Wildlife News
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Top Line: While the election of Donald Trump is a setback for the conservation of mature and old-growth forests, such can be overcome. Figure 1. Old-growth forest in the western Cascades of Oregon on the Willamette National Forest. Source: Elizabeth Feryl (first appeared in Oregon Wild: Endangered Forest Wilderness). It began with a bang, with…
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The fires in Los Angeles are still burning as I write this. The loss of property, the disruption and loss of lives, and the trauma these fires created are horrendous. Nevertheless, there are lessons we can learn to change fire policies to mitigate (not prevent) such tragedies in the future. Wildfires are a natural part…
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Here is an interesting opportunity for folks. WWP is putting on a seminar about new research regarding how livestock disrupt the normal nitrogen flows. We’re excited to invite you to the first installment of our 2025 Webinar Series! Join us for a compelling presentation that uncovers how human activities are reshaping the sagebrush steppe ecosystem—and…
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A recent Bend Bulletin Editorial repeated the numerous misconceptions about prescribed burning. The commentary suggested that more prescribed burning would reduce smoke in Bend during the summer months. While I agree that less smoke would be a great outcome, prescribed burning will not accomplish that for several reasons. First, much of the smoke we experience…
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In this episode, George Wuerthner discusses issues arising about tribal efforts to garner more authority and control of public lands, and the efforts to transfer public lands to tribal entities. Click on the link above to listen in your browser or the PLAY button in the upper left corner below.
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A recent article in the Bozeman Chronicle described the Yellowstone “Bison Conservation” Transfer Program. The federal government is transferring public bison that belong to all Americans to tribal reservations, which is essentially a privatization of public wildlife. In the process, they are accelerating the domestication of wild bison from Yellowstone National Park. Restoration and conservation…
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Forest degradation is one of the major factors contributing to a loss of global biodveristy and ecosystem integrity. Like many other forests in the West, the Deschutes National Forest is degrading public land in the name of restoration. One destructive activity they are currently implementing is the mystification of shrubs in the understory of trees.…
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One of the common myths perpetuated by the livestock industry is that fire supression has allowed juniper to increase across the West, though under natural conditions juniper has long fire rotations of hundreds of years, so not significantly impacted by fire supression. Some studies suggest juniper expansion may be a natural consequence of climate change.…
