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Should I Post This Image?
Dec 12, 2011

Images are essential to reaching humans with a powerful message, and the Internet...
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Laura Paskus, star reporter
Jan 10, 2011

It's way past time for me to post a link to the brilliant writings of my dear...
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Speak up- Ken Salazar is Listening!
Aug 14, 2010

Recently I had the honor of attending a couple of events to move forward initiatives...
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Great Gifts for Public Lands Lovers!
Jul 20, 2010

We've combined some favorite public lands quotations along with some favorite...
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New Public Lands!!
Aug 28, 2009

Thank YOU Senator Bingaman (D! From NM!) for U.S. Law 111-11, The Public Lands...
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Party Like it's 1999 (if you support S22)
Jan 18, 2009

Oh, that Jeff Bingaman! What a dark horse! I think for years that he's creeping...
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Militant Grammarians Strike the Grand Canyon
Sep 10, 2008

Two self-proclaimed "grammar vigilantes" have been banned from all National...
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So Green It Hurts
May 16, 2008

Just for the record: Our electrons come from wind power, generated on the eastern...
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Hooray! Sustainable Foods on the Table at National Parks
Jul 26, 2007

Xanterra, the concessionaire that manages the visitor facilities in Yellowstone...
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Tread Lightly? On What Planet?
Mar 4, 2007

OK, so this one blew my mind. I went to read the Tread Lightly! newsletter in...
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75 reasons to vote November 7
Oct 24, 2006
--AZ-Sen: Jon Kyl --AZ-01: Rick Renzi --AZ-05: J.D. Hayworth --CA-04:...
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Look, but don't touch!
Aug 3, 2006

An alert reader sent me this article from the New York Times (free registration...
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Gale Norton In Pants
Jun 3, 2006

Is how the Natural Resources Defence Council describes new Interior Secretary...
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Good News! Two new wilderness areas!
Jan 23, 2006

Hard to believe any environmental good could come out of Washington these days,...
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Grist for your mill
Nov 12, 2005
It's green!! It's funny!! It's Grist, the online environmental humor zine!!...
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Al Gore gets all het up
Jun 24, 2005
"The man who used to be the next president" has become a fiery and impassioned...
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Some Good News
Jun 6, 2005

As I was alerted in an enviro-spam, the NLCS turns 5 this year! This brainchild...
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Law Allows Seismic Exploration in National Park
Jun 1, 2005

There are snowy-white beaches, sparkling blue waters, fertile coastal marshes,...
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Secret Service Protects Nesting Duck
Apr 8, 2005

Not quite public lands as we think about them, but federal property, nonetheless....
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Extreme Hunter in Charge of Birdies, Bunnies
Mar 30, 2005

Secretary Norton named as acting director of the USFWS a man named Matt Hogan...
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New Forest Rules Issued Dec 23, 2004
Jan 2, 2005

...just in time to be totally ignored by the media in general. Nice timing....
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Creepy Things in the Appropriations Act
Jan 2, 2005

Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2005. Besides...
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Kokopelli Uncut
Nov 14, 2004

Today I dragged the kids out to find the La Cieneguilla petroglyphs/ El Camino...
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Bears Can't Vote
Oct 22, 2004

I was going to post on the 3 million wetlands comment from the debates, but...
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Antelope & Mexicans Suffer for Immigration Policies
Oct 10, 2004

Ok, I was looking for news about the election, but this caught my eye. All the...
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More Killer Vacations: Southern California
Aug 9, 2004

Here's something I came across while trying to untwist the status of various...
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My Land's Not for Sale
Aug 7, 2004

I just shot off a couple of letters to Sens Domenici and Bingaman. Apparently,...
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Hard Times at the Duck Factory
Jul 19, 2004

Guess it figures that the ducks are feeling the pinch of the drought too, but...
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Bear Lake Monster Rises Again
Jun 22, 2004

The Salt Lake Tribune, in a marvelous piece of investigative journalism, presents...
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Interior Refuses FOIA Request
Jun 22, 2004

Some people filed a Freedom of Information Act request with DOI to find out...
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Room for All of God's Creatures
May 26, 2004

Speaking as a vegetarian environmentalist, this one still cracks me up every...
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Mother Nature Responds to Bush Environmental Policies
May 18, 2004

Just returned from a tour of inspection of the realm, and discovered that it...
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Mired in the Gyre
Mar 29, 2004

I mentioned the North Pacific Gyre a while back, but the subject bears some...
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Getting Hotter & Harder to Breathe
Mar 29, 2004

In the more bad news category, global warming is accelerating to the point where...
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Killer Vacations
Feb 20, 2004

This is really fascinating to me. What's interesting is if you look at the NPS...
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Creationism in the National Parks
Jan 12, 2004

My dad told me about this, and it seemed too strange not to be true. Apparently,...
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Giant Space Shield to Save the Planet
Jan 10, 2004

With the Kyoto Protocol scuttled (thanks Dubya!), and a nation of Hummers busily...
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Where Would Jesus Camp?
Jan 4, 2004

Excellent reference for the those irritating arguments with neocons. I especially...
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Privatization of Public Lands
Nov 16, 2003

I have seen several editorials from retired NPS and other agency employees protesting...
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Margaret Murie 1902-2003
Oct 20, 2003
Sad to report that Margaret Murie, whose life offers inspiration to conservationists...
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Siezing Private Land for OHV Access
Oct 8, 2003
I firmly believe that there can be public lands for everyone to use, but I'm...
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Cowfree 21st Century
Oct 1, 2003

I know... let's EAT them all! What?!! We're all vegetarians? Do you think we...
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It's a Trip!
Oct 1, 2003

All right, it's not public lands particularly, but what I want to know is who's...
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War on Terror in Bridger-Teton National Forest
Sep 24, 2003

I take it very personally that Cracklin' Dick is bringing the War on Terror...
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Public Lands, Disney Style
Sep 20, 2003

I don't know why I should be so shocked, but golly! I shudder to think what...
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next...prev |Aug 28, 2009| nextnext...
plblog New Public Lands!!


Aug 28, 2009

By Queenellen
Thank YOU Senator Bingaman (D! From NM!) for U.S. Law 111-11, The Public Lands Omnibus of 2009. And thank you, friendly guy in Bingaman's DC office (Jorge Silva Bunuelos) for sending me all those lovely maps. There's lots of other stuff in the bill too! Great fun for everyone!

This is going to be a heckuva long post, cause it's a heckuva big bill. Links of course go to the Public Lands Information Center.

OREGON
As summer warms the lush mountains and high deserts of Oregon, hikers will be enjoying a number of new wilderness areas, anglers and rafters can rest easy that many favorite rivers are newly protected, and rock lovers will have fun touring the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, or else escaping into the Oregon Badlands.

Oregon sites include:

WILDERNESS AREAS
Badger Creek Wilderness
Bull of the Woods Wilderness
Mount Hood Wilderness
Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness
Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness
Clackamas Wilderness
Roaring River Wilderness
Lower White River Wilderness
Copper Salmon Wilderness
Oregon Badlands Wilderness
Soda Mountain Wilderness

WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS
South Fork Clackamas River
South Fork Roaring River
Elk River
Eagle Creek
Upper Zig Zag River
Middle Fork Hood River
East Fork Hood River
Fifteenmile Creek
Collawash River
Fish Creek

OTHER AREAS
Mount Hood National Recreation Area
Eagle Creek- Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
Sheep Creek Wild and Scenic River
Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail


IDAHO
Large sections of the Owyhee uplands in southwestern Idaho have recently been protected under the Public Lands Omnibus of 2009. The Owyhee features sage-covered rolling mesas cut deeply by the Bruneau, Jarbidge, and Owyhee Rivers, and their many tributaries. The diverse terrain supports many forms of wildlife, notably a large raptor population. Wilderness areas have been designated around the rivers, and the watersheds have also been protected for their wild and recreational value.

Two National Trails have been designated in Idaho. The Pacific Northwest Trail is a recreational route that continues through Montana and Washington. The Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail is more of a driving tour, passing through the landscape carved when an ice dam broke, causing catastrophic flooding from Missoula, Montana, through to the Pacific.

WILDERNESS AREAS
Little Jacks Creek Wilderness
Big Jacks Creek Wilderness
Bruneau-Jarbidge Rivers Wilderness
North Fork Owyhee River Wilderness
Pole Creek Wilderness
Owyhee River Wilderness

WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS
Battle Creek
Big Jacks Creek + Wickahoney Creek + Cottonwood Creek + Duncan Creek
Bruneau River
Jarbidge River
Deep Creek, including Dickshooter Creek
Little Jacks Creek
North Fork of the Owyhee River
Owyhee River
Red Canyon
Sheep Creek
South Fork of the Owyhee River

NATIONAL TRAILS
Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail
Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail

NEW MEXICO
New Mexico has three newly-protected areas on BLM lands around the state.
The Prehistoric Trackways National Monument in the Robledo Mountains near Doņa Ana, is one of the finest Paleozoic paleontological sites in the country. Most of the specimens have been removed to the New Mexico Museum of Natural History in Albuquerque, but the mountains are a challenging and fascinating place to explore.

Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area above ground, is a historic fort, dating from the late 19th century, nestled in the foothills of the Sacramento Mountains. Underground is a wonderland formed over eons. Permit required for caving.

Sabinoso Wilderness The Sabinoso wilderness does not currently have public access, but protects over 16,000 acres of mesas and canyons.


UTAH
180,000 acres of the Zion-Mojave region's unique landscape-- including Canaan Mountain, Black Ridge, Beaver Dam Wash, and Doc's Pass-- were protected, including Utah's first wild river, the system of tributaries to the Virgin River, flowing through Zion National Park. Utah sites include:

WILDERNESS
Beartrap Canyon Wilderness
Blackridge Wilderness
Canaan Mountain Wilderness
Cottonwood Forest Wilderness
Cougar Canyon Wilderness
Deep Creek Wilderness
Doc's Pass Wilderness
Goose Creek Wilderness
LaVerkin Creek Wilderness
Red Butte Wilderness
Red Mountain Wilderness
Slaughter Creek Wilderness
Taylor Creek Wilderness
Zion Wilderness

OTHER AREAS
Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, including Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness
Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area
Virgin Wild and Scenic River

WASHINGTON AND MONTANA
Two regional trails have received National designations in the recent Public Lands Omnibus Act of 2009. The Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail has long been a favorite destination for backpackers from the Northern Rockies to the Coastal ranges, passing through Montana, Idaho, and Washington.

The Ice Age Floods National Geographic Trail, a driving route, tours the epochal floods of prehistoric times that carved the landscape in Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon.

ARIZONA
When the Public Lands Omnibus of 2009 was signed into law, some favorite places in Arizona got new protections. Fossil Creek was designated a Wild and Scenic River-- Arizona's second.

The Mazatzal Wilderness got some additional land.

The Arizona National Scenic Trail, long a dream of dedicated volunteers, has received national status. This trail passes through some of the wildest and most beautiful public lands of the state, from the Grand Canyon to the saguaro forests.

WYOMING
The Public Lands Omnibus of 2009 recently designated a wild river system in northwestern Wyoming. The Headwaters of the Snake River have their origin in Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, the Teton Wilderness, the Gros Ventre Wilderness, and the Bridger Teton National Forest.

COLORADO
In Colorado, the backcountry of Rocky Mountain National Park has been designated a wilderness.

The Public Lands Omnibus also designated the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area, including Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Area, just south of Grand Junction.

CALIFORNIA
The Public Lands Omnibus of 2009 designated numerous wilderness areas, made existing wilderness areas larger, established special recreation areas, and protected several wild rivers in the state of California. Many of these areas are in the Sierras, around Kings Canyon and Sequoia national park.

WILDERNESS
Hoover Wilderness addition
John Muir Wilderness addition
Ansel Adams wilderness addition
Agua Tibia Wilderness addition
Santa Rosa Wilderness addition
Joshua Tree Wilderness addition
Orocopia Mountains Wilderness addition
Palen/McCoy Wilderness addition
Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness addition
Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness
Owens River Headwaters Wilderness
White Mountains Wilderness
Granite Mountain Wilderness
Magic Mountain Wilderness
Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness
Cahuilla Mountain Wilderness
South Fork San Jacinto Wilderness
Beauty Mountain Wilderness
Pinto Mountains Wilderness
John Krebs Wilderness

OTHER NEW AREAS
Bridgeport Winter Recreation Area
Pickel Hill Management Area
Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest

WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS
Amargosa River
Owens River Headwaters
Cottonwood Creek
North Fork San Jacinto River & Fuller Mill Creek
Palm Canyon Creek
Bautista Creek







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