The Rural Blog

A digest of events, trends, issues, ideas and journalism from and about rural America, by the Institute for Rural Journalism, based at the University of Kentucky. Links may expire, require subscription or go behind pay walls. Please send news and knowledge you think would be useful to benjy.hamm@uky.edu.

The Rural Blog

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Forest Service will close 57 of 77 research facilities. Critics warn closures threaten wildfire research.

U.S. Forest Service chief says it is ready for fire season; some staff disagree

Funding system for rural schools that overlap with national forests is 'brutal.' Advocates seek a new solution.

EPA cuts may leave rural towns with even fewer resources to combat extreme weather

Natural wonders: Mt. Rainer's glaciers; wacky animals decline; the little bat that could; repurposing waste wool

Big trees are a big deal. Preservation of old-growth trees is becoming a contentious battle nationwide.

Forest Service creates tools to give rural towns a better chance at wildfire resiliency grants; Oct. 31 next deadline

A town of 400 in the Southern Cascades buys surrounding forest for wildfire protection, tourism, and to set an example

It's a first: Genetically modified trees have been planted in Georgia Pine Belt, with hopes for large-scale climate help

Born to chop and saw, he dissed it; now he aims to be king of lumberjacks in 'original extreme sport' sort of like golf

Democrats' reconcilation bill has money that can be used for a 'climate-focused Farm Bill' next year, Stabenow says

USDA using $1 billion from Commodity Credit Corp. for pilot conservation projects related to climate change

What's in the Build Back Better bill for rural America

Study finds agricultural workers 34% more likely to die by suicide than general working-age population

Trump administration to protect whitebark pine trees due to climate change, beetles and lethal fungus infection

Researchers ask for help in finding ash trees that beat borer

Trump administration rejects emergency aid for California fires, including state's first million-acre blaze

Wildfires weaken watersheds and set the stage for flooding; presidential candidates weigh in

Pandemic complicates disaster-response tactics

GAO says employees of BLM and other federal agencies routinely face threats, assault; calls for safety measures