Forest Service
New approach needed as Forest Service fumbles on Black Hills leadership
When I reported back in May that the Black Hills National Forest was on its eighth supervisor in seven years, I made it sound like that was a lot of turnover. Since then, there have been two more supervisors. That brings the tally to 10 in the past seven years, and five this year alone. […]
Wildland firefighter pay gains could go up in smoke
At any given moment during this smoky summer of 2023, hundreds of wildfires were blazing in the United States — more than 850 as of late July, according to the nonprofit Fire, Weather & Avalanche Center. Most of those wildfires ignited in the forests of the American West. Fires were also burning by the thousands […]
On wildfire funding, the Forest Service is like the dog that caught the car
Watching congressional hearings is a really interesting way to find things out that you may otherwise never hear about. Over the past couple of months, there have been Senate hearings for the farm bill with the U.S. Forest Service’s Associate Chief Angela Coleman, and Senate Appropriations hearings with Chief Randy Moore. Particularly interesting was the […]
Public tells Forest Service to expand proposed mining ban in portion of Black Hills
RAPID CITY – Dozens of people told federal officials Wednesday that they not only support a proposed ban on new mining-related activity in a portion of the Black Hills, but also want the ban expanded. The U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management hosted a four-hour public input meeting at the Rapid City […]
White House signs $50 million deal to conserve Western forests, grasslands
The White House announced Friday that the U.S. Forest Service and the National Wild Turkey Federation have signed a 20-year agreement to address Western wildfires and promote healthy forests and grasslands across the U.S. Grassland makes up approximately 50% of all private and public lands in South Dakota, and the state is home to multiple […]