1. WILDLIFE:
Western governors call for protection of corridors

Pronghorn, among many other animals, stand to benefit from Western state efforts to protect wildlife corridors. Photo courtesy of FWS.

JACKSON, Wyo. -- With urbanization and expanding energy development encroaching upon the West's trademark wide-open spaces, the region's governors agreed this week to protect important wildlife corridors.

The Wildlife Corridors Initiative report, unveiled at the Western Governors' Association annual meeting, paints a stark picture of shrinking wildlife habitat in a rapidly changing West. The United States as a whole is losing about 2 million acres of open space each year, or 6,000 acres per day -- and much of the loss is in the West, home to five of the nation's six fastest-growing states, as well as expanding oil and gas development.

"We're seeing unprecedented development," added Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman (R). "This is something we want to embrace." Go to story #1