The Western United States is a place of contrasts. Its vast, wild expanses represent a startling array of habitats, from coastal marshlands and cactus-rich deserts to sweeping grasslands and rugged rocky mountains peaks. About 21.5 million acres of this region are nationally protected, and thousands are being managed or co-managed by Native American tribes reclaiming ancestral relationships with native plants and animals. It’s no surprise, then, that Wild Hope hit a rich vein of conservation stories grounded in the West.
The Wild, Wild West
The Western U.S. has a history of environmental stewardship that stretches back long before the country was founded. Indigenous Americans arrived from Asia thousands of years ago and developed a deep relationship with their new environment that was guided by principles of reciprocity and responsibility. They organized their lives around the seasonal migration of keystone species like salmon and bison, created irrigation systems in the desert, cultivated native crops like maize and wild rice, and controlled vegetation through fire.
When Europeans arrived, they also made their mark. Colonization accelerated in the 1800s with the expansion of the United States — setting in motion many causes of biodiversity loss that are still being repaired today.
They displaced Indigenous tribes and shot bison, a major food source, by the millions, nearly driving the once-ubiquitous Western species to extinction. This displacement was codified by laws like the Homestead Act of 1862 and Dawes Act of 1887, which stripped more than 90 million acres of land from Native Americans and undermined traditional ecological practices.
Settlers also exploited the land through trapping, mining, and logging, and introduced harmful diseases and invasive species. Development of cities, roads, and fences led to habitat loss and cut off migratory pathways for wide-roaming creatures like elk, antelope, and mountain lions.
But some areas were spared the brunt of these threats thanks to a growing group of naturalists who advocated for the preservation of the West’s awe-inspiring landscapes and wildlife. Yellowstone was the first-ever national park, established by an act of Congress in 1872 after reports of the beauty of the area’s geysers, hot springs, and wildlife. Yellowstone was followed by Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks in 1890, and public lands proliferated over the next century.
Today, the West holds the majority of the country’s public lands — in eight Western states, more than 50% of land is state- or nationally-owned. The region boasts hundreds of parks, wildlife preserves, wilderness areas, and conservation areas set aside for recreation and conservation. These protected areas have conserved countless species and saved tens of millions of acres of land from overexploitation and development.
But national parks don’t have an entirely positive legacy. They also played a role in the forcible displacement of Indigenous communities in the 1800s and early 1900s. Now, in the 21st century, many tribes are reclaiming ancestral lands to manage in their own way, using traditional ecological knowledge. Tribes are also using their voices to advocate for the reversal of harmful development in the West.
The Lower Elwha Klallam tribe in the Pacific Northwest, for instance, successfully advocated for dam removal on the Elwha River. In the nearly 15 years since the dams came down, the tribe have been working to restore the river and surrounding forest — an effort spotlighted in the Wild Hope episode “The Beautiful Undammed.” Their success helped inspire an even bigger dam removal on the Klamath River completed in fall 2024.
Tribes are also teaming up with conservation nonprofits to reintroduce endangered species. On the Fort Belknap Reservation in Montana, the Aaniiih and Nakoda nations have partnered with the World Wildlife Fund to help North America’s only ferret recover from its brush with extinction. The Wild Hope episode “America’s BFF” tells the story of the black-footed ferret’s triumphant return to the prairie.
The Western U.S. is a region of sprawling mountains, forests, and prairies still grappling with a tragic history of colonization and over-exploitation. But where they’re given a chance, the damaged ecosystems across the West have been bouncing back — all thanks to the management of protected lands, the stewardship of Indigenous tribes, and the brilliance of conservation innovators hoping to make a difference.
Below, explore the Wild Hope episodes that celebrate changemakers fighting for biodiversity recovery in the Western U.S:
The Beautiful Undammed
Watch The Beautiful Undammed Now
The Elwha River’s 2011 dam removal has revived a river ecosystem and the traditions of the people of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, who led the fight for dam’s removal.
Illustration of a salmon
America's BFF
Black-footed ferrets, North America’s only native ferret, still depend on humans for survival. That’s why a dedicated team has engineered new and innovative tools to help them make it in the wild.
Illustration of a no-bg-image
Unleaded
Golden eagles are one of the largest raptors in North America, but they are threatened by lead poisoning. Luckily, there’s a simple solution: switching to lead-free bullets.
Illustration of a no-bg-image
Cougar Crossing
When the fearless cougar P-22 decided to make his home in the midst of the city, he inspired an effort to build the world’s largest-ever wildlife crossing.
Illustration of a no-bg-image
