Also, Georgia's world-renowned Okefenokee Swamp could be taken out by mining
Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities
** Wyoming approves sale of Kelly Parcel to Grand Teton National Park
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Friday, November 8, 2024
Grand Teton National Park. James St. John, Flickr ([link removed])
In a 3-2 vote, the Wyoming State Board of Land Commissioners approved a sale ([link removed]) of the Kelly Parcel to Grand Teton National Park for no less than $100 million, contingent on gubernatorial approval of the Bureau of Land Management’s Rock Springs Resource Management Plan ([link removed]) . If completed, the sale will ensure the landscape is conserved for future generations.
The Kelly Parcel is a 640-acre parcel of state school trust land that borders Grand Teton National Park. It serves as important habitat for Rocky Mountain wildlife and connects to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem—one of the largest intact temperate ecosystems in the world ([link removed].) . It's also an essential pronghorn migration route.
Efforts to transfer the land have been ongoing for nearly 15 years ([link removed]) . The state had been considering auctioning off the land to the highest bidder, which piqued the interest of developers because of the area's high-value views of the iconic Teton Range. The plan received pushback, and over the past three years, thousands of Wyomingites voiced their suppor ([link removed]) t ([link removed]) for conserving the parcel during public hearings and rallies.
The transaction’s completion is dependent on Governor Mark Gordon's approval of the Bureau of Land Management’s Rock Springs ([link removed]) Resource Management Plan ([link removed]) . The state said ([link removed]) this will only happen if the plan is changed to include increased allowance for hunting and grazing, and if the BLM takes the governor's feedback into account in the final management plan.
Georgia's world-renowned Okefenokee Swamp could be taken out by mining
The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is an important ecosystem for migratory birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, including several threatened and endangered species, yet it is under threat from a company seeking to establish a titanium dioxide mine at its doorstep ([link removed]) . Fortunately, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering a proposal to expand the wildlife refuge ([link removed]) in order to safeguard this unique landscape.
Read the latest blog post ([link removed]) about the the world-renowned refuge and the effort to protect it from the impacts of mining as part of the Center for Western Priorities' Road to 30: Postcards ([link removed]) campaign to share the stories of the people behind efforts to protect special places across the country
Look West will be taking a break on Monday, November 11 in observation of Veterans Day. We'll be back on Tuesday!
** Quick hits
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Wyoming officials approve of Kelly Parcel sale to Grand Teton National Park
WyoFile ([link removed]) | Jackson Hole News & Guide ([link removed]) | Casper Star Tribune ([link removed]) | Buckrail ([link removed])
Georgia's Okefenokee swamp could be taken out by mining. Expanding Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge could help
Westwise ([link removed])
Climate change identified as main driver of worsening drought in the Western United States
Los Angeles Times ([link removed])
On a collision course: National parks, Project 2025, and President Trump
National Parks Traveler ([link removed])
Trump will test energy transition—at home and abroad
Axios ([link removed])
How social media is influencing our interactions with public lands
Utah News Dispatch ([link removed])
How will a second Trump presidency shape the Colorado River?
KUNC ([link removed])
Advocates of imperiled lesser prairie chicken say market incentives key to expanding habitat
Kansas Reflector ([link removed])
** Quote of the day
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” I am very concerned for the future of the Western U.S., the U.S. as a whole and the world, especially because we are at such a critical moment for limiting catastrophic impacts from climate change. However, history also shows that our action matters. We should not let Trump’s administration decide our future and the future of our children and grandchildren.”
—Rong Fu, UCLA climate researcher, Los Angeles Times ([link removed])
** Picture This
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@nationalparkservice ([link removed])
The National Park Service has issued a first-ever Director’s Order for agency decision-makers engaging in nation-to-nation consultations with Indian and Alaska Native Tribes, underscoring the agency’s commitment to developing, implementing, and maintaining positive working relationships with Tribes based on transparency, accountability, mutual trust, and responsibility.
The Director’s Order, developed with input from Tribes, codifies and expands existing National Park Service policies and procedures and affirms meaningful consultations with Tribes as a National Park Service policy priority. Park managers will be able to use this policy directive to help facilitate consequential discussions and ensure Tribal input is included early in the park decision-making process on issues that may directly or indirectly affect Tribe’s and their ancestral lands, interests, practices, or traditional use areas.
Learn more at: nps.gov/news
Image: NPS /Cinnamon Dockham
#nationalparks ([link removed]) #nativeamericanheritagemonth ([link removed]) #parks ([link removed]) #nationalparkservice ([link removed])
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