Advocacy
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Literature and Conservation in the West By Mark Bailey and Kirsten Allen Ten years ago I sat down and read Michael Crichton’s novel State of Fear. While far from his best work, it was his usual roller coaster of a techno-thriller. And, rather strangely, it was blatantly Ayn Rand-like in its political speeches that attempted…
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UPDATE 10/17/2014: Due to a request by Representative Peter DeFazio of Oregon, the comment period has been extended until Midnight Mountain Time, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2014. The BLM is asking for comments on an Environmental Assessment that examines the impacts of issuing a Special Recreation Permit (SRP) to conduct a predator killing contest on BLM lands.…
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I sent this into the Helena IR in response to an article that basically tried to portray the idea that environmental lawyers and groups were getting rich off of law suits that are often characterized as “frivolous”. In truth no one wins a law suit if it’s frivolous, and the fact that some groups win…
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In a recent editorial in the Jackson Hole Guide, Luther Propst of Jackson asserts that conservationists needed to keep in mind that many public lands recreationalists have a common interest in protecting the land. (see Propts piece here http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/opinion/guest_shot/fun-hogs-and-the-future-of-conservation/article_f98a41a3-6dd0-5915-b166-fe0a5b898138.html) Recreationists like mountain biking proponents could be allies in efforts to protect wildlands as designated wilderness for…
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The merging of the Nez Perce and Clearwater National Forests offers opportunity to plunder- Two very important national forests in north central Idaho were recently combined through administrative action. The Clearwater and the Nez Perce National Forests both operate under separate forest management plans, developed after years of analysis and public comment. There was even…
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If the public really understood the illogic behind Forest Service management, including those endorsed by forest collaboratives, I am certain there would be more opposition to current Forest Service policies. First, most FS timber sales lose money. They are a net loss to taxpayers. After the costs of road construction, sale layout and environmental analyses,…
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Federal judge wipes the 2012 delisting- Wolf hunt cancelled. Wolves-are-vermin zone is rubbed out- A federal judge has overturned the 2012 delisting of wolves in Wyoming. It looks like a total victory for wolves in the short run. The ruling came from Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the D.C. Circuit. Here is a news release…
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About the time Cliven Bundy and his supporters were making the BLM fold and sneak way, southern Utah malcontents were staging an illegal ATV ride through a closed-to-motor-vehicles trail in southern Utah. The place was Recapture Canyon on May 10. Off-road vehicle interests were irritated about the closure of the archeologically rich canyon and other…