The Misconception of the Wild By Carolyn Wells Highlight Leo Schwartz finds out what lessons can be learned from the burned-out Oregon backcountry.
A Song for the River By Philip Connors Feature In the mountains of southwestern New Mexico, a seasoned fire lookout watches as his beloved forest and his personal life burn, and he tries to imagine what will arise from their ashes.
Homelessness and Colorado’s Public Lands By Aaron Gilbreath Highlight Illegal encampments on Colorado’s public lands are creating unsafe conditions for locals and damaging the land with trash.
Death by Fire By Longreads Feature Forty years after his time with the U.S. Forest Service, a writer reflects on his years fighting fires out West, especially how fire shapes both forests and people.
Loving the Difficult Places By Aaron Gilbreath Highlight Kate Schimel narrates her grueling trek into Oregon’s Kalmiopsis Wilderness with the people who voluntarily clear its impenetrable trails and swim its clear creeks, showing why America needs road-free, undeveloped areas just like it
