Who decides what survives? Pressures on the federal Endangered Species Act continue – but states aren’t prepared to pick up the pieces.
For over 50 years, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has been the nation’s most effective defense against extinction, preventing the loss of 99 percent of listed species. Without these federal safeguards, iconic American wildlife, including the bald eagle, grizzly bear, humpback whale, and peregrine falcon might exist only in memory. Yet, the ESA has increasingly...
Conservation Glossary of Terms
When language is vague, conversations break down. When definitions are unclear, accountability disappears. In my time reporting on conservation issues, I have learned that language is not neutral. The words used in conservation shape policy, perception, and outcomes for wildlife. They influence how ecosystems are measured, how risks are assessed, and how decisions are justified....
Inside the Fight to Save the Bali Starling: New Feature Published in Mongabay News
My latest story - and first for Mongabay News - is a feature about Indigenous-led conservation sparking a remarkable recovery for the critically endangered Bali starling, which was nearly lost forever in the wild. I have been reporting on this story since December, and I am so pleased to share it has been published by...
Voyageurs National Park in Northern Minnesota
It appears that 2022 is the year I visit national parks experiencing extraordinary flooding events. In the spring, massive flooding washed out vast parts of Yellowstone National Park just after I visited during record snow. And recently, I visited Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota just after historic flooding caused by heavy rains and snowmelt in...
50 Miles on the Flint Hills Nature Trail
My two fitness goals this year were to summit another 14,000-foot peak and do a 50-mile hike in four days. I completed Huron Peak in Colorado in August. My first attempt at the 50-mile hike was in May on the Knobstone Trail in Indiana but got rained out among other challenges. When it came time...