In April 2024, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) finalized its Public Lands Rule. The BLM manages 245 million acres of public lands. Prior to this announcement, only 15% of BLM lands had permanent protections from development and other detrimental uses. The new rule prioritizes access to outdoor recreation, improving user experience across our public…
In April 2024, the Biden Administration finalized protections for the Thompson Divide area in Colorado by enacting a 20-year ban on new oil and gas leasing. The administrative mineral withdrawal will protect about 225,000 acres of Colorado lands known for its rich ranching heritage, wildlife habitat, world class recreation, and freshwater resources. The Thompson Divide…
Earlier this year, TCA grantee, Western Rivers Conservancy helped expand the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge in southwest Washington by fifteen percent, adding 2,366 acres to this incredible landscape. This includes 39 miles of streams that are critical to salmon and steelhead, as well as habitat for numerous species including threatened marbled murrelets. The addition will…
Ecologists and foresters commonly suggest that trees must be 120 to 150 years old to be considered “old growth.” Along the West Fork Washougal River in Washington, the Douglas fir, cedar and hemlock trees are well on their way to achieving the designation. Many of the trees in the area can be dated to the…
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) finalized a new forest management plan covering the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests, in North Carolina, in early 2023. The plan includes important conservation recommendations, which the Outdoor Alliance characterized as “hard-fought” wins. Together, the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests make up over 1 million acres of mountains, valleys, and…
In December 2023, a diverse coalition of community members and organizations celebrated a decision by the Washington Department of Ecology (WDOE) to protect 958 river miles under the state’s first ever Outstanding Resource Water (ORW) designation. This decision will provide protections for segments of the Cascade, Green, and Napeequa Rivers. Through authorizations in the Clean…
In the first of 10-15 projected acquisitions over the next four years, Wild Montana successfully coordinated with the Montana Governor’s office and the Lower Yellowstone River Corridor Advisory Committee to purchase 328 acres of riparian habitat along the Lower Yellowstone River. The Yellowstone River, a primary tributary to the Missouri River, is the longest, free-flowing…
The rolling hills of Mariano Rancho Preserve sit directly to the north of the coastal city of Ventura, California. They provide unbroken views of the Pacific Ocean and the Channel Islands and effectively kickstart the raw and fabled beauty of driving U.S. Highway 101 northward along the California Coast. The area includes endangered coastal sage…
In January 2023, The Wilderness Land Trust purchased 21 acres in the Mount Baker Wilderness, in the North Cascades in Washington. This comes on the heels of successfully securing 630 acres in the North Cascades in 2022, as part of the organization’s broader Washington State Wilderness Campaign. The 21-acre parcel, also known as the Fourth…
The Green River cuts through Labyrinth Canyon just outside of Moab, Utah. Labyrinth lives up to its name as a complex maze of red rock, canyonland geography. Impressive side canyons and several tributaries feed into a slow-moving, 40-mile stretch of the Green River. It provides vital habitat for native and migratory bird species, and is…
