Today we have a guest editorial from a former National Park Service employee who talks about the management problems at the Valles Caldera. This matters because the VCNP is one …
Category: public lands
The Politics of Big Fire in the West
Climate change, on top of the abuse of forests through fire suppression, grazing and intensive logging have created the fire storms of today.
Planning for Disaster
Why did the Forest Service Start a Big Forest Fire in New Mexico? The recriminations have begun. The 320,000-acre Hermit Peak Fire in northern New Mexico has burned …
Hermit Peak, Calf Canyon Fire Considered
A lawyer called me today to find out if I thought she might have a case against the federal government for its role in the origins of the Hermit Peak/Calf …
Lightning Fire, Wild and Free
In mid-June lightning struck a remote slope in the Pecos Wilderness east of Santa Fe. The bolt started a fire that ignited dry fuels in a spruce-fir forest and quickly …
Ranching is Driving the West’s Water Crisis
At some point, Americans may come to grips with the fact that the cattle ranching industry is using too much water in the American West. The livestock industry takes large …
New Gila Wild and Scenic Bill an Empty Gesture
What do you imagine when you think of a wild and scenic river? Do you think of a deep clear stream running among thick grasses with flowers bobbing, deer grazing …
Capitol Attack Threatens Our Public Lands
The events of January 6 in Washington pose a direct threat to our public lands and the survival of our forests, deserts, parks, wildlife, clean air and water. Those of …
Pushing for More Prescribed Burning
“This is the first bill related to wildfire that I’ve seen in Congress that actually has fire in it!” exclaimed Tim Ingalsbee, Director of Firefighters United for Safety Ethics and …
Getting Cows out of Wilderness
Many people are unhappy when they find livestock grazing inside designated wilderness areas on national forest lands. People hiking the Continental Divide Trail encounter cattle in the Colorado national forests …
