A couple weeks ago, I asked–and tried to answer–the question of when it’s appropriate for us to interfere with nature in our national parks. Today, that question strikes me again, but in a much more specific way: when is it okay to outright kill animals in our parks? I’m not talking about licensed hunting or […]

Did you buy a pair of hiking boots 3 years ago and the sole has finally worn down? Well, if you bought it from REI, you could return it, even if the boot saw a full, loving and exciting life. Seem a little absurd? I agree. And apparently, so does REI. As of June 4th, […]

It’s been HOT in Colorado these past few weeks. There’s a statewide fire ban, the mountains in Rocky Mountain Park are still aflame, while fires near Colorado Springs are destroying homes–again. Once again, fires are causing trouble, clogging lungs and bringing added danger to outdoor enthusiasts (like this climber), even as they flock to this […]

In as little as 24 hours, the Big Meadows Fire in Rocky Mountain National Park has grown to 400 acres. Colorado has quickly become a timber box with oppressive heat, strong winds, extremely dry weather and pine beetle killed evergreens. This is sadly becoming a familiar story as last year Colorado was ablaze from Fort Collins down […]

Sequestration went into effect on March 1, severely cutting the budgets of many federally-funded categories like Social Security, Medicaid, and the National Park Service. Without venturing into politics (like this post, and this one…), basically Sequestration is causing Government agencies to cut back on their spending. What does that mean? Well, everything from the CIA […]

Our country’s national park system allows for the conservation of flora and fauna while also providing sanctuaries where people can visit and enjoy the splendor of Mother Nature’s handiwork. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement that has operated for decades to both protect and educate. But national parks aren’t eternally self-sustaining regions. Sometimes climate change alters […]