Blane Heumann is director of fire management for The Nature Conservancy.
On August 26, a controlled burn (also known as a prescribed fire) got away from a federal fire crew in Yosemite National Park. The Big Meadow fire, which was planned to span one day and 91 acres, is being mopped up today after having spread [...]

Renewable energy is poised to be the wave of the future, but what impact will it have on landscapes and wildlife?
In the United States, at least 67 million acres will be developed for new energy projects by 2030. While these projects — including wind, solar and biofuels — will help reduce carbon emissions [...]

Here’s an update on the whereabouts of the Long-billed Curlews that were tagged in Montana this past May, the 7 birds seemed to have temporarily settled down. We’ll see if they stay there or continue to move as fall draws nearer.
Of the 7 birds, 3 are now in the southern United States and 4 are in [...]

500,000 sandhill cranes roosting along the Platte River.
One million wildebeests migrating across the Serengeti plains.
Ten million bats emerging from a Texas cave.
Literally uncountable masses of mayflies hatching along a beautiful spring creek.
Perhaps nothing captures a naturalist’s imagination quite like the world’s great herds, flocks and swarms.
There’s something beyond words when you see a [...]

While I personally would never advocate that bloggers like myself flog merchandise, I have to make an exception for a very valuable thing you should consider purchasing for your very own: a Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp.
This stamp, better known as the “Duck Stamp,” is an inexpensive way to support the conservation of bird [...]

Scientists trying to explain climate change might take note of a story in the latest edition of Newsweek magazine. It’s an elegantly written piece that discusses big scientific concepts such as connectivity, biodiversity and climate change in a way that neither dumbs down the science nor leaves the reader lost in a tangle of intimidating [...]

Here in Washington, where I work on environmental policy for The Nature Conservancy, politics often passes for actual information about the outside world.
Blogs, e-newsletters, and print dailies present a continuing stream of commentary on political alignment and conflict over issues. The energy and climate change legislation now being taken up by the U.S. Senate is [...]

In late June, I posted about the new project to track Long-billed Curlew migrations from eastern Montana.
Well, the fall migration has started for these birds and they are moving out!
As of early this week, 4 of the 7 birds had taken off and left the Montana prairie for points south. Currently, one bird is in northeastern Colorado, [...]

How often do you find yourself presented with the opportunity to get up close and personal with a prairie warbler? 
Not often enough, which is exactly why I jumped at the chance to join conservation scientist Neil Gifford on a bird-banding quest late this past May.
Heading out into the Albany Pine Bush at six in the [...]

You usually learn about sustainable living in glossy design magazines or hip blogs (ahem, Cool Green Science!), but prison seems an unlikely source to find eco-inspiration.
Until now. 
The offenders at the Stafford Creek Corrections Center in Washington are going green through a partnership with The Evergreen State College and The Nature Conservancy. The project is saving [...]