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The word Kobuk means “Big River” in the local native language. Photo George Wuerthner I just returned from floating the Kobuk River in Alaska’s Brooks Range. The Kobuk headwaters are north of the Arctic Circle in the Gates of the Arctic National Park and flow west to the Bering Sea near Kotzebue, Alaska. The…
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Logging roads are a major negative impact on ecosystems. Photo George Wuerthner The latest attempt by the Forest Service to make timber cutting palatable is using the terms “temporary” and “closed” to describe logging roads. The implied message is that road impacts are magically eliminated if they are temporary or closed. Roads, temporary, “closed,” or…
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The media and many others, including conservation groups, suggest the cause of today’s wildfires is the result of fire suppression. They point to the cessation of Native American cultural burning as a primary reason for larger blazes. This has led to expensive and often ecologically destructive forest management policies. A Charles M. Russell painting showing…
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Old Faithful erupting, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Photo George Wuerthner I just saw the movie Wild Life about Doug and Kris Thompkins’s efforts to protect wildlands in Patagonia. Doug and Kris Tompkins at Renihue Chile. Photo George Wuerthner I am very familiar with that effort as I worked for Doug and Kris for more than…
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Harsh winter weather forces bison to seek forage outside of Yellowstone National Park where tribal people slaughter them. Photo George Wuerthner https://helenair.com/outdoors/buffalo-field-campaign-yellowstone-national-park-bison/article_613ca670-2fbf-501c-b7a4-987bcff200ac.html#tracking-source=home-top-story A press release from the Buffalo Field Campaign described a proposal for the tribes to develop a plan to assume “primary jurisdiction” over Yellowstone National Park’s bison. The first question anyone should…
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The Upper Green River alloment and Wind River Range beyond. Photo George Wuerthner The Upper Green River near Pinedale, Wyoming under the administration of the Bridger Teton National Forest (BTNF) is one of the most biologically important areas of the entire Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Anyplace else, the Upper Green would be set aside as…
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Sutton Mountain proposed National Monument lies along the John Day River in Central Oregon. Photo George Wuerthner Thus far in his administration, President Biden has been sparing in his use of his executive authority to create national monuments. Even with his recent designation of the Avi Kwa Ame NM in Nevada and Castner Range in…
Author
George Wuerthner is an ecologist and writer who has published 38 books on various topics related to environmental and natural history. He has visited over 400 designated wilderness areas and over 200 national park units.