Ron Dungan

Cattle ranching helped shape rural Arizona into what it is today. Researchers say that cattle have emerged as a major driver of climate change. Conservationists say it’s time to re-examine grazing on public lands.

Construction will begin in February on the Goldfield Recreation Area near Apache Junction. Public feedback led the BLM to reconsider plans for an equestrian area there.

The Biden administration has worked to offset the effects of climate change with large renewable energy projects, including some on public lands in Arizona. But conservationists say the president’s environmental record is mixed.

Arizona state lawmakers are preparing for a new legislative session — and so are conservationists. The Sierra Club and other groups will outline their priorities during a rally at the state Capitol on Wednesday.

During COVID, Americans flocked to national parks and other public lands, and continue to do so. That has had implications for federal agencies in Arizona and other Western states.

The Arizona Department of Transportation is preparing for a big year of projects on the Valley’s busiest freeways.

Louisiana congressman Mike Johnson was elected as House Speaker in October. Arizona’s congressional delegation has mixed reviews on his performance so far – and, predictably, those reviews fall along party lines.

The Endangered Species Act started 50 years ago as a bipartisan law. That didn't last long. While public support for the act remains high, the agency tasked with carrying it out often faces litigation and underfunding, caught in political gridlock.

The Cochise County Sheriff’s Office rescued a zoo of exotic animals discovered in a home in Sierra Vista earlier this month.

When COVID forced shutdowns of movie theaters, restaurants and malls, Americans started to spend more time in the great outdoors. That started a trend that could impact Arizona’s public lands.