Forests

"Two former Bureau of Land Management directors say plans to move the agency’s headquarters to Colorado are an early step toward abolishing the entire agency and transferring millions of acres of federal land to the states."

"Climate change caused the increase in size of wildfires occurring across California in the last 50 years, according to a new study published in this week's journal Earth's Future.

Since the early 1970s, California wildfires have increased in size by eight times, the study says, and the annual burned area has grown by nearly 500%.

"California lawmakers approved legislation on Thursday to create a $21 billion fund to help utilities in the state pay for claims arising from future wildfires sparked by their equipment, tackling a top issue for the state."

"The most effective way to fight global warming is to plant lots of trees, a study says. A trillion of them, maybe more."

"Proponents, including Brazil’s president, hail development as an irresistible opportunity. Scientists warn that the area is on the precipice of an environmental crisis."

"As debate cranks up over mandatory funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund on Capitol Hill, lawmakers are exploring ways to fix, nurture and maintain America's treasured public lands and waters on an increasingly tight budget."

"The Wilderness Society is suing the Trump administration to try to force the release of documents on its decision to lift restrictions on mining upstream from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota."

"The Trump administration, under heavy pressure from Congress, will withdraw plans to end a U.S. Forest Service program that trains underprivileged youth, spokespersons for the Agriculture and Labor departments told POLITICO."

"Bills that would reduce the massive deferred maintenance backlog on public lands and establish mandatory funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, among others, are poised to advance tomorrow [Wednesday] in the House."