Navigating the periphery of Buffalo Peaks Wilderness in Colorado's Pike National Forest offers rewarding hike
October 10, 2011
Hikers enjoy a few choices when considering trails near the Buffalo Peaks Wilderness south of Fairplay, Colorado.

Snapshot of the Colorado Trail: Hiking north to Mt. Princeton in the San Isabel National Forest
October 10, 2011
The long Colorado Trail offers many day hikes, including an easy route toward Mt. Princeton in central Colorado.

USFWS, Wyoming gray wolf management plan draws criticism
August 25, 2011
Are northern Rockies' gray wolves ready to be delisted as an endangered species? The feds and Wyoming believe so; environmentalists disagree.

Ecologists: Forest fire frequency in Yellowstone ecosystem may increase because of warming climate
August 10, 2011
A new study finds that climate change may spark more forest fires in the Yellowstone ecosystem, resulting in a shift from mature, old-growth forests to younger forests and woodlands.

NPCA: Reintroducing native species to parks, including wolves to Rocky Mountain National Park, will improve ecosystems
July 18, 2011
Reintroducing native wildlife and restoring ecosystems would improve the condition of national parks, according to the National Parks Conservation Association.

CSU: Mountain pine beetle gaining traction in northern Colorado Front Range lodgepole, ponderosa pine forests
June 13, 2011
The dreaded mountain pine beetle is wreaking havoc on northern Front Range forests, according to aerial detection surveys.

Study: Colorado mountain pine beetle activity likely affects snow accumulation, snowmelt resulting in increased water yields
June 9, 2011
A three-year study by CU-Boulder researchers concluded that the rampaging mountain pine beetle's tree-killing activity my affect snowpack in northern Colorado forests.

CBD, WWP Seek endangered species protection for plains bison
April 18, 2011
Two groups let the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service know they intend to sue because of the agency's decision to not offer the plains bison endangered species protection.

Colorado Roadless Rule protects 500,000 acres of forest, but extraction 'loopholes' spark opposition
April 15, 2011
The proposed Colorado Roadless Rule from the USDA, which drew criticism for resource extraction loopholes, is open for public comment on the federal Regulations.gov website.

Western water report suggests policy changes to foster Colorado River Basin resource sharing
April 13, 2011
A report focusing on agricultural, urban and environmental water use in the West suggests several ways to share and transfer water among traditionally competing interests.

Yellowstone supervolcano imagery shows underground plume larger than earlier seismic readings indicate
April 13, 2011
New images from the University of Utah suggest that the large plume of partly molten rock underneath Yellowstone may be larger than previously believed. However, no predictions of a when cataclysmic eruption of the famed supervolcano might occur were offered.

Waiting for spring on the Continental Divide at Loveland Ski Area
April 12, 2011
The Colorado spring 2011 ski season looks very promising with excellent snow depths, but nature often does not observe the calendar the way humans do.

Mountain pine beetle moving east in Alberta, jumping species from lodgepole to jack pine
April 6, 2011
Confirming widely held fears about the migration of the mountain pine beetle, Alberta scientists found that the mighty insect is moving east in Canadian forests.

Snowmass, Colorado Ice Age fossil site provides scientists with rare climate, vegetative history
December 19, 2010
An exceptionally well-preserved Ice Age ecosystem in Snowmass Village, Colorado, complete with several mammoths and mastodons, offers scientists a vegetative and climate history likely spanning more than 100,000 years.

Easily found Lost Lake – above Hessie, Colorado – rewards hikers with classic alpine scenery
December 12, 2010
The Hessie trailhead outside of Nederland, Colorado leads to several trails winding through Roosevelt National Forest, including Lost Lake Trail.

La Niña may bless West with snowy winter
October 22, 2010
The latest winter forecast from NOAA offers some clues about where the snow will fly from December through February 2011.

Study: Yellowstone wolves not helping aspens regenerate
October 6, 2010
The reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park is not helping aspen groves, despite declines in the number of elk, according to a new study.

Colorado's Caribou Ranch trails sing with mellow hiking, mining and rail history
September 19, 2010
This mellow hike north of Nederland, Colo. offers a peaceful stroll through a large Rocky Mountain meadow, with a short side trail leading to an old silver mining camp.

The many faces of Golden's North Table Mountain Park
August 11, 2010
Hiking this quiet Golden, Colo. landmark puts the visitor high above the Front Range.

White Ranch's Rawhide trail traverses lush hills, meadows
August 11, 2010
The Rawhide trail in White Ranch outside of Golden, Colo. is an easy 4.8-mile hike.

Climate change may alter Yellowstone meadows, plant diversity
July 25, 2010
Flora and fauna in greater Yellowstone ecosystem meadows may be impacted by higher temperatures and lower precipitation.

Santa Fe National Forest trails add spice to northern New Mexico
July 22, 2010
Hiking may not receive top billing in Santa Fe, but not far from town in the Santa Fe National Forest, several trails await the hiker.

Rocky Flats Nat'l Wildlife Refuge: Remembering to not forget
November 25, 2009
The deer and antelope frolic today at Rocky Flats, but lest anyone forget, the former nuclear weapons factory has a dark past.

Mountain pine beetle: Grim Reaper, widowmaker or natural 'change agent' for Colorado's forests?
November 24, 2009
The tiny mountain pine beetle has feasted on Colorado's lodgepole pine forests, turning countless acres of trees into dead wood. An autumn presentation on the tiny but powerful bug shed some light on how Colorado's majestic forests will be impacted by the beetle infestation.

The Ditch Project: Man-made tributaries of Boulder County transform natural landscape
September 30, 2009
As the Boulder County harvest fills local farmers markets, it is worth remembering the human engineering that transformed the arid short-grass prairie of the Boulder Valley into a lush urban landscape bordered by irrigated farmland.

Grizzly bear 'wars' continue in backcountry, courtroom
September 30, 2009
The reintroduction of the grizzly bear into the northern Rocky Mountains has been rife with controversy - author David Knibb stopped by the University of Colorado Boulder campus to discuss some issues related to the grizzly.

Wildfires in the West: From fanatical fire suppression to 'stay & defend'
September 30, 2009
The history of wildfire and fire suppression in the U.S. is replete with stories of hubris, disaster and miscalculation - Stephen Pyne of Arizona State University shared some thoughts during a lecture at the University of Colorado in Boulder.