During COVID, Americans flocked to national parks and other public lands, and continue to do so. That has had implications for federal agencies in Arizona and other Western states.

The Endangered Species Act started 50 years ago as a bipartisan law. That didn't last long. While public support for the act remains high, the agency tasked with carrying it out often faces litigation and underfunding, caught in political gridlock.

Scratching into the trunks of trees is considered vandalism at national monuments, parks and forests. Park rangers says they also see people leaving trails and climbing the cliff face, which often leads to rock slides.

Researchers have known for years that old-growth forests have several benefits for Western ecosystems, yet the U.S. Forest Service has not had a policy for managing them. The agency recently announced that it is moving forward on one.

Conservationists and biologists say that Arizona’s Mexican gray wolf population needs more genetic diversity. But a wolf introduction program in Colorado could help diversify the gene pool.

The ‘Sovereign to Sovereign Dialogue,’ a first-of-its-kind panel held on Friday during the Colorado River Water Users Association’s 75th meeting in Las Vegas included discussions between the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton and three Colorado River Basin tribal leaders among the Ten Tribes Partnership.

Coconino County officials say wildfire threat and the resulting flooding are the most prominent dangers in the region. And in an election year, they caution that there’s no guarantee that federal dollars will continue coming in to stop it.

The Maricopa Association of Governments will hold an open house Saturday morning to get public input on how to reduce pollution and improve air quality.

The U.S. Forest Service wants to protect 36 miles of the Upper Verde River in central Arizona by placing it under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.