On a hot summer day last week, a group of forest scientists and managers hiked up a cool Idaho mountain ridge to look at trees in trouble. Whitebark pines are hardy, gnarly and long-lived trees at high elevations across the Pacific Crest, western Canada and the Northern Rockies of Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. While these trees have long withstood wind, snows and freezing temperatures for millennium, on slopes from 5,000 to over 12,000 feet — today, a combination of conditions puts the species at risk. more

Listen up everyone. We’re about to explore some beautiful but seriously rugged territory. Before we get out of the Virtual OmniBUS here in Idaho, I must stress that you follow today’s guide, John McCarthy, VERY closely. We’re going to hike through the Owyhee Canyonlands. Do not leave John’s sight. When we get back, let’s all take a moment to post comments that convey what we would like to say to Congress about the need to pass the Omnibus Public Land Management Act. more

Throughout the past eight years, the Bush administration has treated our country’s wild lands as if they belong to industry. Through a series of short-cut measures and regulations that have cut science and the public out of decision making, the administration has consistently rolled back environmental protections and sharply favored industrial use and exploitation of our wild lands above all other public concerns. And they’re not done yet. more