Development in Alaska wilderness would undermine bedrock environmental laws.
Birds
Posted inArticles
‘I saw more dead birds in that one pit than hunters would poach’
Egged on by industry lobbyists, Interior Department weakens bird protections.
Posted inMarch 5, 2018: Drilling Chaco
Why we should reconsider the starling
An author explores the unlikely relationship between a musical genius and avian pariah.
Posted inArticles
Why aren’t marbled murrelets recovering?
The enigmatic bird’s populations have not increased despite conservation efforts.
Posted inFebruary 5, 2018: Caught Between Crises
Latest: Long-term noise pollution gives birds PTSD
New research links natural gas compressors with physical impacts on birds.
Posted inFebruary 19, 2018: Unfrozen North
Interior cancels decades-old protections for migratory birds
The rollback prompts broad opposition from former officials from both political parties.
Posted inDecember 25, 2017: Bear Essentials
The iconic bird of the ‘Sagebrush Sea’
A new book shows the life cycle of sage grouse in their natural habitat.
Posted inDecember 25, 2017: Bear Essentials
By shifting nesting times, early birds adjust to climate change
As the West warms, some songbirds in California are raising their young earlier.
Posted inArticles
Comment period ending for sage grouse review
An Interior Department overhaul of collaborative protection plans could sacrifice birds for development.
Posted inArticles
Zinke’s new sage grouse plans ignore years of work
The changes adhere with Trump’s goals of energy dominance on public lands.
Posted inSeptember 18, 2017: No Hoax
Gun-toting cats; bird killers; plastic bottles return
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Posted inSeptember 4, 2017: The Elwha, Unleashed
Will Utah dam the Bear River?
The Wasatch Front faces drier times and a growing population, threatening the Great Salt Lake.
Posted inSeptember 4, 2017: The Elwha, Unleashed
Interior overhauls sage grouse conservation
How big a role do industry concerns play in potential rewrite of management plans?
Posted inArticles
Will only the flexible survive?
Researchers are identifying the West’s wildlife that can best cope with climate change.
Posted inAugust 21, 2017: Rooftop Revolution
The mystery of owls, revealed
A deep look at 53 owl species, their habitats, mating rituals and more.
Posted inArticles
Why I obsess about the names of plants and animals
Naming things makes individuals out of a landscape of birds, trees and bumblebees.
Posted inArticles
The West’s iconic bird is caught up in Trump’s energy plans
The Interior Department considers trimming back sage grouse conservation.
Posted inAugust 21, 2017: Rooftop Revolution
Desert songbirds struggle with more frequent heat waves
The number of days Southwestern birds face deadly dehydration may be increasing.
Posted inAugust 7, 2017: Los Promotores
A gang of goats; Western weed booms; crow funerals
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Posted inJuly 24, 2017: Down the Dark Mountain
Welcome to the irrigator’s club
An encounter with the wild during the hours of a thankless job.