Land Conservation

Visitors to Mesa Verde National Park can walk among the ruins of cliff dwellings that tell the story of the Pueblo people who lived in this arid landscape from about 600 to 1300. Designated as a national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906, the 52,485-acre park and World Heritage site boasts about 5,000 archaeological sites. Read More

The Pew Charitable Trusts expressed concern today about the Bureau of Land Management’s recommendations for changes in the management of sage-grouse habitat on public lands across the West. These recommendations stem from Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s order in June that directed an agency review team to assess federal and state conservation efforts that were the result of years of... Read More

The public comment period on 22 national land monuments proposed for possible modification or elimination has ended. Now Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has the task of weighing the enormous outpouring of submissions as he considers his recommendations to President Donald J. Trump, expected by the end of August. Read More

On April 26, President Donald Trump directed Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to review national monuments designated since 1996 that span at least 100,000 acres for possible revision or elimination. Monument supporters submitted more than 2 million comments and turned out in person during Secretary Zinke’s tour of selected sites. Recommendations for all 27 monuments under review are due to... Read More

Flooding is the most costly and common natural disaster in the United States, affecting every region. Last year alone, 36 presidentially declared flood-related disasters inundated 24 states, costing billions of dollars. In addition to homes, these coastal and inland floods damaged roads, bridges, hospitals, and another critical part of communities: schools. Read More

Visitors to Mesa Verde National Park can walk among the ruins of cliff dwellings that tell the story of the Pueblo people who lived in this arid landscape from about 600 to 1300. Designated as a national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906, the 52,485-acre park and World Heritage site boasts about 5,000 archaeological sites. Read More

On April 26, President Donald Trump directed Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to review national monuments designated since 1996 that span at least 100,000 acres for possible revision or elimination. Monument supporters submitted more than 2 million comments and turned out in person during Secretary Zinke’s tour of selected sites. Recommendations for all 27 monuments under review are due to... Read More

Flooding is the most costly and common natural disaster in the United States, affecting every region. Last year alone, 36 presidentially declared flood-related disasters inundated 24 states, costing billions of dollars. In addition to homes, these coastal and inland floods damaged roads, bridges, hospitals, and another critical part of communities: schools. Read More

As students go back to school this fall, nearly 4 million will attend classes in buildings that have repeatedly flooded or face a high risk of flooding. More than 6,000 public schools across the United States are located in federally designated flood zones. Read More

In 2013, severe floods in McDowell, Kentucky, left its elementary school under a foot of water and mud, causing $60,000 in damage. Unfortunately, this was not an isolated event. McDowell Elementary has a history of flooding since it was built in the 1930s. To break the cycle of rebuilding after such events, local leaders are now moving the school to minimize its risk of flooding. Read More

The Pew Charitable Trusts expressed concern today about the Bureau of Land Management’s recommendations for changes in the management of sage-grouse habitat on public lands across the West. These recommendations stem from Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s order in June that directed an agency review team to assess federal and state conservation efforts that were the result of years of... Read More

The public comment period on 22 national land monuments proposed for possible modification or elimination has ended. Now Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has the task of weighing the enormous outpouring of submissions as he considers his recommendations to President Donald J. Trump, expected by the end of August. Read More

Please join The Pew Charitable Trusts for an online briefing of research examining the flood risk faced by public schools. Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in the United States and affects nearly every facet of a community’s infrastructure. Read More

Why should we be concerned about shipping in Arctic waters? What would be the consequences of commercial fishing in the Arctic Ocean? How do we anticipate the effects of climate change in the far north?  Read More

Pew will host a panel discussion to examine the enormous fiscal challenge facing the National Park Service (NPS). It manages 417 sites, including all national parks and many national monuments and historical sites. Many are badly in need of repairs—on everything from crumbling roads to deteriorating historic buildings—totaling an estimated $11.3 billion.  Read More

Join lifelong farmer Jess Lowenberg-DeBoer on a tour of Jones Dairy Farm for unique insights on how automation will forever change the way we produce food—starting with robotic milking. Read More

In 1989, Hurricane Hugo hit Charleston, South Carolina. The natural disaster claimed a dozen lives and caused more than $10 billion in recovery costs. At the time, it was the most destructive and expensive hurricane on record. The city was devastated, but then-Mayor Joseph Riley vowed not just to rebuild, but to rebuild better. His plan included a storm water management plan using underground... Read More

America’s National Park System spans more than 400 sites and received more than 331 million visits in 2016. Supported by a complex infrastructure—including roads, sewer systems, buildings, restrooms, and trails—the park system is beginning its second century in need of rejuvenation. Read More

America’s national parks are more popular than ever, but they’re facing serious challenges. Aging infrastructure and decades of underfunding have resulted in a backlog of maintenance repairs that is estimated at nearly $12 billion. Read More

The Mojave Trails area—one of several proposed California desert national monuments—is perfectly positioned to serve as a wildlife corridor between the local marine base, the Mojave Preserve area, and Joshua Tree National Park. Read More