Crooked River Water-Public Right vs. Private Profits
An article in the November 9th Bend Bulletin reported that due to low water reserves, the Bureau of Reclamation that controls water release from Prineville Reservoir may limit flows in the Crooked...
View ArticleAlternatives to Wilderness?
In recent years it has become fashionable for conservationists to substitute and promote other land classification in place of wilderness designation. Wilderness is “passé” so we are told, even though...
View ArticleBLM to destroy sagegrouse habitat in the name of cows
The Challis and Salmon BLM of central Idaho appear to be ready to destroy much of the sage grouse habitat in the Lemhi, Pahsimeroi, and Lost River valleys, ironically in the name of protecting sage...
View ArticleTrump Administration to Auction Off 900,000 Acres for Fracking in Nevada
Massive Lease Sale Includes Public Land Near National Park, Wildlife Refuge RENO, Nev — The Trump administration plans to auction more than 900,000 acres for oil and gas extraction on the doorstep of...
View ArticleElkhorn Wildlife Area MT threatened by thrill bikers
Recently the Helena National Forest released a scoping letter on a proposal to create 39 miles of mountain biking (aka thrill biker) trails in the Strawberry Butte area of the northern Elkhorn...
View ArticleWhat’s really going on with the Trump attack on federal sage grouse plans
When the Bureau of Land Management released its final analysis on sage grouse plan changes in early December, a flurry of media stories trumpeted the reduction of protected sage-grouse habitat from 10...
View ArticleKilling public wildlife for private profit
The killing of a wolf pup near Corral Creek by Sun Valley was done to protect John Peavy’s business Flat Top Sheep Company. Once again this raises the question of why public wildlife should be killed...
View ArticleDon’t Fence Me In
Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above Don’t fence me in Let me ride through the wide open country that I love Don’t fence me in Let me be by myself in the evenin’ breeze And listen to...
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Open Letter to Gallatin Forest Partnership supporters
INTRODUCTION The Gallatin Range lies between Bozeman and the northwest corner of Yellowstone National Park. Whether to advocate for Wilderness designation for as much of the range that qualifies or...
View ArticleThe Night of Terror
Wyoming Game and Fish’s Latest Attempt to Close the Book on the Mark Uptain Tragedy By Maximilian Werner [Ed. note] This story follows that of Oct. 30, 2018, “The Rhetoric and Reality of Death by...
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Wildlife Versus Livestock in the Upper Green
The Upper Green River grazing allotment on the Bridger Teton National Forest (BTNF) lies between the Gros Ventre Range and Wind River Range. The allotment is one of the most important wildlife...
View ArticleMore prescribed burning not likely to influence smoke
Recently the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission approved new smoke rules that relax air quality standards to permit more prescribed burning. The assumption behind the new standards is that greater...
View ArticleBLM to rip, tear, and burn huge area of public lands in southwest Idaho
Newly approved vegetation “treatment” project is questionable, expensive News release. Western Watersheds Project BOISE, Idaho — Today, the Bureau of Land Management approved a plan to log off or tear...
View ArticleTreat homes, not forests, to reduce wildfire risk
Recently Donald Trump used his executive authority to mandate increased logging of our public lands with the goal of reducing wildfire threat to communities. His order instructs land managers to treat...
View ArticleReply to Gallatin Forest Partnership and Bike Club
The Gallatin Forest Partnership (GFP) proposal for the Gallatin Range promoted in a recent commentary by recreation advocacy groups like Livingston Bike Club is a good start in that it recognizes that...
View ArticleIdaho BLM BOSH proposal will likely degrade rangelands
The BLM just released its decision on its proposed Bruneau Owyhee Sage-grouse Habitat Project (BOSH Project) which will degrade 617,000 acres of southern Idaho by logging juniper, creating linear weed...
View ArticlePublic Land Livestock Fees Hit Rock-Bottom
Rancher subsidy for using public grass reaches greatest amount allowed by law- News from Western Watersheds Project WASHINGTON―The U.S. Interior Department has reduced fees for grazing cattle and sheep...
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Political shell game imperils iconic bird of the American West
Reprinted from Waco Tribune-Herald March 9, 2019 By Steve Holmer, American Bird Conservancy Wildlife experts concluded in 2015 that the Greater Sage-Grouse, an iconic bird of the West, did not require...
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Paradise Lost
I just visited the town of Paradise located on the slopes of the Cascade Range near Chico, California. The Camp Fire burned through Paradise last November (2018) killing 85 people, mostly older...
View ArticleOregon Needs More Wilderness
In the recent Public Lands legislation that was passed by Congress, Oregon got some new protected landscapes including the Devil’s Staircase Wilderness, 250 miles of new Wild and Scenic River segments...
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