How the West Was Won:
A Sage Grouse Tale
Dear Guardian,
I have always been drawn to
the empty spaces on the map. Traveling throughout the American West, the lonely
expanses of desert spoke quietly to me, and I was drawn to their shy and reclusive
native animals.
As a wildlife biologist, I’ve
had my fascination with ‘charismatic megafauna’ to be sure, studying moose
ecology in Alaska. But I have always been a fan of the underdog. The little
things run the world, from an ecological perspective, and protecting small and
little-known animals, like the sage grouse that is a primary focus of my
Guardians' efforts, can make the difference for whole ecosystems that span
hundreds or even thousands of square miles.
My love affair with the
American West and its native wildlife began when I became an author of
guidebooks to national parks and wilderness areas, describing the wonders of
backcountry trails through treasured and permanently protected landscapes. But
my travels also took me to many beautiful unprotected lands, lands that faced
impending destruction at the hands of extractive industries.
Read more...
For the wild,
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photo credit: Greater sage grouse—Tom Reichner, Shutterstock
25 Stories to Celebrate Our 25th
As WildEarth Guardians celebrates our 25th
anniversary, on the 25th of this and every month, we intend to honor
our past by sharing stories about the special places, rivers and creatures that
we fight to protect—by and about the people protecting them.
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