We know that so much of the news these days isn’t very inspirational, but we’ve found some stories that should make you smile.
Supreme Court Declines Corner Crossing Case
There was some good news for hunters in the West in October when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case of a Wyoming rancher who was fighting hunters who “corner crossed” to reach public land. The court order ended a 5-year fight that pitted the public’s right to access public land against private property rights. To many hunters, the news was bittersweet. If the Supreme Court had ruled in the hunters’ favor, the ruling could have expanded corner crossing nationwide. Now the ruling only applies to the states in the 10th Circuit: Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas.
Green Sea Turtles Make a Comeback
After decades of decline, green sea turtle populations are rebounding, thanks to global conservation efforts. Allegedly, the turtles were once so plentiful that Christopher Columbus could navigate at night by the sounds of turtles breathing. Unfortunately, over-hunting, pollution, habitat loss and climate change led to their precipitous decline.
But in the 1950s, several conservation measures were put in place and the International Union for Conservation of Nature no longer considers the turtles endangered. Conservation policies really work!
California Returns Land to Tule River Tribe, Advancing Habitat Restoration
At the end of October, California returned more than 17,000 acres of ancestral land to the Tule River Indian Tribe. It was a milestone in the state’s efforts to address historical wrongs against Indigenous people. It also marked a pivotal step in restoring and protecting a critical ecosystem.
The Tule River Tribe is reintroducing elk to the lands, and envisions this land will be used as a place to hunt food, gather medicines, safeguard watersheds, and reconnect landscapes for wildlife.
