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.
New Mexico Environment Department’s proposed methane air pollution rules much improved
Today, the New Mexico Environment Department proposed new rules to limit emissions from oil and gas operations in the state by requiring companies to detect and repair leaks as well as control other pollution sources. The new rules aim to elevate New Mexico’s position...
Memo: Trump admin knew, didn’t care slashing habitat would likely cause northern spotted owl extinction
On the same day as the Trump administration announced the elimination of 3.4 million acres of critical habitat for the northern spotted owl, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s top owl expert formally objected to the decision in a document recently unearthed as part...
Historic climate victory: Senate votes to restore EPA methane safeguards, reject Trump’s reckless rollback
Today, Senate Democrats and Republicans voted to restore Obama-era Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) safeguards to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas development, rejecting a major Trump-administration rollback. Methane is a greenhouse gas more than 80...
