Ground Truth Blog
The Roundup for February 24, 2017
Happy birthday! This past week, the Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky (originally named the Cumberland) celebrates 80 years and the Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming celebrates 120 years. Here's to many more! Americans once moved away from forests. Now forests...
The Roundup for February 17, 2017
Take Note... Congress is in recess for the President's day holiday. Most representatives will be hosting town hall meetings during this time. We urge you to attend these meetings. Bring one question on a topic you care about and ask it if you get a chance. Fees will...
Grizzly Reintroduction Considered for North Cascades
Federal wildlife officials have launched a series of public forums to discuss a proposal to reintroduce grizzly bears to the North Cascade Mountains of Washington state and British Columbia. Plans call for reestablishing a population of about 200 grizzlies in the...
The Roundup for February 10, 2017
Some news websites create pop-up adds or surveys before allowing a user to view content. We have sourced the content below using a free ad blocking extension that prevents these pop-ups when enabled. If you have trouble viewing the content of the linked sites, we...
Planning Like It’s 1983
In a move widely viewed as a nod toward proponents of local control of public lands, the House of Representatives yesterday voted to scrap a new rule governing planning conducted by the Bureau of Land Management. Supporters of the “Planning 2.0” rule say it would...
The Roundup for February 3, 2017
The Roundup is a regular compilation of Forest Service and public land issues in the news. Click the links below to read the full story. Stay informed. Stay engaged. Stay Vocal. GOP Lawmaker Withdraws Bill to Transfer Federal Land—FSEEE Dispatch Utah Representative...
GOP Lawmaker Withdraws Bill to Transfer Federal Land
Utah Representative Jason Chaffetz announced last night that he will withdraw a bill that called for transferring more than 3 million acres of federal land to state ownership. The Republican’s abrupt move came after a fierce public backlash, including from hunters and...
Judge Rebukes Forest Service for Allowing Helicopters in Wilderness
A federal judge has delivered a stinging rebuke to the Forest Service, ruling the agency violated the Wilderness Act by sanctioning the use of helicopters in Idaho’s Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness last year. U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill...
Where We Go From Here
Today marks the beginning of a new era for our public lands. There are many questions yet to be answered: Who will become the chief of the Forest Service? What strategies will the new administration pursue for our public lands? How far will Congress go to weaken our...
Former Georgia Governor Trump’s Pick for Ag Secretary
Sonny Perdue, a former Georgia governor who famously led a prayer vigil for rain outside the state Capitol during a drought, is president-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Agriculture, which oversees the Forest Service. Trump announced his choice...
Throwing Money at Fires
On September 17, 2016, six fires sparked along a remote road on the Modoc National Forest in California—the presumed work of an arsonist. As is the case with 98 percent of wildfires, four of the fires were contained within just a few hours, each burning less than half...
Cleaning Up Shooting Ranges: Who Should Pay?
January 6, 2017 — A project to remove lead from an abandoned shooting range on Arizona’s Prescott National Forest should be completed by the end of the month, Forest Service officials say. But the cost of the cleanup, covered by taxpayers, has generated criticism from...