Chimney Rock, America’s New National Monument
Chimney Rock, one of America’s unique natural wonders, received a special designation today from President Obama—it is our nation’s newest National Monument. Native Americans, conservationists, preservationists, and local business owners are excited by this decision, and for good reason. By using the Antiquities Act authority to proclaim Chimney Rock a National Monument, President Obama has protected […]
Voters Across the Political Spectrum Agree: Kids Need to Get Outdoors
While Congress hasn’t agreed on much these days, those who elected them sure have. A national poll of voters from a wide variety of regions, backgrounds and political leanings has indicated that 82 percent of the electorate, conservatives, liberals and moderates alike, believes that the phenomenon of the plugged-in, sedentary, indoor childhood is a “serious” […]
Speak up to Protect Wildlife from Capitol Hill’s Top 4 Environmental Attacks this Week
Extra extra! Detroit River Catches on Fire… Thousands Extinct in the Everglades… No Public Access Allowed on Lake Champlain… Bogus headlines? For the moment yes but these hypothetical events move closer to reality this week with the legislative agendas of the House and Senate. Clean-Air and Water-Act-gutting, public-land-drilling, habitat-destroying bills and amendments stain everything from […]
Digitizing the Outdoors: Can Gaming be the Gateway to Nature?
Children today are spending alarming amounts of their time indoors and in front of screens—7.5 hours per day on electronic devices. Research suggests that ADHD and other behavioral issues are lessened when children spend time in the outdoors. Most notably, Richard Louv, author of The Last Child in the Woods and architect of the term Nature […]
Playing in the Shadow of the Washington Monument: Office Softball in a National Park [VIDEO]
Coaching my office softball team, The Scrubjays, is one of the best perks of my job here in Washington, DC. Every week in the summer we walk down to the National Mall, set up a field, and play softball against teams from other national conservation organizations under the shadow of the Washington Monument. Watching the […]
Secretaries Duncan and Salazar Team Up for Outdoor STEM Education on Public Lands
Earlier this month I had the honor of participating in the White House Conference on Conservation, where leaders from all 50 states convened for an update on and discussion about the Obama Administration’s America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) initiative. AGO is an effort to develop a forward-looking conservation and recreation agenda in America, one that is built […]
Study: Conservation Corps Service Builds Leadership and Teamwork Skills
With the release of a report from Texas A&M University and the Public Lands Service Coalition, it comes as no surprise that serving in conservation corps could be a critical factor in a participant’s decision to pursue a career in conservation or natural resources. Conservation corps are national, state and local programs that engage youth […]
Alaska Well Blowout Still Out of Control While Congress Wants to Drill in Polar Bear Country
Breaking news reports are coming in that an exploratory oil and gas well on Alaska’s North Slope has triggered a blowout that is still out of control. Meanwhile, Congress is pulling out every trick in the bag to open up a new, pristine landscape on the North Slope: the coastal plain of the Arctic National […]
3 Reasons Why Secretary Salazar Should Get Kudos for Protecting the Grand Canyon
As one of the “Seven Natural Wonders of the World,” the Grand Canyon is probably the most famous natural place in the United States. Thanks to a recent decision by the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Grand Canyon will continue to be as natural as possible. Yesterday Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced […]
Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep In Jeopardy
Every summer I travel to my grandparents cabin on Wild Horse Islandon Flathead Lake near Missoula, Montana. My grandparents purchased their property back in the 1970s (and have the burnt orange shag to prove it), but since then the Island has been made into a Montana State Park. There are some fantastic wildlife-viewing opportunities on […]