Congress, Leave the Strutting to Sage-Grouse
The greater sage-grouse’s annual mating dance on leks, or breeding grounds, is a one-of-a-kind spectacle that draws bird watchers from around the world to the Western U.S. The male sage-grouse fan out their spiky tail feathers, puff up their chests, and strut around while the females wait to be impressed. Year after year, the sage-grouse […]
What We Lose if We Sell Off a Wildlife Refuge
UPDATE: Due to tremendous pressure – including more than 20,000 NWF activists who spoke out to members of Congress – the sell-off of the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge was taken out of the Puerto Rico debt legislation on May 19th. This irreplaceable wildlife safe haven will remain in public hands for all to enjoy and […]
Save Public Lands from a Super Pollutant
Public lands, those held in trust by the federal government for the American people, offer an important defense against climate change. Our public lands provide a variety of resources that enable wildlife and communities to reduce the impacts of a shifting environment. As such, it is important that we manage development on our public lands […]
America’s Lands for America’s People
These National Parks, forests, wildlife refuges and other wild lands are essential havens for wildlife, sources for clean water, and recreational spaces for Americans all across the country. More than 307 million people visited National Parks last year, a new record high, and even more hiked, camped, fished, watched wildlife, and enjoyed other public lands […]
Realizing Leopold’s Land Ethic
“A land ethic, then, reflects the existence of an ecological conscience, and this in turn reflects a conviction of individual responsibility for the health of the land.” – Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac Aldo Leopold was the seminal natural resources thought leader of the 20th century. His work brought forth the idea of ecology and […]
Congressional Inaction Fuels Frustration in the West
Thankfully, the armed standoff at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is over. But make no mistake, the larger debate over the control and management of America’s public lands rages on. Many flashpoints, hot rhetoric and deeply held positions divide the West. Even in this charged atmosphere, however, it is clear that westerners, regardless of political outlook, […]
Stamp Out Attacks on Public Lands
It’s hard to find words to describe the recent events in Oregon. Disgraceful, disappointing, infuriating – sentiments of public lands supporters across the country. How can a band of armed bullies take over a public property without punishment, all while demanding unpaid and unregulated use of public lands that belong to all of us? The […]
A Needed Step to Protect Public Lands for Wildlife
Today, the Obama Administration issued a long overdue plan to reform the outdated leasing program for coal mining on federal lands. The current system, which is three decades old, is an outdated process that gives coal companies sweetheart deals that short change the American taxpayer and fail to account for the massive impacts of coal mining […]
A Fund Worth Conserving
Voices from the Field: Sportsmen Speak Out I grew up in the great state of New Jersey – not exactly a place that comes to mind for outstanding outdoor opportunities or building strong sportsmen’s roots. Yet, there are plenty of both. Growing up in the country, I learned to hunt and fish with my family […]
Big Impacts On Big Game
Voices from the Field: Sportsmen Speak Out Energy development in the Powder River Basin of Montana and Wyoming has big impacts on big game. A new report, Losing Ground: Energy Development’s Impacts on Wildlife, Landscapes, and Hunting Traditions of the American West by the National Wildlife Federation and Natural Resources Defense Council Coal documents how […]