public lands

Living Fossils At Risk

Yet, human development has created uncertainty about their ability to endure the millennia, as development and pollution threaten their mating habitat. These remarkable, primitive creatures spawn each year in very … Read more

Bringing Tribes Back to National Parks

Native peoples have deep ties to our greatest known parks – Yellowstone, Glacier, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Olympic, Mesa Verde, Everglades – and many, many others. Indeed, it must be acknowledged that the … Read more

Reforms Needed to Protect Wildlife from Coal Leasing on Public Lands

We stand at a pivotal moment for coal development and public lands.  As our energy sector rapidly shifts from dirty fuel sources to cleaner, safer ones, we have a chance … Read more

Vieques Wildlife Refuge Saved from Auction Block

The decision by members of Congress to leave the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge intact benefits thousands of wildlife species, some of which are not found anywhere else on earth. This … Read more

Congress, Leave the Strutting to Sage-Grouse

The greater sage-grouse’s annual mating dance on leks, or breeding grounds, is a one-of-a-kind spectacle that draws bird watchers from around the world to the Western U.S. The male sage-grouse … Read more

What We Lose if We Sell Off a Wildlife Refuge

UPDATE: Due to tremendous pressure – including more than 20,000 NWF activists who spoke out to members of Congress – the sell-off of the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge was taken … Read more

Save Public Lands from a Super Pollutant

Public lands, those held in trust by the federal government for the American people, offer an important defense against climate change. Our public lands provide a variety of resources that … Read more

America’s Lands for America’s People

These National Parks, forests, wildlife refuges and other wild lands are essential havens for wildlife, sources for clean water, and recreational spaces for Americans all across the country. More than … Read more

Realizing Leopold’s Land Ethic

“A land ethic, then, reflects the existence of an ecological conscience, and this in turn reflects a conviction of individual responsibility for the health of the land.”  – Aldo Leopold, A … Read more

Congressional Inaction Fuels Frustration in the West

Thankfully, the armed standoff at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is over. But make no mistake, the larger debate over the control and management of America’s public lands rages on. Many … Read more