Our February issue swings from the rich musical and social history of Black people in Portland, Oregon, to the ongoing conflict between imperiled sage grouse and cattle grazing on the sagebrush steppe of the Western U.S. Colorado’s wolf reintroduction program is running into problems because wolves have a natural tendency to roam. Are Mexican wolves healthy enough to merit delisting? Southern California’s Carrizo Plain is home to more than dramatic superblooms: We track down one of its keystone species, the elusive giant kangaroo rat, which might not be giant by human standards but is certainly furry and cute. The LandBack movement lives up to its name as more ancestral lands are returned to tribes. When temperatures rise in the West, insurance premiums follow. A new documentary introduces us to Japanese American photographer Frank Matsura, who is remembered with love and admiration a century after his death. What’s the best way to prepare for your wedding’s “first dance”? Learn to two-step at a queer country bar.
LandBack advances across the West
More ancestral lands are being returned to tribes, while other important sites remain at risk.
Learning to two-step at a queer country bar
With a wedding months away, a writer takes a dance class to prepare.
Cote
A poem by Vanessa Stauffer.
As the planet heats, insurance premiums rise
Charting the extreme weather-driven insurance crisis.
What’s needed to protect sage grouse?
The Burns Paiute and Shoshone-Bannock tribes are proving that reducing grazing may be the key to saving the iconic bird.
Wise-guy wolves, trekking in drag, talented tarantulas and Bigfoot takes a bow
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Where giant kangaroo rats — and other critters — thrive
Thanks to concerted conservation, California’s Carrizo Plain is once again home to rare wildlife.
Ansel Adams in the age of ICE
The beloved photographer kept both beauty and injustice in the frame.
Unique Westerners inspire HCN
Thank-yous, farewells and forthcoming welcomes to the people who keep the organization going.
Letters to the Editor, February 2026
Comments from readers.
Mexican wolves are rebounding, but are they ready for delisting?
A new bill from Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar looks to remove endangered species protections.
Colorado wolves are on the move
Almost two years after reintroduction began, at least one wolf has ventured outside the state.