The Wilderness Blog

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Creating National Monuments: Learn about the special tradition behind these grand legacies

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National Monuments and the Antiquities Act have been in the news quite a bit lately because of a manufactured controversy that misrepresents a leaked memo to suggest incorrectly that the Obama Administration has imminent plans to use the Antiquities Act to create a slew new National Monuments. more

Obama’s focus on science gives sea bird a reprieve

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Just six months into Obama’s presidency, we’re already beginning to see just how much we can get done with an administration that values strong scientific evidence. Last week, after years of foot-dragging by the Bush Administration, the White House released a landmark multi-agency government report on the effects of climate change on the U.S. Just a day later, a scientific report from the U.S. more

Government raises alarm on global warming: New report warns of dire consequences

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A long-awaited government science report — the first comprehensive national assessment in a decade of the current and predicted impacts of global climate change — was released by the Obama administration June 16 at a packed White House news briefing. Release of the report follows years of foot-dragging by the Bush administration, which preferred quibbling about the reality of global warming to doing anything about it, and which sat on the report’s scientific findings for years. more

A conservation-minded President? A look at Obama’s first 100 days in office

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Following eight years of unbalanced, exploitative policies toward wildlands, the opening days of President Barack Obama’s administration appear to be a promising start in a new era of wildlands and wildlife protection. In his first 100 days, President Obama reversed or put on hold a number of misguided Bush administration policies, signaling a more balanced use of public lands. He also put muscle behind campaign promises to reinstate science in federal decision making and to advance a clean energy future. more

Why every acre counts to stop global warming

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We’re losing 6,000 acres of open space per day — the equivalent of two Rhode Islands per year — and you can almost feel the Earth’s thermostat inching up a fraction each day. If we want to have any hope of slowing, let alone reversing, these trends, our country needs to take bold action. Perhaps bolder than we’ve ever attempted. Big problems clearly require serious solutions. more

Rejecting Utah drilling is a good start to fixing larger problem

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It’s a good day when you can be reasonably assured that a trip to the Windows or Delicate Arch at Arches National Park won’t be tarnished by the thought that most of the public land surrounding the park is in the hands of the oil and gas industry. more

Science, the Obama Administration and a new era of reason

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Ahhh, Science! Hardworking, honest and, until recently, greatly under-valued and disregarded government scientists have been greatly cheered, even moved, by President Obama’s inaugural pledge to “restore science to its rightful place.” The government scientists are not alone. more

Environmental damage control: Which Bush policies should Obama scrap first?

Washington is abuzz right now with talk of how the new Obama administration can undo some of the environmental damage done by their predecessors in the White House. There’s so much to be done, and everyone’s asking where to start. more