning and organization of BNGA's day-to-day operations
-
IDAHO DIRECTOR - WESTERN WATERSHEDS PROJECT Western Watersheds Project seeks an Idaho Director to continue and expand upon WWP's campaign to protect and restore public lands and wildlife in Idaho, with...
-
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT, NA'AH ILLAHEE FUND Na'ah Illahee Fund (NIF) is seeking a highly qualified Development Director to join our team in supporting and furthering our mission. This position will create...
-
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, NA'AH ILLAHEE FUND Na'ah Illahee Fund (NIF) is seeking a highly qualified Operations Director to join our team. This position will provide critical organizational and systems support to...
-
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Grand Staircase Escalante Partners (GSEP) is seeking a leader to join our dynamic team in the long-term protection of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM). We...
-
GRASSLAND RESEARCH COORDINATOR The Grassland Research Coordinator is a cooperative position with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that performs and participates in and coordinates data collection for...
-
HYDROELECTRIC PLANT 1.3 MW FERC licensed hydroelectric station near Taylorsville CA. Property is 184 deeded acres surrounded by National Forrest.
-
"PROFILES IN COURAGE: STANDING AGAINST THE WYOMING WIND" 13 stories of extraordinary courage including HCN founder Tom Bell, PRBRC director Lynn Dickey, Liz Cheney, People of Heart Mountain, the Wind River Indian Reservation...
-
GRANT WRITER JOB DESCRIPTION: This Work involves the responsibility of conducting research in the procurement of Federal, State, County, and private grant funding. Additional responsibilities include identifying...
-
MATADOR RANCH STEWARD The Matador Ranch Steward conducts annual stewardship projects at the Matador Ranch Preserve and occasionally supports stewardship projects elsewhere in Montana's Northern Great Plains. The...
-
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ASSISTANT The Idaho Conservation League is seeking a motivated individual to help build public support for key strategic initiatives in northern Idaho through public outreach and...
-
PROGRAM MANAGER Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness Foundation seeks a steward/educator to lead backcountry volunteer projects and community outreach. FT $36k-$40k, competitive time off. ALSO HIRING OPERATIONS MANAGER. More...
-
ASPIRE COLORADO SUSTAINABLE BODY AND HOME CARE PRODUCTS Go Bulk! Go Natural! Our products are better for you and better for the environment. Say no to single-use plastic. Made in U.S.A., by a...
-
CANYONLANDS FIELD INSTITUTE Field seminars for adults in the natural and human history of the Colorado Plateau, with lodge and base camp options. Small groups, guest experts.
-
CORTEZ COLORADO LOT FOR SALE Historic tree-lined Montezuma Ave. Zoned Neighborhood Business. Build your dream house or business right in the heart of town. $74,000. Southwest Realty
-
ATTORNEY AD Criminal Defense, Code Enforcement, Water Rights, Mental Health Defense, Resentencing.