In the wake of the huge fires that swept across the Great
Basin in August 1999, the BLM is seeking ways to restore the
sagebrush landscape and to control the fire-prone cheatgrass that
now infests it.
Magazine

May 22, 2000
In the wake of the huge fires that swept across the Great Basin in August 1999, the BLM is seeking ways to restore the sagebrush landscape and to control the fire-prone cheatgrass that now infests it.
Feature
The fire-loving weed cheatgrass is taking over the Great
Basin's overgrazed sagebrush steppes, and BLM scientists are
struggling to find a way to eradicate the non-native weeds and
restore the land before it all goes up in flames.
Sidebar
Ecologist Joy Belski believes that cattle are the prime
culprit behind the rapid spread of weeds in the Great
Basin.
Some facts and statistics about the spread of weeds in the
West.
Uncommon Westerners
A profile of Forest Service botanist Steve Monsen
describes his battle with squarrose knapweed, which is infesting
the western part of Utah, where Monsen has spent his
life.
Essays
The prescribed burn in Bandelier National Monument that
roared out of control into Los Alamos, N.M., can be blamed on
logging restrictions, the writer argues.
Only consensus between environmentalists and loggers and
careful, sustainable forestry can protect the West from the kind of
fires that ravaged Los Alamos, N.M., the writer believes.
Heard Around the West
Steamboat Geyser erupts in Yellowstone; behind scenes at
Miss USA pageant; killer bees in AZ; backcountry skier gets to
safety with perseverance; subsidized smoking on reservations;
geckos released to control roaches in Golden Gate State Park,
Calif.
Dear Friends
"Errare humanum est"; summer interns Kayley Mendenhall and
Katie Oppenheimer; fourth grade visits HCN; Craig Child's reading;
William Hornby gets award.
News
The National Marine Fisheries Service wants to table for
five to 10 years any serious debate on breaching four dams in the
Snake River to save salmon.
Some wolf advocates are furious over the recent killing of
five livestock-attacking wolves in the White Cloud Mountains of
Idaho.
As Seattle's suburbs encroach on wildlife habitat,
residents alarmed by increasing mountain lion-human encounters have
pressured the Legislature into passing a law allowing the public to
hunt cougars with dogs.
Craters of the Moon expanded in Idaho; Colo. gold-mining
company sues Montana over anti-cyanide heap-leaching law; EPA's
Bill Yellowtail suspended during investigation; Allan Elias gets 17
years for exposing employee to cyanide; not that many cows in
NV.
As increasing numbers of recreationists discover Utah's
San Rafael Swell, the BLM struggles to manage the area and
environmentalists, ORVers and politicians wrangle over the best way
to preserve - or exploit - the land.
In Utah, a huge swap of state and federal lands in the
western part of the state falls through when environmentalists and
anti-wilderness locals object.
In Colorado, Rep. Scott McInnis has proposed a bill to
make the 130,000-acre Black Ridge Canyon a national conservation
area, with 72,000 acres designated wilderness.
A plan to extend the Continental Divide Trail through
northern New Mexico's Rio Arriba County meets opposition from
Hispanic locals, who claim the land under old Spanish land grants
and say that until their land is returned, no trail will go
through.
Letters
- Nevada lithium mine kicks off a new era of Western extraction
- ‘Wild Indian’ is much more than just an Indigenous film
- In Arizona, building a wall — and destroying a canyon
- Will the climate crisis tap out the Colorado River?
- All fracked up: A debut memoir wrestles with toxic masculinity in the oil fields
Featured stories
-
MANAGER PERMACULTURE LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR Permaculture / Landscape Company Manager / Site Lead Red Ant Works, Inc. - 20+ year landscape construction and horticultural care company seeks manager and site...
-
CANYONLANDS FIELD INSTITUTE Field seminars for adults in natural and human history of the Colorado Plateau with lodge, river trip and base camp options. Small groups, guest experts.
-
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER San Juan Citizens Alliance is looking for a passionate, dynamic, organized, and technology-savvy communications professional to help grow our membership and presence in the Four...
-
ENERGY AND CLIMATE PROGRAM ASSOCIATE San Juan Citizens Alliance seeks an Energy and Climate Program Associate to focus on public outreach, education and organizing to advance campaigns to mitigate climate...
-
REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST This position provides professional real estate services and is responsible for managing and completing real estate projects utilizing a project management database that is designed...
-
WILDFIRE MITIGATION SPECIALIST The Wildfire Mitigation Specialist is responsible for delivering wildfire risk mitigation information, recommendations and programmatic resources to wildland urban interface homeowners, community members and partners....
-
DEVELOPMENT POSITIONS Thorne Nature Experience is hiring for a Development Director and Senior Individual Giving Manager. Individuals will work collaboratively with Thorne's Executive Director to develop and...
-
SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER, LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION & ENERGY The National Parks Conservation Association, a 100-year-old nonprofit advocacy organization and the nation's leading voice for national parks seeks a Senior Program Manager, Landscape Conservation...
-
BACKCOUNTRY AND FRONTCOUNTRY STEWARDSHIP CREW MEMBERS The San Juan Mountains Association (SJMA) is hiring a crew of ambassadors to work in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service to educate visitors on...
-
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NATURAL HISTORY INSTITUTE The Executive Director is the chief executive officer of the Natural History Institute (NHI). The Executive Director has broad authority to lead and manage the...
-
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT FRIENDS OF CEDAR MESA - The Land, History, and People of the Bears Ears Region - The Bears Ears and Cedar Mesa region is one of the most beautiful,...
-
SENIOR DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE Greater Yellowstone Coalition seeks a Senior Development Associate to coordinate the organization's individual giving program. The position description is available at http://greateryellowstone.org/careers Please email a...
-
TRAIL CREW TECHNICAL ADVISORS SEEKING TALENTED TRAIL CREWLEADERS The Pacific Crest Trail Association, headquartered in Sacramento, California ,is dedicated to protecting, preserving and promoting the Pacific Crest National Scenic...
-
ENDANGERED SPECIES POLICY ADVOCATE Are you a Guardian for wildlife, great and small, across the West? WildEarth Guardians (Guardians) seeks a full-time Endangered Species Policy Advocate (Advocate) for the...
-
WESTERN NATIVE SEED Native plant seeds for the Western US. Trees, shrubs, grasses, wildflowers and regional mixes. Call or email for free price list. 719-942-3935. [email protected] or visit...
-
ASSOCIATE PROGRAM MANAGER - GRANTS & CONTRACTS ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND Parks California is an ambitious new organization working to ensure that our state's parks thrive. From redwood groves and desert springs to lighthouses...
-
WILDLANDS ATTORNEY- SOUTHERN UTAH WILDERNESS ALLIANCE Immediate Opening-Wildlands Attorney The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) has an immediate opening for a full-time Wildlands Attorney. Interested applicants should email a cover letter,...
-
STREAM RESTORATION PROJECT MANAGER The Clark Fork Coalition seeks a Stream Restoration Project Manager to develop and manage a suite of restoration projects near Missoula, MT. The Stream Restoration...
-
THE LAND DESK: A PUBLIC LANDS NEWSLETTER Western lands and communities--in context--delivered to your inbox 3x/week. From award-winning journalist and HCN contributor Jonathan P. Thompson. $6/month; $60/year.
-
CONSERVATIONIST? IRRIGABLE LAND? Stellar seed-saving NGO is available to serious partner. Package must include financial support. Details: http://seeds.ojaidigital.net.