Utah’s iconic Great Salt Lake is drying up which will have catastrophic consequences if something isn’t done soon, so state officials are taking unprecedented steps to head off what some are calling an environmental disaster on the order of the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.

Since Brigham Young and early Latter-day Saint pioneers first arrived at Great Salt Lake, the natural wonder that once spanned 1,700-square miles has dropped nearly 50 percent. The largest saline lake in the Western Hemisphere is in steady decline and on the brink of disappearing. Read more

DNR staff recommendations on whether to keep, exchange or sell state-managed land in the ninth and final round of the land review are nearing DNR director approval, but there’s still plenty of time for anyone interested to review them and share feedback; public comments are due Feb. 7.

An updated, interactive web map reflects those recommendations since the initial public comment period closed, making it easy to see what has changed throughout the department’s ongoing review process. Read more

Nonformal nature educators looking for hands-on nature learning and inspiration, don’t miss next month’s Nature Center Summit in northern Michigan.

The one-day seminar – Friday, Feb. 9, at the DNR’s Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center on Higgins Lake in Roscommon – brings together nature center interpreters, zoo staff, conservation district educators, higher education faculty and K-12 teachers interested in the latest updates and trends in Michigan natural resources management and environmental issues.

The summit generally welcomes about 100 people to learn from the state’s top authorities in their areas of expertise. Stay for the day (lunch included) or stay later and network with your education colleagues; the choice is yours. Find full event and registration details on the Nature Center Summit webpage. Read more

Sun Company Inc., a trusted name in outdoor gear and navigation tools, proudly announces the release of its latest innovation, the ProSight™ Map Compass. This advanced navigation solution combines precision engineering with user-friendly features, offering outdoor enthusiasts an unparalleled experience in exploration and navigation.

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MISSOULA, Mont. — From research focused on the cause of declining juvenile elk numbers to projects aimed at enhancing wildlife habitat and supporting hunting heritage, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and its conservation partners supplied $2,176,597 to Colorado. The grant funding benefits elk, mule deer, pronghorn antelope, black bears, mountain lions and many other wildlife species.

“The more verified, scientific information we can gather about elk and habitat usage, the better management decisions will be made for all wildlife going forward,” said Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer. “This funding bolsters five research efforts, helps improve wildlife habitat and both defends and supports hunting.”

The 23 different projects received $491,808 in RMEF funding that helped leverage $1,684,789 in partner dollars. Read more

The obsession for dystopian content helps explain the massive surge in interest in prepping across the globe. In a recent Finder survey, roughly one third of the US adult population now identifies as preppers—spending some $11 billion annually to hedge against a breakdown of society. That figure is up from just six percent 15 years ago. While many might think prepping is a male behavior, nearly one-quarter of adult American women also prep in some form.

When it comes to age groups who are bracing for doomsday or disastrous events, Gen Z (people born between 1997 and 2012) are the folks most likely to prep—fully 40 percent of them identify as such. Regionally, the west and south contain the highest percentages of preppers in America.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reports a 50 percent increase from just 2017 to 2020 in people capable of up to 31 days of self-reliance. While preppers tend to live outside big cities, the number near urban areas is far larger than previously thought and growing according to new FEMA estimates.

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