Author Matt Witt Matt Witt is a writer and photographer in rural Oregon. His latest book is “Monumental Beauty: Wonders Worth Protecting in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument.” His work may be seen at MattWittPhotography.com Matt's Latest Articles Can an Opponent of Public Lands Safeguard Them for Us? By Matt Witt ● Essays ● November 22, 2025 If Bureau of Land Management Director Nominee Steve Pearce gets the job, it would be like a fox guarding the hen house Will We Still Have National Monuments? By Matt Witt ● Essays ● May 1, 2024 More than 100 of the West’s most special places are protected by designation as “national monuments,” but that could change in the near future if giant outside corporations and their political allies have their way. What’s in a Name? By Matt Witt ● Essays ● November 27, 2023 Everywhere you look outdoors, there are animals and features named after people. But, that is changing.