To non-Indians, reservations look like vast de facto wildlife areas. But that’s not what they’re for.
Indian reservations: Environmental refuge or homeland?
Posted inApril 10, 2000: Beyond the Revolution
The West’s power game
The West is caught between congressional representatives beholden to resource industries, and federal officials with a conservation agenda. Can we find a middle ground?
Posted inApril 10, 2000: Beyond the Revolution
An industry booster becomes a supporter of Western land
There is nothing remotely radical about Alvin M. Josephy Jr., or if there is, he hides it in his memoir, A Walk Toward Oregon. There was a comfortable childhood in Manhattan; well-to-do relatives like his uncle, the founder of the firm that published this book; a couple of years at Harvard, until his father’s financial […]
Posted inApril 10, 2000: Beyond the Revolution
Water deal could drain New Mexico’s small towns
Northern New Mexico farmers fear cities will suck their communities dry
Posted inApril 10, 2000: Beyond the Revolution
Boss must pay for poisoning employee
A judge hands down the first-ever conviction for knowingly exposing an employee to hazardous waste
Posted inApril 10, 2000: Beyond the Revolution
Gentlemen, stop your engines!
Note: in the print edition of this issue, this article appears as a sidebar to another news article, “Zion takes tourists out of their cars.” The Park Service philosophy of accommodating humans and their machines is changing. The first sign came on March 13, when officials announced that they were leaning toward banning snowmobiles in […]
Posted inApril 10, 2000: Beyond the Revolution
Zion takes tourists out of their cars
One of the nation’s most popular parks invites visitors to ride the bus
Posted inApril 10, 2000: Beyond the Revolution
The beauty of self-reliance
Reader Portia Masterson walked into the office on a drizzly day in late March. It was an unusual moment for a couple of reasons: first, Portia usually sticks close to her home in Golden, near Denver; second, when she’s out and about, she’s usually riding her bike. Masterson owns Self-Propulsion Inc., a bike shop that […]
Posted inApril 10, 2000: Beyond the Revolution
Dear Friends
Interns go far Sometimes we think the most important thing High Country News does is provide a way station for interns. For most of them, it’s a stop after college and a series of less-than-satisfying jobs, before they decide what they will ultimately do. We had this thought most recently at the March meeting of […]
Posted inApril 10, 2000: Beyond the Revolution
Beyond the Revolution
The struggle for the public lands is ending. Now what happens? Will the Interior West remain a rogue region, or will it choose to rejoin America?
Posted inMarch 27, 2000: The last wild river
Applause for reining in recreation
Dear HCN, I think the preferred alternative for the White River National Forest Plan is a huge step forward, though I prefer Alternative I (HCN, 1/17/00: STOP – A national forest tries to rein in recreation). I have yet to have visited a national forest that didn’t have more than enough roads and trails. Yes, […]
Posted inMarch 27, 2000: The last wild river
We need fees
Dear HCN, I am deeply disappointed in the Sierra Club for its stand against the Recreation Fee Demonstration Program. Yes, it truly would be much more desirable for Congress and the president to fund adequately and promptly our national treasures – but that is not likely to happen soon, if ever. As I sit at […]
Posted inMarch 27, 2000: The last wild river
The Cold War is over, but missiles remain
Dear HCN, I read your Roundup on Cold War tourism in South Dakota with apprehension (HCN, 2/14/00: From missile silo to theme park) because you could come away with the idea that the Cold War is over. When I reread the article at 2 a.m., I realized this could be someone’s idea of the perfect […]
Posted inMarch 27, 2000: The last wild river
Some free advice
Dear HCN, So my law school classmate, Debra Donahue, has applied her formidable legal mind to try to de-cow most Western public lands (HCN, 2/28/00: A prof takes on the sacred cow). Note to Wyoming ranchers: When you calm down enough to want to address the merits of her arguments, come prepared. Deb is a […]
Posted inMarch 27, 2000: The last wild river
Fees take a big bite
Dear HCN, Your article on federal recreation fees (HCN, 2/14/00: Land of the fee) touched a nerve with me, so to speak. While beginning a hike into the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area near Granby, Colo., last summer, I paused to insert my fee stub into the collection box at the wilderness boundary. My groping fingers […]
Posted inMarch 27, 2000: The last wild river
That annoying, harassing Adventure Pass
Dear HCN, In Southern California, Forest Service fees are implemented as an “Adventure” Pass. Passes are sold in retail stores, as well as Forest Service stations. Day-passes are $5. Annual passes are $30. Parking in the national forest without a pass on the dash is ticketable. Independent of the dollar amount, it’s an extremely annoying […]
Posted inMarch 27, 2000: The last wild river
Fees fall flat
Dear HCN, The “fee-demo” program certainly is a demonstration. It clearly demonstrates who controls Congress. After decades of my (and your) tax dollars supporting below-cost timber sales, clear-cutting of our national forests, mining and overgrazing of our public lands for the profit of a few, now I am supposed to pay a fee to simply […]
Posted inMarch 27, 2000: The last wild river
What a foggy-headed diatribe
Dear HCN, What a disappointment to see yet another foggy-headed front-page diatribe against recreation fees on federal lands (HCN, 2/14/00: Land of the fee). Instead of trying to shed new light on the issue and search for solutions, the story seemed to be a mirror image of a lead story last year that took a […]
Posted inMarch 27, 2000: The last wild river
Missouri River Natural Resources
A conference on Missouri River Natural Resources is set for Bismarck, N.D., May 21-24, with presentations ranging from protecting fish and wildlife to paleontology and geology along the river. Native American flutist and storyteller Keith Bear joins the get-together. Call Greg Power for registration information at 701/328-6323 or visit http://infolink.cr.usgs.gov/events/conf.htm. This article appeared in the […]
Posted inMarch 27, 2000: The last wild river
Commons or Commodity? The Dilemma of Federal Land Exchanges
Commons or Commodity? The Dilemma of Federal Land Exchanges explores the history, policy and laws surrounding land exchanges. The 104-page report includes case studies and suggests methods for reforming the system of land swaps. For a copy of the report, send $15 to Western Land Exchange Project, P.O. Box 95545, Seattle, WA 98145-2545. For more […]