In December 2024, the Bureau of Land Management announced the initiation of a process to withdraw 264,000 acres in Nevada’s Ruby Mountains from oil and gas development for two years. This process will provide short term protection for the landscape while the department considers longer-term withdrawal. The Ruby Mountains provide expansive recreation opportunities and are…
The Wilderness Land Trust has been working to clean up a number of mining claims throughout federally designated wilderness in the Northern Cascades of Washington state since 2017. Each project includes two phases: acquisition by Wilderness Land Trust and transfer to the federal agency that is managing the surrounding wilderness so that the property automatically…
Founded by four Black women agriculturists on Juneteenth in 2020, the Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund (DBFLF) is a coalition of three long-standing urban farming organizations with a collective mission to rebuild inter-generational land ownership for Black Farmers in Detroit. Through a partnership between the Detroit Black Food Security Network (DBCFSN), Oakland Avenue Urban Farm,…
In April 2024, President Biden protected over 105,000 acres of public lands by expanding San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. Located near Los Angeles, over 18 million people live within a 90-mile radius of these public lands and the expansion will help ensure and increase equitable access to nature and improve public health for local residents….
In April 2024, President Biden protected over 13,500 acres of public lands sacred to the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation by expanding Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument to include Molok Luyuk. Molok Luyuk, “Patwin for Condor Ridge,” safeguards public lands, critical wildlife corridors, and biodiversity in the face of a changing climate. Located just north of…
The nearly 23 million-acre National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska supports a stunning diversity and abundance of wildlife. More than 400,000 caribou migrate to their calving grounds in the Reserve and iconic marine mammals such as polar bear, walrus, beluga whale, and several species of ice-dependent seals inhabit the coastline. On April 19, 2024, the Biden Administration officially…
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…
