Environment
ArchiveYou can’t bring Harambe back, but you can help keep wild gorillas alive—if you chose to do something positive with your outrage
'Our World Is a Beautiful Place' is a collection of photographer and filmmaker Michael Shainblum's favorite shots
Martin's Boat is a film that honors environmentalist Martin Litton, who was known for pioneering the use of Dories on the Colorado River in the 1960's.
The public trust doctrine is increasingly invoked by environmental groups seeking sweeping, long-term solutions to problems like global warming, ocean acidification, and destructive resource extraction
Ten or so percent of it, anyway
Charleston-based photographer Drew Doggett’s recent project, Shadow’s Alight; Portraits of the American West, is the result of 14,000 miles traveled in a 23-foot airstream, visiting 21 national parks. Doggett has spent much his career photographing foreign places and people whose communities are in imminent danger due to development and a lack of conservation efforts. But he wanted to turn his lens toward his own country. In celebration of 100 years of our National Park Service, Doggett set out to capture some of America’s most classic scenes to see how they’ve changed, how they’ve stayed the same, and ultimately why they’re worth protecting. Here, Doggett shares a few favorites from his recent project.
Filmmaker Michael Coleman created this short nature film to celebrate Muir's birthday this past April
'Unacceptable Risk' is a documentary that follows four seasoned firefighters responding to record-breaking fires in Colorado
The strategy behind taming the province's biggest conflagration
A 747 jet gets converted into a fire-retardant-dumping airtanker, just in time for wildfire season
As a tributary to the Klamath River, Blue Creek is a cold-water lifeline for some of the greatest salmon and steelhead runs remaining on the West Coast.
Arborist David Milarch is renowned for helping California coastal redwoods migrate northward to survive the dangerous climate changes that threaten their current habitat.
'Human Nature 4K' is a collection of powerful images of the natural world that remind us all of our connection to the environment.
A city-wide survey of Portland's moss helped scientists to target a likely source of the city's air pollutants
A firsthand account from northern Alberta’s devastating wildfire
And yes, the bald eagle is on that list
The Isimba Dam threatens the rapids and consequent rafting and tourism industry that local Ugandans depend on.
Veteran Marty Pigue lives and works on the side of Highway 62 in Southern California, picking up trash to protect the environment.
Surfers, hikers, skiers, and just about everyone else in the West will continue to feel the effects of the Pacific weather event this year
With state funds dwindling, what to do with a thousand pounds of mammal on the roadway, blocking traffic and attracting scavengers like bears? Tow the carcass out and deliver it to the needy.
The film examines some of the common myths surrounding the grizzly bear.
The forgotten history of Brazil’s mosquito wars—the greatest public health victory you’ve never heard of
Watch to get an intimate glimpse into the lives of Kay Grayson and her bears.
Do you want to see the bears return to the North Cascades?
Usually groms push the envelope in the half pipe. These ones are pushing climate change activism into uncharted waters.
Former Longhorns wide receiver Jordan Shipley left the NFL and pursued his passion for milking elk.
A little over 200 brown bears call northern Spain home. We found them.
This month, Exposure celebrates the release of 'Sharks: Face-to-Face with the Ocean’s Endangered Predator,' a 334-page project by longtime Outside contributor Michael Muller.
The town of Ny-Ålesund, the most northerly permanent civilian settlement in the world, also houses the largest laboratory for modern Arctic research in existence.
Arguably the most influential wolf in America was killed last week. Who was he?
For fly-fishing legend Jack Dennis, the things that bring joy to life are pretty straightforward: his family and the Upper Snake River Headwaters in Jackson Hole, Wyoming
What gets called “surplus killing” actually isn’t, it’s killing for future feeding
A Massachusetts man built a recreation of Henry David Thoreau’s cabin from the book "Walden" in protest of fracking
The San Joaquin is Central California’s largest river, but runs “bone-dry” in stretches due to dams, levees, and excessive water diversions, threatening the habitats, agriculture, and communities that are dependent on the river. In Walt, from Justin Clifton and American Rivers, we meet grape…
Vulture populations are rapidly declining in South Africa as the birds of prey fall victim to poaching and poisoning. Farmers and poachers alike lace carcasses with pesticide to kill predators, but vultures often get to the carcasses—and the poison—first. Poachers then sell vulture body parts to witch doctors and traditional…
Each of these diptychs pairs similar or contrasting images of both natural beauty and humans interacting with nature. I hope the combination says something greater than either image could say alone.
This short video is a simple reminder (rooted in an ever-growing body of research) from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources that trees improve our health, happiness, and overall well-being. From absorbing harmful air pollutants to keeping global temperatures in check,…
Even Sierra Club-approved activities can have disastrous effects on the natural places we revere. And that's led to a fracture between two should-be allies: recreationists and conservationists.
A mysterious plague that one expert calls “tree Ebola” threatens to wipe out the islands’ iconic ohia forests—and no one knows how to stop it
In 100 Years, A National Park Love Letter, a combination of quotes from Theodore Roosevelt guides a stunning visual journey through Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Grand Tetons, and Dinosaur National Monument. The short film produced for O.A.R.S. by Thelonious Step is a…
In 1905, the Colorado River breached irrigation canals and began flooding into the Salton Sink, a dry lakebed. The Colorado River flowed into the basin for two years, giving rise to California's largest body of water, the Salton Sea. The Useless Sea, from Open Valve Studios, is a…
Flowing along the southern border of the rugged Kalmiopsis Wilderness, the North Fork of the Smith River is one of the most beautiful stretches of river in the U.S.—and one of the most endangered. Proposed nickel mining in the headwaters of the Smith River threatens its…
Virtually extinct in the 20th century, bison are returning to Europe's mountains today
Wolf pack takes down elk on highway overpass in Canada
As many as 900 wild bison that graze in the park will be killed this winter, either by hunters or slaughter, to offset population growth and appease ranchers. Bison advocates, however, want to move the animals to other lands. At its heart, the debate about how to handle these creatures comes down to whether we believe them to truly be "wild."
Utah congressman Rob Bishop, a conservative Republican who has long opposed federal management of western lands, has emerged as the unlikely architect of a grand compromise, one that would involve massive horse trading to preserve millions of acres of wilderness while opening millions more to resource extraction. Is this a trick, or the best way to solve ancient disputes that too often go nowhere?
As the Yosemite trademark case drags on, California legislators look to take a stand
>Today, the White House created three new national monuments in the California desert, adding nearly 1.8 million acres to one of the largest and most pristine swaths of protected land in the Lower 48.
62 Years is a Thelonius Step film by Logan Bockrath, presented by O.A.R.S., that focuses on how conservationist David Brower helped save Dinosaur National Monument. Brower became the first executive director of the Sierra Club in 1952, and led the charge in preventing a…
Kristine and Doug Tompkins lived a life of adventure and risk uncommon to most couples. They also helped to protect millions of acres of land in Chile and Argentina. Following her husband's death, Kristine now faces the daunting challenge of creating six new national parks without him.
Spaceports and wildlife refuges have traditionally gone hand in hand. But with so many new commercial launch sites in the works, it's time to ask whether nature can handle the 21st century space race.
The Path of Grey Owl, from Goh Iromoto, follows renowned woodsman Ray Mears through the wilderness of Temagami, Canada, and tells the story of acclaimed Canadian author and conservationist Grey Owl. Owl, also known as Archibald Belaney, is responsible for much of Canada's wilderness today,…
Underwater noise pollution is causing measurable harm to whales’ abilities to reproduce and navigate. A team of researchers proposes quiet zones as a solution.
First it was the liberals and the talk show hosts, with their "yallqueda" jokes and USPS packages stuffed with dildos. Then the birders made their threats. Now, the grannies are here to tell the Bundys and their brethren to get out.
Can a private company trademark public property? That's the question the feds are scrambling to answer after a longtime concessionaire in Yosemite claimed rights to the names of some of the park's most iconic locations.
The conservation-minded science illustrator already has one of the most ambitious natural history murals under her belt, and she's just getting started
In this video from the Department of the Interior, Secretary Sally Jewell talks about her experience with Mount Rainier National Park, and the lasting effect it had on her. Now, she's encouraging everyone to find their park, just like she did with Rainier.
We love winter, but it's tough to beat autumn in Colorado. 'A Slice of Colorado's Autumn,' from filmmaker Toby Harriman, is an incredible aerial timelapse video that captures some of Colorado's most scenic vistas during peak foliage.
Avian enthusiasts around the country are speaking out, penning op-eds, and even threatening Ammon Bundy and his Sagebrush compadres to get them to leave Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
The ultrarunner has a long history with the land surrounding Grand Canyon National Park. Now he's pushing to grant it official protections.
Mother Nature's stewards are gaining power in politics
Melancholy Gorge journeys through the moody New River Gorge of West Virginia, the site of the oldest river and mountain range in the world. Harun Mehmedinovic and Gavin Heffernan created the film in collaboration with the International Dark-Sky Association as a part of…
They may not bring rain, but they could help us better use the water we have
The Activist is the fourth installment in a series of short films from WildEarth Guardians called Guardian Voices: Sage Grouse Stories. In it, we meet activist Erik Molvar, who dedicated his life to saving the Greater Sage-Grouse, and learn why doing so has become one of…
More than ever, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is using drones to understand climate change
Right now, the Supreme Court is hearing a case that could take away the federal government's ability to regulate rivers in 100 million acres of Alaskan wilderness
Rick Ridgeway, one of the North Face founder and conservationist's closest friends, survived the kayak capsizing that killed his lifelong buddy. Here he reflects on their awful ordeal, on his friend's burial, and on the lasting gifts that Tompkins leaves behind.
During a year-long journey to Paris for the UN Climate Summit, they witnessed a changing environment firsthand
Bernie Krause’s vast library of field recordings reveals a sad truth: wild sounds are quickly vanishing
Ending dependence on fossil fuels will require the movement to get better at one thing: compromise
Park officials currently seeking public input
Filmmaker Pete McBride and O.A.R.S. honor environmentalist Martin Litton with their latest film, Martin's Boat. Litton was known for pioneering the use of Dories on the Colorado River in the 1960's, and for showing people why the Grand Canyon was worth…
Australia is home to 24 million people and roughly 60 million kangaroos. The cuddly looking creatures are still a beloved national icon, but they're also the scourge of ranchers, frequent roadkill, a favorite on restaurant menus, and now the target of government-sponsored sharpshooters. Our writer hops Down Under for a rugged tour of one of the world's most surprising human-animal conflicts.
The marine biologist has done things in the ocean that would scare most people senseless. She's been alone in total darkness thousands of feet down, hovered under a Russian ship as it pinged her submarine, and been charged by huge sharks. But one thing does frighten her: the dire state of our overfished and polluted seas, something she spends every waking hour trying to change.
Wildfires of unprecedented size have been burning through the lush forests of Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia since August.
At 45, Franc is one of the few cliff divers in the world to enter the water headfirst.
The much-hyped weather phenomenon is upon us, but whether or not it will quench the drought in the West and bring much-desired snowpack is complicated
“There will be moments that you wish you never came,” said Libecki.
The Secretary of the Interior on gun groups, gear, and getting outside