Politics
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Huge Nevada monument riles Republican extremists- President Obama has added over a million acres to the national parks system by designating three new national monuments on U.S. public lands. They are in Texas, California, and Nevada. They are Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, 331,000 acres in Northern California, Waco Mammoth National Monument in Texas and the big (704,000…
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The following is commentary from Phil Cafaro, professor at Colorado State University that are germane to all of us who value wildlands, wildlife and a functioning environment. Below are portions of the Pope Francis speech and Phil’s commentary in italics. Dear Colleagues, There is a lot to chew on in the Pope’s encyclical letter, released…
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America’s most fundamental wildlife treaty strangled of funding in House with a voice vote! South Carolina’s Republican congressman Jeff Duncan decided to do a little something special for his favorite constituents. That is not the people in his district. It is the oil companies. As part of his “True ‘All of the Above Approach to…
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Politicians complain of cost then support the wrong solution — more logging The timber industry, politicians and others bemoan the growing cost of firefighting in the West. The proposed solution is more logging of forests in the belief that thinning will reduce the occurrence of large fires and protect communities. However, there are a host…
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This year marks the 2nd Annual Speak for Wolves near Yellowstone National Park. On August 7-9, 2015 people will gather in the Union Pacific Dining Lodge in West Yellowstone, Montana to hear about the need to reform wildlife management in America. The 3-day family-friendly event will feature speakers, panelists, live music, children’s activities and wildlife…
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More danger now than getting stuck, broken leg or lack of water- Many people in the West like to explore its vast open country by 4 x 4, SUV, ATV, motorbike, and on foot and bicycle. They stay away from the crowded national parks and famous recreation and scenic sites. The lure of the roads…
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Both the article Range of Possibilities by Kelly Cash, followed up by the pro-livestock piece Public Lands Need Cattle to Meet Conservation Goals by Sheila Barry which appeared in Bay Nature Magazine imply that livestock production is an overall positive activity for California public lands and wildlife. The pro livestock articles can be found here: https://baynature.org/articles/pro-public-lands-need-cattle-to-meet-conservation-goals/ and…
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This past week, Public Broadcasting’s Nature film series featured the Sagebrush Sea. The film’s main focus was on the Greater Sage Grouse which is the emblematic creature found in this vast landscape that covers the bulk of many western states including substantial parts of New Mexico Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, California, Montana and Idaho.…