The Wilderness Society in the news

From national headlines to local reporting, discover how The Wilderness Society is shaping conversations about conservation and public lands. Browse recent news coverage, expert commentary and stories highlighting our work to protect wild places, defend the freedom to experience the outdoors and ensure public lands endure for future generations.

Idaho Capital Sun, August 7, 2026
Wilderness in Idaho, the West is subject to review by Trump administration, Wilderness Society says: Clark Corbin for the Idaho Capital Sun reports on TWS’s new map showing that more than 1 million acres of wilderness and wildlands in Idaho, and more than 200 million acres nationwide, could be affected by the Interior Department’s review of wilderness policies. The story prominently features TWS’s Michael Carroll, who warns that without existing management protections, “you could see wilderness across the West be under threat from potential development, potential road building and the potential handing over to the private sector. There are a lot of things to be concerned with overall within the review.”  

Cowboy State Daily, August 4, 2026 
Judge who tossed oil and gas leases declines to let new case move to Wyoming: Clair McFarland for Cowboy State Daily reports that a federal judge in Montana rejected Wyoming’s request to move a lawsuit challenging BLM oil and gas policies to a Wyoming court. TWS, Montana Wildlife Federation and Defenders of Wildlife argue that BLM’s “permissive approach” to drilling is out of step with the best available science on greater sage-grouse habitat. The same judge previously invalidated more than 1.5 million acres of Wyoming oil and gas leases over sage-grouse concerns, and the new case will continue in Montana. 

Outside, July 31, 2026
The Bears Ears Commission was disbanded. Now, Tribal seals are disappearing from monument signs: Madison Dapcevich for Outside reports that the Bureau of Land Management is removing Tribal seals from Bears Ears National Monument signs after President Trump dissolved the Bears Ears Commission and cut the monument by roughly 90 percent. The story explains that the seals represented the five Tribal Nations whose partnership helped shape the monument. It also cites maps created by Outdoor Alliance using TWS data, showing that the new boundaries exclude more than 500 miles of trails and over 1,200 climbing routes and boulder problems from Bears Ears, along with more than 230 miles of trails and over 100 climbing routes and boulder problems from Grand Staircase-Escalante. 

Sierra Sun Times, July 31, 2026
More than 330 organizations tell Trump administration: America’s national monuments are not for sale: The Sierra Sun Times reports that more than 330 Tribal and Indigenous entities, conservation groups, businesses, faith organizations, veterans and local communities signed a letter opposing any rollback of national monument protections. The letter condemns the cuts to Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante, warns that weakened protections threaten Tribal sovereignty, public access, wildlife habitat, drinking water and local economies, and argues that these lands should not be handed over to drilling, mining, logging or other industrial interests. TWS is among the signatories calling on the administration to protect national monuments for current and future generations. 

Vail Daily, July 30, 2026
“Taking the public out of public land management”: How local wilderness designation is at risk under potential federal changes: Kate Kampner for the Vail Daily reports on federal actions that could weaken protections for millions of acres of recommended wilderness and other wild public lands, including areas across Eagle County and western Colorado. The story highlights TWS’s concern that these changes could open intact landscapes to more motorized use and development before Congress has a chance to consider permanent protection, with TWS’s Jim Ramey saying, “The Trump administration, looking at all of this, putting it under a microscope, trying to revise it, puts that all at risk. I really hope to not see these things come to fruition and throw our public lands management into relative chaos — you can’t have every single use on every single acre.”  

Utah Public Radio, July 27, 2026
Utah is split over the reduction of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument: Colette Czarnecki for Utah Public Radio reports on sharply divided reactions to President Trump’s decision to reduce Grand Staircase-Escalante by 90 percent, contrasting local officials who support the cuts with conservation advocates warning about the consequences for cultural resources, wildlife habitat, recreation and public land management. The story features TWS’s Charlie Luke saying, “These are living landscapes. It’s not vacant land just sitting there waiting to be developed. The monuments protect sacred, tribal homelands, irreplaceable archeological sites, wildlife habitat, and world-renowned recreation opportunities that belong to all Americans.”

Newsweek, July 24, 2026
Map shows national monuments Trump could target next after Bears Ears cuts: Joe Edwards for Newsweek examines seven national monuments that could face renewed threats following President Trump’s drastic reductions of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante. The story highlights landscapes across Arizona, California, Oregon and New Mexico that have drawn opposition from Republican lawmakers or extractive industries, and cites TWS’s warning that the administration had reportedly moved to rescind protections for Sáttítla Highlands and Chuckwalla national monuments to advance “economic development and energy production.” 

Idaho Mountain Express, July 22, 2026
Idaho’s public lands should not be sold: In a letter-to-the-editor for the Idaho Mountain Express, TWS’s Rob Mason warns that transferring national public lands to state or local control would saddle Idaho taxpayers with enormous new costs and create pressure to sell the places where people hunt, fish, hike and camp. Citing an estimate that the state could face an $837.7 million burden, Rob argues that “our public lands belong to all Americans and must remain in public hands,” and urges Idahoans to tell Rep. Russ Fulcher that land transfer is a path toward eventual sell-off, not sound management. 

This Green Earth, July 21, 2026
The fight to protect Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante: In this episode of KPCW’s This Green Earth, host Claire Wiley speaks with TWS’s Axie Navas about the fight over Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments and the broader importance of national monument protections. Axie discusses TWS’ history and mission, the need for meaningful Tribal stewardship and consultation, and how monument designations protect cultural resources, wildlife habitat and the public’s freedom to experience these landscapes. She also explains what conservation advocates are doing in response to the recent cuts and how people can stay engaged in efforts to restore protections. 

Deseret News, July 21, 2026
Hundreds protest reductions to 2 Utah monuments: Carter Williams for the Deseret News, reports that hundreds of people gathered across Utah to protest President Trump’s drastic reductions of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments. The story highlights widespread concern that the cuts threaten Tribal interests, recreation and nearly 3 million acres of public lands while opening previously protected areas to expanded drilling and mining. It also notes TWS’s protest outside the Department of the Interior, where TWS projected “SOLD” over images of the monuments and called the reductions “one of the largest giveaways of public land protections in U.S. history.”