We Defend the West
Defending Wildlands | Protecting Wildlife | Safeguarding Climate
The Western Environmental Law Center uses the power of the law to safeguard the public lands, wildlife, and communities of the American West in the face of a changing climate. We envision a thriving, resilient West, abundant with protected public lands and wildlife, powered by clean energy, and defended by communities rooted in an ethic of conservation.
We Defend the West
Defending Wildlands | Protecting Wildlife | Safeguarding Climate
The Western Environmental Law Center uses the power of the law to safeguard the public lands, wildlife, and communities of the American West in the face of a changing climate. We envision a thriving, resilient West, abundant with protected public lands and wildlife, powered by clean energy, and defended by communities rooted in an ethic of conservation.
We Defend the West
Defending Wildlands
Protecting Wildlife
Safeguarding Climate
The Western Environmental Law Center uses the power of the law to safeguard the public lands, wildlife, and communities of the American West in the face of a changing climate. We envision a thriving, resilient West, abundant with protected public lands and wildlife, powered by clean energy, and defended by communities rooted in an ethic of conservation.
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EXPLORE WAYS TO GIVE
Defending Wildlands
The American West is defined by its natural heritage of wildlands, rivers, forests, and wildlife. Since its inception, WELC has worked hard to preserve and restore these unique characteristics.
Protecting Wildlife
The American West depends on its iconic wildlife. WELC protects native animals while preserving and restoring the healthy, functioning natural ecosystems they call home.
Safeguarding Climate
Our world is warming, with dire consequences to the American West’s communities, lands, rivers, and wildlife. But, as the saying goes, in every crisis lies opportunity.
New York Times: “Susan Jane is my hero”
WELC is committed to sustainable forest management, which requires moving through conflict between otherwise entrenched interests with dialogue and science. Susan Jane Brown and Pam Hardy have fought old-growth logging while improving forest wildfire resilience and helping rural communities in eastern Oregon and beyond. Read about their “cabinet of rivals” approach to collaborative forest management in this New York Times piece.
Federal judge voids western Colorado fracking plan, requires new analysis of climate harm
A federal judge late last Friday approved the Bureau of Land Management’s request to rescind the Grand Junction resource management plan following a lawsuit by environmental groups challenging the agency’s failure to analyze its potential harm to the climate. The...
New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission finalizes oil and gas venting, flaring rule; leak detection and repair rule forthcoming
Today, the New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission (OCC) finalized a new rule proposed by the state’s Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) to limit venting and flaring of methane by the oil and gas industry. The OCC rule marks an important step...
Conservation groups ask court to reinstate protections on 3.4 million acres of critical northern spotted owl habitat
Conservation groups in the Pacific Northwest filed a legal challenge to reinstate federal protections on more than 3.4 million acres of federal old-growth forests, which are essential for the survival of the threatened northern spotted owl. The lawsuit asks the court...
