Biomass project in Lambert Creek, Oregon. Courtesy BLM.

Some folks argue that burning trees as an energy source — either for heat or electricity — is a “carbon neutral” resource — one that takes away as much carbon as it releases. It seems logical — new trees grow in the place of those that were cut down, and the new ones can absorb whatever carbon was released when the original tree was cut and later burned. However, as with many things, the devil is in the details. Read more

Common loon in New Hampshire's Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Mary Konchar, courtesy USFWS.

When Leanne Klyza Linck looks out the windows of her home office in the foothills of the Green Mountains in Vermont, she knows why she works in conservation. “I get motivation from my day-to-day existence, just by living in Vermont,” says Klyza Linck, the director of the Northeast program at The Wilderness Society. “I go for a morning walk and the stream is rushing, great blue herons land in the beaver pond, and if I’m lucky, I’ll see a mink, fox, or signs of a moose. Region:  Northeast Read more

Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) worker. Courtesy USFS.

America’s National Wildlife Refuges — 549 of them, scattered throughout the 50 states and U.S. territories — are best known for the wildlife they protect: thousands of species of animals, birds, reptiles, fish, wildflowers, and trees. What’s less well known is that many refuges also offer a glimpse into America’s past — encompassing the story of our land beginning with the native people who lived here long before the first European settlers, and continuing through the major events of our nation’s history. Read more