A tiny Northwestern seabird got some great news on Jan 20. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service declared that the marbled murrelet is still in need of federal protection and declined petitions to remove the bird from the list of threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The Fish and Wildlife Service cited declining populations in Oregon, Washington, and California as proof that the marbled murrelet was not ready to be removed from the protective measures that have been in place since the early 1990s. more

Come join The Wilderness Society, American Hiking Society, and hundreds of trails supporters to “Hike the Hill” in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Feb. 22 at 9 a.m. The American Hiking Society is sponsoring a fabulous event to celebrate our national trails: Hundreds of trail supporter will be gathering at the Lincoln Memorial and “hiking the hill” to the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building to show our passion and commitment to our national system of trails and treasured landscapes. This hike up the National Mall will promote: more

This article first appeared in Wilderness Magazine. To read more great articles like this one, become a member today. It is getting louder all the time. It used to be easier to escape the din, and national parks and our other public lands were among the spots you could find peace and quiet. Most of these places remain the best prospects for basking in natural sounds, but the decibel level is on the rise. more