Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Elusive elephants, zany zebras and Idaho anti-anthropophagists
Posted inJune 2024: The Idea of Wilderness
New life landmarks and fond farewells
HCN welcomes good news among staffers and thanks a longtime board member who’s stepping away.
Posted inArticles
Trump vs. Biden on the climate
The next presidential election will have huge ramifications for the planet.
Posted inJune 2024: The Idea of Wilderness
‘It’s our stories that ground us to home’
#iamthewest: Giving voice to the people that make up communities in the region.
Posted inArticles
Spring on Alaska’s Unuk River shouldn’t mean fighting for our way of life
Transboundary-mining pollution threatens our sovereign rights.
Posted inArticles
This Montana school solved its teacher shortage by opening a day care
On-site day cares are being used as a recruitment tool. Turns out, they help more than just the teachers.
Posted inArticles
The end of a frontier dream amid the Unabomber’s reign of terror
An excerpt from ‘Old King,’ Maxim Loskutoff’s latest novel.
Posted inArticles
A wildflower is teaching the non-Native public about food sovereignty
Oregon’s third Camas Festival highlights the joys and responsibilities of tending the iconic northwestern plant.
Posted inArticles
Cancer is killing firefighters. So this city is going PFAS-free.
San Francisco is the first major American city to ban the substance from protective gear.
Posted inArticles
The West’s wetlands are struggling. Some have been overlooked altogether.
Wetlands are carbon-storage powerhouses — and many are unmapped.
Posted inJune 2024: The Idea of Wilderness
When school lunch is free
New programs that provide free meals to all students are gaining popularity.
Posted inArticles
Lake Mead’s illegal road network is growing
People have created hundreds of miles of unofficial roads trying to reach the water as levels decline. Federal officials want funds to address the issue.
Posted inArticles
Caminos ilegales alrededor del Lago Mead plantean nuevo peligro para el medio ambiente
La gente ha creado caminos no oficiales para llegar al agua a medida que los niveles disminuyen. Funcionarios quieren fondos para atender el problema.
Posted inArticles
Denver’s new immigration plan, explained
The new program caps shelter stays for all new immigrants but expands services for 800 asylum seekers.
Posted inArticles
Denver lanza programa de asistencia para solicitantes de asilo
El nuevo programa busca brindar apoyo a 800 recién llegados, pero cortará recursos para los demas.
Posted inArticles
Can carbon capture transition California’s oil fields?
In Kern County, the community searches for an economic alternative to a fossil fuel industry. Will it be any fairer than the old one?
Posted inArticles
Federal grazing lands fail their checkup
Fifty-seven million acres of BLM land fall short of health standards.
Posted inArticles
Killing one owl to save another
Is it ever the right thing to do? Two ethicists weigh in.
Posted inArticles
Desert Subdivision: The paradox of naming a development after Edward Abbey
A Moab housing development named for the author of ‘Desert Solitaire’ sparks debate over Abbey’s legacy and growth in a delicate ecosystem.
Posted inArticles
When is it appropriate to call out bad trail etiquette?
With more trail users than ever before, trail etiquette is important to preserve the places we love. But it doesn’t mean the same thing to every visitor.