Judith Kohler’s Archive

Westerners Speak Out for Sage-grouse, Sagebrush Steppe

The ground-dwelling bird, not found anywhere else in the world, is a signature species of the ruggedly stunning sagebrush country. But, as sportsmen and women and other outdoor enthusiasts will tell you, … Read more

Wild Bison Return to the Colorado Prairie

There was a big party on the rolling prairie of northern Colorado, and the only thing the guests of honor wanted to do was gallop away. The roughly 200 celebrants were … Read more

Hardrock Mine Pollution: Environmental Hits Just Keep Coming

The fouling of the Animas and other rivers by 3 million gallons of toxic wastewater from an old inactive gold mine in the Colorado mountains in August was dramatic and … Read more

What We Can Learn from the Colorado Mine Waste Spill

Oftentimes when we talk about conserving our public lands, fish and wildlife and protecting our clean air and waterways, there is an overarching impulse that transcends all politics and economics. … Read more

The Antiquities Act: Vital for the Public, Vital for America’s Outdoor Legacy

Sportsmen and women wanted it. Hikers, mountain bikers, rafters and business owners wanted it. Veterans’ groups wanted it. So did Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, former Sen. Mark Udall, former Rep. … Read more

National monuments matter to Americans — Preserve the Antiquities Act

Top-down or grassroots — it’s all a matter of perspective. Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho has introduced a bill, S. 228, to block presidents from establishing national monuments. In a news release, … Read more

Monumental Push Made to Protect Colorado’s Browns Canyon

Coloradans and people from across the country who flock to Browns Canyon for its renowned whitewater rafting are hoping the area 140 miles southwest of Denver will soon become the … Read more

NWF Helps Score Win for Colorado Wildlife Haven

As drilling geared up in the Rockies in the early 2000s, a rallying cry among people worried about the natural gas boom’s effects in Colorado was “Save the Roan!” The … Read more

Wild Bison’s Long-Awaited Homecoming Continues

Two decades of work to restore wild bison across landscapes they once dominated continues to pay off. The latest good news is that Fort Peck in northeast Montana is getting … Read more

Coloradans Want Browns Canyon to be the Next National Monument

For Bill Dvorak, permanent protection for southern Colorado’s Browns Canyon has been a long time coming. Dvorak is the National Wildlife Federation’s public lands organizer in Colorado He’s also one of … Read more