The Owyhee Canyonlands are one of the most expansive and dramatic ecosystems in the West, featuring rare plant and wildlife species, pristine waterways (186 miles of the Owyhee are designated a Wild and Scenic Waterway), and incredible outdoor recreational opportunities. Millions of years of volcanism, earth shifting, and erosion have carved this landscape, creating distinct microhabitats for a diverse array of flora and fauna.
While its remote location has so far afforded the Owyhees protection, the threat of mining leases is putting the area at risk. Learn more about this special place, and the people working to protect it, in this episode of "This American Land," produced in partnership with The Pew Charitable Trusts.
More videos and facts on U.S. wilderness conservation: