An overused phrase goes under the microscope.
Tribes
Posted inArticles
We need to talk about the pretendians in our midst
Indigenous scholar Dina Gilio-Whitaker wants Natives to approach a difficult topic rationally, vulnerably and honestly.
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Colorado cannot heal until it confronts Sand Creek honestly
To move forward, Coloradans must face the massacre’s trauma and begin to repair trust.
Posted inFebruary 2026: The Recording Artists
Mexican wolves are rebounding, but are they ready for delisting?
A new bill from Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar looks to remove endangered species protections.
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Washington approves over 99% of archaeological permits, records show
As tribes struggle to protect their heritage, the nation’s leading state archaeologist says she lacks the authority to stop development projects.
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‘We’re basically slitting our own throat’: Montana rolls back water-quality standards
The EPA approved Montana’s weaker standards for nutrient pollution during the government shutdown.
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Top Interior Department official has ties to Thacker Pass lithium mine
Karen Budd-Falen’s family ranching operation agreed to sell water rights to the company developing the controversial Nevada lithium project.
Posted inDecember 2025: Wild Harvest
How the gaming economy helps tribes navigate shifting policies
Tribal sovereignty and prosperity are tied to gaming’s sovereign source of income.
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Western climate litigants keep fighting
After disappointing losses in Alaska and Montana, an Indigenous-led climate case is making strides in New Mexico.
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The West’s vanishing porcupines
Scientists are racing to figure out why porcupines are disappearing from their former stomping grounds.
Posted inNovember 2025: Precious Metalheads
‘Our mission is to change the world through eco-cultural tourism’
#iamthewest: Giving voice to the people that make up communities in the region.
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Can AI translate Native languages in times of disaster?
In the wake of Typhoon Halong, an AI language company wants to hire Native translators, raising questions about data sovereignty.
Posted inNovember 2025: Precious Metalheads
In Mendocino, river restoration pays off for salmon
Coho love the newly ‘messy’ streams.
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How I found hope while reporting on a metal fest
Peek behind the scenes at the challenges and joy of covering Fire in the Mountains.
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Why Colorado River negotiations are so difficult
Basin states have had 2 years to figure out how to share the shrinking river. Will they get there before the feds step in?
Posted inNovember 2025: Precious Metalheads
Heavy metal is healing teens on the Blackfeet Nation
In response to youth suicides, teachers show students the power of headbanging at Fire in the Mountains festival.
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‘It’s a story of hope’: Reflections on undamming the Klamath
A Q&A with Amy Bowers Cordalis about her new book on the multigenerational effort towards dam removal.
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Truly grasp what Typhoon Halong did to western Alaska
This is not only a climate emergency. It is a cultural one.
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The first film made in Idaho was headed back to the big screen. Then DOGE intervened
When a large-scale restoration effort was halted by feds, history could not be forced back into the archives.
Posted inOctober 2025: Limits to Growth
Watching the Oregon ash vanish
The emerald ash borer is killing the native tree. How do we make the most of the time while it’s still here?