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Fixing Our Parks, One Step at a Time

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Photo courtesy of Scott Taylor. This article was originally published in Fox News Opinion.  Sewage spilling into waterways in Yosemite. Water pipes leaking in the Grand Canyon. Run-down trailers housing staff in Yellowstone. Set against the grandeur of national park landscapes across the country, these images make no sense. Yet […]

Published on: June 17, 2020

Yellowstone and Coronavirus

While the pandemic of our lifetime has forced the closure of Yellowstone, the fight against the coronavirus has a direct and surprising connection to the world’s first national park.

Published on: May 13, 2020

Another Grizzly Day in Court

After decades of work by federal biologists, state wildlife agencies, landowners, and conservation groups, the grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone have experienced an impressive recovery. From less than 150 bears a half-century ago to more than 700 today, the population has likely reached the ecosystem’s carrying capacity, causing bears to roam into new areas […]

Published on: May 6, 2020

During a Quiet National Park Week, Recreationists Still Have a Role to Play

[…] Haleakala, Joshua Tree, and Zion—now bring in more revenue from visitors than they receive from congressional appropriations. Another dozen or so parks, including Acadia, Grand Teton, Shenandoah, Yellowstone, and Yosemite, collect recreation fee revenues equal to at least 40 percent of their appropriated funding. Because 80 percent of fee revenues stay in the park […]

Published on: April 18, 2020

It’s (Finally) Time to Restore Our Parks

[…] lands. Currently, the National Park Service alone has $11.9 billion of deferred maintenance projects, severely impairing the agency’s conservation goals. Leaking wastewater systems have polluted streams in Yellowstone and Yosemite. Band-Aid repairs on Grand Canyon National Park’s water distribution system have caused water shortages and facility closures. From historic buildings that need rehabilitation to […]

Published on: March 13, 2020

Don’t Overlook the Importance of Private Lands

Private ranch on the outskirts of West Yellowstone. Photo courtesy of Charles Barnhill. This article was originally published in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, a series of talks at the Bighorn National Recreation Area is highlighting the benefits of public lands. It’s a worthy cause. But as […]

Published on: March 9, 2020