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,

Eric Molvar

Erik Molvar Staff photo 2013

Erik Molvar
Sagebrush Sea Campaign Director
WildEarth Guardians
emolvar@wildearthguardians.org

greater sage grouse
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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WildEarth Guardians' mission is to protect and restore the wildlife, wild places, wild rivers and health of the American West.

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