HCN prides itself on digging deep, but this month we literally go underground, accompanying Emily Benson into a Wyoming cave, where scientists who study cave formations hope that 100,000-year-old weather data can help us understand climate change. This summer’s flooding damaged property around Yellowstone National Park, but in the long run it might refresh the ecosystem. Despite a recent Supreme Court decision, the Environmental Protection Agency can still shut down polluters. There’s money in restoring landscapes ravaged by extractive industries, while Arizona citizens hope to protect groundwater with the help of a ballot initiative. Have you ever thought the land might be better off under new management — maybe the original management? The LandBack movement has suggestions. On the Navajo Nation, Indigenous farmers like Graham Biyáál are reclaiming traditional growing techniques and preserving seeds and recipes. If Biyáál’s blue cornmeal mush doesn’t fill you up, try visiting California’s Punjabi dhabas. We also review an enchanting new short-story collection and struggle to keep up with Cassie da Costa as she runs her first half marathon.
Letters to the editor, September 2022
Comments from readers.
On the road, a taste of home
The Saini family’s Punjabi dhabas serve ‘good vibes only.’
The Song Dynasty
A poem by Dan Beachy-Quick
Spreading the news
Tips for readers on sharing High Country News.
How a hidden cave can help scientists understand the climate
Sometimes learning about the past to figure out the future requires crawling beneath tons of rock.
Climate and Congress
Historic political action, but is it enough?
Irked sea lions and a strange peanut pusher
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
We are all of us animals
Talia Lakshmi Kolluri’s debut collection roars, screeches and stuns.
The anxiety and satisfaction of race day
A writer traces the motivations that led her to run a half-marathon on the California coast.
Indigenous farmers reclaim time-honored techniques
Growing traditions in northern New Mexico.
Can ravaged economies be healed with a restoration industry?
Cleaning up the West could be as lucrative as wrecking it.
The new top ways to go outdoors
If you’re getting out into nature, do right by the land and each other.
Questions about the LandBack movement, answered
Number one: Why are Indians spray-painting my Starbucks?
Flooding could breathe life into Yellowstone ecosystem
Although destructive for people, high-water events are a natural part of river systems.
The EPA has more options to rein in climate change than you think
There are still many ways to shut down major polluters — including some options the agency isn’t using.
Can Arizona citizens use the tools of democracy to preserve the state’s dwindling water?
How a group of ‘scrappy’ locals are working to create Arizona’s first citizen-initiated groundwater management area.