Celebrating the Gila River while asking for ‘wild and scenic’ designation

Seventeen years after I first visited, I finally made my way back to the Gila River. Last week, about 75 attendees convened in Silver City, N.M., to celebrate the Gila River, expand our knowledge of the area and its extensive list of supporters, and of course, got out on the stunning landscape to renew our…

House takes steps to modernize oil and gas leasing

America’s public lands are meant for multiple uses: fishing, hunting, hiking, camping, general outdoor recreation, and of course, industry—where it makes sense. But for too long, oil and gas leasing and drilling on public lands throughout the nation have enjoyed priority status. It is past time to grant all uses equal footing — and there…

Infrastructure package could help the drought-stricken Colorado River Basin

A massive package of legislation, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is currently working its way through Congress, having been passed by the Senate earlier this week. If enacted, this bill would make essential investments of remarkable size and scope to help the nation address the impacts of climate change, including some of the worst impacts of the…

Everything you wanted to know: Rio Grande cutthroat trout

Rio Grande cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii virginalis) Species status and summary: Rio Grande cutthroat trout (RGCT) were first discovered in 1541 by Francisco Coronado’s expedition in the upper Pecos River, although they were not formally described until 1856. They represent the southern extent of the cutthroat trout species, historically ranging from the mountainous headwaters of…