Feature

Wolf at the door

Wolves have been restored in the Northern Rockies, but their conflict with civilization now prompts wildlife managers to face some agonizing decisions about the animal's future.

Dear Friends

Dear Friends

The threat of a coalbed methane boom in Delta county, Colo., High Country News' backyard, has staff scrambling as activists to publish an informative booklet that contains articles on the controversial subject.

Writers on the Range

Ranching the changing times

Bad economic times lead the writer to turn his ranching career into a "sell-out" occupation: the ranch-recreation business.

News

Grazing foes float a buyout

Anti-grazing groups are trying to convince Congress to buy out ranchers' grazing allotments on public land, but resistance on the part of permit holders may stop the effort.

The Latest Bounce

Steelhead and salmon may be without critical habitat designation; 1872 Mining Law reform; Gateway Communities Cooperation Act proposed; hemp crop planted third year in a row on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.

Elk conservation group sharpens its ax

New CEO Rich Lane of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is directed to use corporate-style downsizing of the work force while at the same time build a $22 million new headquarters for the nonprofit.

We'd like 2,387 salmon and a Pepsi, please

A report from the National Marine Fisheries Service suggests exact numbers of wild salmon and steelhead needed in each tributary of the Columbia for removal from the endangered species list.

Where there's smoke wood, there's less fire

Working under a special-use cutting permit from the Forest Service, Ed LaRose is harvesting alligator juniper to produce smoke-wood chips and a high profit.

Raptors won't fry away

A new agreement by the Fish and Wildlife Service and Minneapolis Xcel Energy could set a precedent for protecting more raptors from electrocution on power lines.

Expatriate fish could return a hero

The Hofer rainbow trout, a foreign offspring of the Pacific rainbow, may be the answer to the cure for whirling disease, but wildlife managers are concerned about introducing the imported species, fearing it could displace native fish.

Hansen pops a wheelie

Utah Rep. Jim Hansen has introduced a bill that would allow ATV riders access to 300 miles of existing roads and allow the creation of more access trails for ATVs in Utah.

Indians play power game

The Fort Mojave Tribe has built the South Point power plant to diversify its economy, partnering with a major energy company and monitoring its environmental performance.

Small towns court upscale tourists

A small, former silver-mining town in the Rockies offers tourists cultural experience with the Creede Repertory Theater, turning the town into a bustling arts community.

Singing cowboys strike a bad chord

The Bar-K Wranglers, a group of singing cowboys who planned to open a dinner theater in Oakley, were turned down by the Planning Commission, due to wetlands, moose habitat, and financial questions.

Congress goes barmy over the Army

Congress spends little time examining military requests before giving the OK, even when it comes to training in areas that affect wildlife or destroy ecosystems.

Book Reviews

The garden of good and evil

Because invasive and noxious weeds can spread by planting popular wildflowers seed mixes available at nurseries and stores, it is better to purchase separate flower species when planning a garden.

New museum takes visitors beyond Yellowstone

The Draper Museum in Cody, Wyo., offers visitors an interactive experience of the Yellowstone region.

Spreading seeds of knowledge

The Great Plains Native Plant Society is developing a botanic garden outside of Hermosa, S.D., in honor of its founder, Claude A. Barr.

Writing Naturally

A book review of David Petersen's book, "Writing Naturally: A Down to Earth Guide to Nature Writing," gives guidelines on everything except nature writing per se.

Woody leviathans

Robert Van Pelt's book, "Forest Giants of the Pacific Coast," talks about the unique, large old trees along the Pacific Coast, and his experiences searching for them.

Essays

In the West, drought is a native

The West is naturally dry, according to the writer, and people should accept that fact, especially when there is a drought.

Riding the Line

During Cinco de Mayo on the border between Douglas, Ariz., and Altar, Sonora, Mexico, a traditional horse race brings people of both countries together for fun and excitement.

Heard Around the West

Heard around the West

"Barista bandits" raid Starbucks in Monroe, Wash.; Saudi prince disdains female air traffic controller; drought of biblical proportions; Glacier National Park is losing its glaciers; 11-year-old Hunter Shotwell of Park City, Utah, asks for birthday money

Letters

Fresh alternative to lawsuits

Feedgrounds are necessary

Leave mud slinging to experts

Wyoming Game and Fish is a jacklit deer

Why did the salmon cross the road: The real story

Related Stories

'I respect wolves. I still don't like them killing our sheep.'

In her own words, Margaret Soulen Hinson explains that wolf predation is minimal compared to other animals that kill her family's sheep.

'There isn't much room for more wolves'

Ralph Maughan, professor of political science at Idaho State University, and president-elect of the Wolf Recovery Foundation, blames conflicts on not enough room in the wild for wolves.

Wolves still struggle in the Southwest

Restoring Mexican wolves to the Southwest has met more resistance than the restoration of wolves in the Northern Rockies.