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Economic Development & the West

Ketchikan calls itself “Salmon Capital of the World.” Does the title still fit?

Long since fish canneries built Southeast Alaska’s signature town, the trade is now being used to attract tourists.Continue readingKetchikan calls itself “Salmon Capital of the World.” Does the title still fit?

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Water & the West

Efforts to preserve California’s groundwater enter a new phase: a season of judgement

Architects of the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act tried to forestall conflict between state regulators and local groundwater users. But judging plans “inadequate” creates hard-to-reconcile differences.Continue readingEfforts to preserve California’s groundwater enter a new phase: a season of judgement

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Agriculture & the West

Horses are still intertwined in the tapestry of the West

Their place in the region’s culture and economy has changed. Horse specialists like Curt Pate ensure some still play their old ranching role.Continue readingHorses are still intertwined in the tapestry of the West

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Coastlines & the West

Could the tide be rising for American aquaculture?

Along the Pacific coast, the U.S.’ fledgling seaweed industry seeks profit in biofuels, greener cattle forage and, just maybe, a place at the American dinner table.Continue readingCould the tide be rising for American aquaculture?

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Pollution & the West

Rising from dead and dying lakes, western dust storms menace species, drivers, and public health

A fixture of the West for millennia, the storms are becoming more frequent as the byproduct of water diversions and climate change.Continue readingRising from dead and dying lakes, western dust storms menace species, drivers, and public health

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Energy & the West

In the shadow of wind and solar, geothermal energy gets a fresh look

New technologies and spiking power demand are drawing attention to the Ring of Fire beneath us.Continue readingIn the shadow of wind and solar, geothermal energy gets a fresh look

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Conservation & the West Public Lands & the West

How social media videos are changing the experience of national parks

Across the American West, influencers— both people in search of the ultimate selfie and promoters of park landscapes—broadcast their experiences to tens of thousands of followers. But at what cost to parks?
Continue readingHow social media videos are changing the experience of national parks

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Conservation & the West Native Nations & the West Up close

Do buffalo still roam the American West with Native tribes? And if so, where?

A federal push to return American Bison herds to tribal control raises hopes that the once-abundant species can regenerate landscapes and restore native traditions. Continue readingDo buffalo still roam the American West with Native tribes? And if so, where?

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Water & the West

For Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta farmers, the only certainty is change

Squeezed between sinking farmland and rising seas, Delta residents and farm owners now face approval of the state’s plan to divert water south via tunnels.Continue readingFor Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta farmers, the only certainty is change

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Agriculture & the West

To restore western lands, regenerative ranchers keep cattle on the move

This practice is embedded in some ranches around the West, but it only spreads in fits and starts.Continue readingTo restore western lands, regenerative ranchers keep cattle on the move