A decommissioned road in Muir Woods National Monument

Credit: Anne Merwin

There has been a lot of talk lately about the nation’s crumbling manmade infrastructure, such as failing bridges, aging highways and faltering transmission lines. But what about our failing natural infrastructure -- our polluted air and waterways, diminishing biodiversity, and unhealthy forests that are the result of unfettered development and short-sighted planning? Read more

The Obama administration and the Forest Service last week hosted what they call a national roundtable. It was an effort to summarize and explain in detail the various components of the draft forest planning rule, which was published last month. When final, this rule will guide the Forest Service on how to manage 193 million acres of America’s national forests. The roundtable, held in Washington D.C., was the beginning of a series of public forums that will take place throughout the country. Read more

On Monday, June 28, the Obama administration will hold a listening session as part of its America’s Great Outdoors initiative in the Longleaf pine region of South Carolina. This summer, the Obama administration is organizing a series of “listening sessions” on America’s Great Outdoors to hear our best ideas for developing a new conservation strategy for protecting and connecting us to nature. Read more