Conservation

Under Zinke, Land in Montana Is Still Somehow Protected
Though he’s opened land all over the U.S. to industry, the Interior Secretary is actually pushing to conserve even more of his home state.

Controversial Hydropower Proposal Scuttled in Washington
A victory for environmental conservationists.

2018's Most Endangered Rivers
The American Rivers advocacy organization this week released their annual list of most endangered rivers in the United States.

Trump Administration Would Slash 22 Percent of Farm Bill's Conservation Funding
The Farm Bill is one of the federal government's biggest, most controversial (yet still intractable) bills. The Trump Administration has plans for change.

Celebrating the 'Greenspace Gems' in the Cincinnati Region
An advocacy organization in the Tri-State area (Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana) is raising awareness about the region's 116,000 acres of preserved greenspace.

Half of Idaho's Treasure Valley Farmland Could Disappear by 2100
Boise State University researchers have published a detailed study and online maps that lay out possible scenarios for urban growth in Idaho's Treasure Valley in one of the fastest-growing states in the Union.

Why Zinke Gave Florida a Break on Drilling
After announcing the coast of almost all states would be open for oil and gas production, the Secretary of the Interior changed his mind on one after meeting with Trump’s favored candidate for Senate.

Esri's Jack and Laura Dangermond Make Massive Land Conservation Gift
The Nature Conservancy's largest ever gift will preserve 24,000 acres of highly prized land in California. Jack and Laura Dangermond (cofounders of Esri) made the donation.

Conservation Easements: Crafted With Good Intentions and Now Exploited for Tax Benefits
A tax break designed to protect land has become just another massive tax loophole. It looks like conservation easements are here to stay.

Film Highlights Conservationists' Diversity
This documentary complicates what can seem like a stark partisan divide on the environment, highlighting the many heartland residents who do conservation work.

Huge Swath of Land Preserved in Pennsylvania's Fastest Growing County
Preservationists have bought one reprieve from the ongoing expansion of developed land in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Bag Tax Making a Big Difference in Chicago, Study Finds
NYU study finds 30% decrease in use of disposable bags since the city of Chicago implemented a seven-cent tax on them.

Antiquities Act Executive Order Calls for Review of Large Designations
The Executive Order does not roll back the Antiquities Act nor rescind any designations made by presidents Clinton, George W. Bush, or Obama, but does call for their review if over 100,000 acres. President Trump feels that the act has been misused.
Celebrating a Rare Win for the Environment from the Trump Administration
It may be a small but nonetheless significant win for conservation over energy extraction, particularly for Grand County, Colorado, near Rocky Mountain National Park.

Legal Battle Over Wildlife Refuges in Northern California and Southern Oregon
A lawsuit marks the latest twist in an ongoing legal battle over what conservationists consider one of the most important waterfowl sanctuaries in the country.

California Water Plan Foretells Tension Between Cities, Farmers
Recognizing the ongoing drought's severity, Sacramento is set to adopt a new statewide conservation plan. But some say the regulations don't place enough pressure on California's agricultural sector.
EPA Awards Grant To Monitor Wetlands Using Unmanned Aircraft System
Community and Regional Planning Associate Professor Zhenghong Tang received an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant to explore the use of drones to monitor wetlands.

Jamaica Bay: Wilderness in the City
Created so people could "experience nature in the midst of crowds," New York's Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge embodies the characteristics of all modern national parks: abundant, welcoming, and threatened.

Why the Sierra Club Owns a $2.2 Billion Coal Reserve
Through a series of legal maneuvers associated with a coal giant's bankruptcy, the Sierra Club made good on a conservation opportunity worth $2.2 billion and weighing 53 million tons.

'Native Plants' Won't Save Urban Biodiversity
Part literature review, part political appeal, this article makes the case for rethinking the concept of what makes plants native—especially in the face of climate change.
Pagination
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