A 9-foot-9-inch alligator wandered near a Seffner school bus pickup Thursday; a licensed trapper removed it and no one was hurt.

Lincoln will close McBean Park's pickleball courts March 16 for a $17.9M solar canopy; the city says shaded panels should be installed by late May and federal funds will trim the financing.

Starved Rock is getting an $18 million trail overhaul. Some canyons and staircases will be closed intermittently while the lodge and visitor services stay open.

BEA data show Utah's outdoor recreation sector grew to $9.75 billion in 2024, supporting roughly 75,000 jobs and about $4.6 billion in wages.

The Conservation Fund bought the historic Tolland Ranch and will transfer it to Colorado Parks and Wildlife for management as a State Wildlife Area.

Phase 3 construction has begun on Crystal Springs Drive as Griffith Park moves into its largest safety upgrade yet, adding protected lanes and traffic calming. Local advocates say execution and upkeep will be the real test.

County-owned Hāʻena Beach Park and a nearby cave are headed to the state park system. Officials say state control and the park’s reservation model could ease crowding and restore local access.

A new Nature Cities paper finds nearly half of migratory bird stopovers occur inside metro areas — and Denver is on the map. Experts urge Lights Out and native planting.

An Oakland nonprofit sank roughly $3 million into a proposed 37‑acre Castro Valley nature camp. County panels denied permits after neighbors raised wildfire, water and traffic concerns; the nonprofit has appealed.

A deer near Scofield Reservoir tested positive for chronic wasting disease, expanding the illness's footprint in Utah. State wildlife officials urge hunters to submit samples and follow safety guidance.

A proposed 52-year lease would keep the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park through July 2078 while tying paid-parking revenue to community benefits and construction rules. The draft is meant to lock in the zoo’s future while delivering funds for park upkeep.

At its Tuesday meeting, council declared Cumberland Pool has reached the end of its useful life and directed staff to pursue grants and partnerships for a replacement. Other park and roadway projects also moved forward on the agenda.

Sanford breaks ground March 4 on a $5.3M Fort Mellon Park overhaul that adds a new amphitheater and Lake Carola shoreline upgrades. The six-month project aims to boost waterfront programming.