Environment

Four months after the Camp Fire incinerated his home and the entire nearby town of Paradise, California, Randy Larsen sat on the steps of his RV and struggled to process what he'd survived.

Earlier this month, Kenyan vultures were found illegally poisoned in the African country. However, thanks to the quick actions of a representative connected to the Boise-based Peregrine Fund, some of the birds were saved and nursed back to health. But the poisonings are not likely to stop. Idaho Matters talks with the Executive Vice President & Global Director for Conservation Strategy at the World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise about the problem in the Serengeti and how to mitigate this challenge to the ecosystem.

Idaho Fish and Game officials say despite national trends showing a decline in hunting, the Gem State's numbers are steady. But most people will never participate in the sport, and some see it as morally wrong. We learn more about hunting and the culture surrounding it, which is a significant source of revenue for the department's conservation efforts. 

An analysis of dams around the United States shows that nearly 1,700 are reaching dangerous levels of disrepair, including dozens in the Mountain West.

If a wildfire was threatening your home, would you evacuate? What if the threat was only about the smoke, would your answer change?

Niels Sparre Nokkentved spent decades as an environmental reporter, mostly in Idaho. Now in retirement, he's turning his attention away from daily stories in a fast-paced news cycle to longer form writing. His newest book asks readers to consider the longterm consequences of ecological decisions we make today. He joins Idaho Matters to discuss "To Think Like A Mountain."

Wildfires have taken place across the West for centuries. But as climate change and explosive growth create dangerous conditions for folks who live in Idaho, how does wildfire smoke factor in? Turns out, smoke has a more widespread effect. But according to a new study people in the Treasure Valley do not percieve this danger in the same way. Idaho Matters talks with two Boise State University researchers looking at the gap between public perception and the hazards of smoke. 

Small scale solar production has become a popular way to decrease carbon emissions, but may people also view it as an investment. When solar panels are installed, there is an opportunity to sell any excess power back to the power company. But Idaho Power would like to change the way folks receive credits. Idaho Matters talks to a solar advocate about why these changes could set back Idaho homeowners who have already installed the panels.

A new report from Congress’s watchdog says employees overseeing public lands are facing hundreds of threats and assaults.

Ken Salazar served as Secretary of the Interior for President Barack Obama. He’s speaking in Idaho next week on the role the U.S. plays in global climate change negotiations and is critical of the current administration’s attention to climate change.

Former Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar will be in Idaho next week for the annual Sherman J. Bellwood Lecture at the University of Idaho. Salazar led the nation’s efforts develop and implement the framework for America’s energy independence under the Obama Administration. He joins Idaho Matters to discuss his lecture Oct. 22 in Boise focusing on climate change and the future of energy.