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People are hungry: Food insecurity in America

May 2020

Bright vegetables line shelves

For millions of Americans experiencing food insecurity with low incomes, low food access, and no car, putting healthy food on the table is a logistical nightmare.

The health and fiscal vulnerability of rural recreation counties

April 2020

Hikers visit Arches National Park in Utah.

Where rural recreation counties rely on public funding for health care, fiscal solutions should diversify the ways local governments can save and spend.

Preparing for wildfires during a pandemic

April 2020

A column of wildfire smoke rises behind houses in a residential neighborhood.

Managing wildfires during a pandemic will test the capacity of our first responders, but individual homeowners can take steps now to reduce wildfire risks.

Building a Federal Land Endowment

March 2020

Commercial receipts earned from management of public lands.

The bipartisan Forest Health for Rural Stability Act would establish a federal land endowment and resolve key challenges of federal land payments to counties.

PILT Proposal Would Help Small-Population Counties

December 2019

Headwaters-staff-Mark-Haggerty

Analysis shows raising Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) population limits for small-population counties would have increased total payments by $2 million in 2019.

Wildfire Hazard Assessments Inform Land Use Planning

July 2019

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Wildfire hazard assessment maps can help communities build safer neighborhoods, prioritize mitigation resources, and adapt to wildfire.

Getting Real About Rural Resilience

April 2019

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Rural and isolated communities face wrenching economic and demographic transitions. A solution to uncertainty is to focus on resilience.

Coal Transition in Montrose County, Colorado

February 2019

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New fiscal and policy assessments help local leaders understand their exposure to declining revenue and policy barriers during a coal transition.

How Outdoor Recreation Supports Rural Economic Development

February 2019

Family riding bikes on trail

Investing in outdoor recreation is one of several strategies that can help rural communities thrive in a changing economy.

Land Use Planning More Effective Than Logging to Reduce Wildfire Risk

January 2019

Updated: For communities land use planning is more effective than logging on federal lands to reduce future wildfire disasters.

Wildfire, Watersheds, and the Wildland-Urban Interface in the San Luis Valley

September 2018

Partners in Colorado’s San Luis Valley are working to better understand the impacts of wildfire to communities, watersheds, and quality of life.

City Trails: Improving Equitable Access

August 2018

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Urban trail efforts increasingly are focusing on providing equitable access to trails. Trails and parks can create substantial benefits for public health, property values, and quality of life.

Youth Migration in the West

December 2017

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Western counties are experiencing a wide disparity in youth migration. While some are attracting and keeping young adults and families, others are struggling.

Which Counties Saw Significant Changes in Poverty Rates?

December 2017

While national poverty rates dropped in the last year, the county-level picture is mixed.

The Growth of Hispanic Populations Across the West

September 2017

Hispanics account for roughly one in four westerners and one in six rural westerners.

Disasters and Populations at Risk: Lack of Vehicle Makes Evacuation Difficult

September 2017

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Lack of access to a vehicle, poverty, and disabilities, can make evacuation difficult or impossible for some households.

Fire & Flood: Lessons from Hurricane Harvey for Wildfire

September 2017

A lack of land use planning amplified the devastation from Hurricane Harvey. Wildfire-prone communities should take note.

Which Counties Are Most Reliant on Medicaid?

August 2017

National interactive map and charts show Medicaid-dependent counties and populations at risk.

The Context and Status of Colstrip’s Coal-Fired Power Plant

July 2017

Headwaters-staff-Mark-Haggerty

A guide to planning for the long-term social, economic and environmental well-being of the community of Colstrip, Montana.

Rural Communities, School Kids, and Federal Lands in the West

April 2017

Headwaters-staff-Ray-Rasker

While most western rural counties are aging and losing young families, the loss of school kids in rural western counties with protected lands such as National Monuments was, on average, less than half the rate of loss for similar counties without protected lands.

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