Voters finally felt the threat to public lands had reached a critical point, observers say.
U.S. Forest Service
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Ranch manager tied to top Trump appointee started 5,600-acre Idaho wildfire
A state investigation shines light on the unpermitted fire, which cost nearly $950,000 to contain.
Posted inAugust 2026: The Conversations Issue
Why I talk to animals
The creatures in our midst may have answers to life’s vexing questions.
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A ban on chainsaws in wilderness is performative, not practical
An experienced trail crew leader argues that, in today’s forests, the rigidity of the regulation buries what it’s designed to protect.
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The conflict over permanent climbing anchors in wilderness
Climbers concerned about safety are pitted against wilderness advocates worried about overcrowding and unfettered bolting.
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On Mount Shasta, a photographic record outlasts living memory
The re-photo project maps what used to be.
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Will betting on wildfires lead to arson?
Fire survivors say using prediction markets to gamble on wildfire is “morally reprehensible.”
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Sen. Mike Lee targets the Roadless Rule
The Utah senator launched another unpopular assault on public lands.
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Interior delayed endangered wolf release in New Mexico
Karen Budd-Falen, Interior’s associate deputy secretary, former private attorney and grazing advocate, intervened in the release after meeting with former clients.
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Do chainsaws belong in designated wilderness?
The Forest Service has approved the tools for use in some protected areas to clear neglected trails.
Posted inJune 2026: River Revival
On Oregon’s McKenzie River, an unprecedented approach to restoration takes shape
A bold process aims to repair the damaged watershed.
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Making grazing great again?
The Trump administration looks to preserve ranching heritage, but it’s not clear it will work.
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Treat water like family, not profit
Federal and state approaches to managing the Colorado River – as well as land and wildlife – reflect a lack of experience.
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The billionaires’ club at the center of America’s public lands fight
A controversial land swap orchestrated by the mega rich could be ‘a harbinger of what’s to come’ for public lands under Trump.
Posted inMay 2026: Pinecone Cowboys
The plight of the pinecone cowboy
The future of Western forests depends on professional pinecone collectors. They’re slowly being starved out of existence.
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As Roadless Rule rollback looms, grassroots hearings take root
In absence of federal meetings, nonprofits step up to hold public comment on Forest Service plan to lift protections from roadless areas.
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Interior Department crafted talking points for public lands sell-off agenda
The agency’s leadership distanced itself from the controversial proposal even though staff helped research public-land sales.
Posted inApril 2026: Inside the Attack on Public Lands
‘Energy dominance’ agenda sidelines tribes
Changes to NEPA come at the expense of tribal consultation. The administration has changed or revoked rules and policies to prioritize extraction.
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Tribal leaders reflect on a year of uncertainty — and possibility
Federal turnover and policy shifts have forced Indigenous communities to adapt.
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A new era of industrial logging looms
Mapping the possible impacts of the Roadless Rule overhaul