Washington has had plenty of chances to do something about the pine beetle problem, but has chosen to do nothing.

In his last scheduled trip to the nation's capital as governor, Dave Freudenthal has some frank discussions with policy makers — and this MNN blogger.

A videographer captures eerie footage of Colorado's High Park Fire, one of several blazes now raging in the dry, windy, beetle-infested U.S. West.

Camping's not your thing? Here are helpful tips for people who don't like to camp.

Who knew a sandwich bag and some water could make a biconvex lens and start a fire?

Fire lookout towers found in numerous national forests have been converted into campsites-in-the-sky.

The odds of a shark attack are already infinitesimal, but with a few simple precautions, it is possible to discourage them even further.

You can fly! New thrill attraction at London's Archbishop's Park caters to urban adventurers with Peter Pan aspirations.

Birds may go quiet, bats may fly around and pets may become uneasy, but it's difficult to predict exactly how non-human animals will react.

Check out the amazing transformation one man goes through after hiking from Georgia to Maine.

'What are we supposed to do?' one hiker whispered as a puma stared them down in Sequoia National Park.

Open to biking, kayaking and cross-country skiing, this 15,000-mile-trail isn't your run-of-the-mill recreational trail.

The technologically advanced Stoosbahn ascends and descends over 2,000 feet in about four minutes.

There are several different ways to start a campfire, depending on wind and what resources you have on hand.

Shawn James retired in his mid-40s and is living off the land, including building his own log cabin in the wilderness of Ontario.

The story of how a day spent on a frozen Maine lake skating turned into a mildly viral video.

I hiked to see flowing lava in Hawai‘i. Now I can't shut up about it.

Here are some quirky towns with their own distinct vibe that are worth a visit ... and might be a place you'd like to settle down.

Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards are looking for the funniest candid photos of animals just being themselves.

From a man wearing a minotaur mask to a collection of taxidermy, these fascinating images were the 2018 Sony World Photography winners.

If you're looking for ideas on where to travel this summer, this list compiled through a Yelp algorithm is a good starting point.

The Finns love to forage, treating the outdoors in Finland like a wild supermarket. Here's how to start this habit where you live.

With these first-aid tips and proper planning, you and your dog should be ready for anything.

Forget the clunky outdoor furniture. A sling of fabric and some straps are all you need to enjoy the outdoors in a hammock.

BirdCast shows the volume and direction of birds in the U.S.

The Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge opens to the public Sept. 15 amid controversy and concerns.

This foliage map from SmokeyMountains.com is a handy, up-to-date guide to fall leaf season all over the country.

Austin's Lions Municipal Golf Course is one of 10 at-risk sites featured in a new report from The Cultural Landscape Foundation.

Markku Lahdesmaki's photo series 'Avanto' illuminates the Finnish hobby of ice swimming.

Whether you're planning to camp or just go for a simple hike, here are 10 things you need before you hit the trail.

Environmental Working Group's newest sunscreen guide rates the safest sunscreens and calls out bad practices (like too-high SPFs.)

Actor urges lawmakers to close environmental loopholes and increase oversight of industry.

Paterson vetoes anti-fracking bill, but at the same time extends a more narrowly written moratorium on fracking.

One man says a century of rhetoric on oil shale shows that it's an idea that will never come to fruition.

The NRDC unveils a new online tool for Americans who face pollution from hydraulic fracturing, aka 'fracking.'

'30 Rock' actor is the latest big name to go up against the natural gas industry.

Does 'fracking' need a new name? The slang for hydraulic fracturing sounds dirty and disconcerting — and now a study finds it even curbs support for the contr

Prize-winning design proposal revives defunct post offices by transforming them into food-sharing centers.

The success of two elementary school volunteer projects earned a shelter a donation from the Petco Foundation.

Is a bill that treats homelessness as a medical condition flawed? Or is it just what the doctor ordered?

Some of the proceeds from Lubanzi wines, which are imported South Africa, goes to help the vineyard workers and their families.

As the season of giving approaches, support your local food bank's commitment to give less junk food and donate only nutritious food.

The 'Icelandic Model' may be the country's best export.

Is telling neighbors in an apartment building that they won't sleep because of an all-night party a courtesy or fair warning?

Brazen raccoon bandits may be trying to trying to send Toronto a message. They have been showing up in all sorts of places.

Gilbert High School seniors in South Carolina are raising money to get service dogs to veterans with PTSD.

In 2015, Albuquerque launched an innovative program aimed at helping the area's homeless. Instead of ticketing panhandlers, city officials offered them jobs.

We've given far too much of our lives to Facebook to give up on the relationship now.

Cards are piling up for the man whose heart literally broke when his dog died.

Not every dog goes straight from the shelter to a happy ending, but Baloo's story is the most unlikely of all.