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Jackson Hole
Trends
- 1National Elk Refuge faces questions over elk feeding and water quality▼National Elk Refuge fields questions about what feeding elk could mean for Jackson Hole’s water
The National Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is answering public questions about how its practice of feeding elk each winter may be affecting local water. Concerns center on whether concentrated elk populations and feed areas could influence water quality in the valley, and officials have been addressing residents' questions about the environmental consequences of the long-running feeding program.
- 2Leaving fallen leaves in place benefits the environment●Leaving fallen leaves in place could offer environmental benefits
Conservation voices are encouraging people to leave fallen leaves on the ground rather than raking and bagging them. The leaf litter provides winter habitat for insects, pollinators and other wildlife, returns nutrients to the soil as it decomposes, and reduces the waste and emissions tied to yard bag collection. The advice, highlighted in reporting from Jackson Hole, frames tidier lawns as a trade-off against local ecological health.