Articles
The Beetle, the Bird and the Tamarisk Tree
Discover—March 2018
Beetles brought to the U.S. to control a tree introduced more than a century ago are munching their way through Western waterways just like they were meant to. But that's a potential problem for an endangered songbird. Like most environmental stories, this gets complicated.
The Desert's Living Skin
Discover—July/Aug 2017
Communities of tiny plants and organisms protect arid landscapes. Now their survival is threatened.
The Peace of the Peaks
Dorado—Nov/Dec, 2016
The Tenth Mountain Division Huts in central Colorado have offered my group of friends an annual adventure and quiet get-away, a place to heal and to nurture ever deepening relationships.
Restoring Arid Lands
Sierra—March 28, 2016
Biological soil crusts, or "biocrusts," act like the desert's living skin. When damaged, they can take decades to recover, but advances in greenhouse-grown crusts may help speed up that process.
Modern Wild Edibles
Edible Santa Fe—August 1, 2015
Rob Connoley, co-owner and chef at Silver City's Curious Kumquat, begins each work day with a trip to the foothills of the Gila Mountains to forage wild edibles.
New Nature Center
New Mexico Kids!—July/Aug 2015
Los Alamos' celebrated new nature center engages guests of all ages with interactive exhibits that explore the geology, ecology and climate of the Pajarito-area mountains and canyons.
The Land of Pecans and Chiles
Edible Santa Fe—April 1, 2015
Agriculture is abundant in southwestern New Mexico, with chile fields and pecan groves mapping neat overlays on the landscape, but local produce is still hard to find on restaurant menus.
Georgia O'Keeffe's Garden, Revisited
Edible Santa Fe—April 1, 2015
Since 1986, Georgia O'Keeffe's garden in Abiquiu has remained fallow, but in 2014, high school interns from the local community helped to revive the rich soil which has nourished people for centuries.
Honeybees: Keep on Survivin'
Modern Farmer—Dec. 26, 2014
During the past decade, honeybee populations plummeted with Colony Collapse Disorder. Honeybee breeders are looking to hardy, naturally pest-resistant "survivor" bees as a way forward.
Watershed Disciples
The Christian Century—Oct. 15, 2014
American Christians are 5-10 years behind the curve on thinking about environmental concerns, say theologians Ched Myers and Elaine Enns. The pair is working to change that through a framework they call Watershed Discipleship.
National Park Divers
High Country News—July 2, 2014
The National Park Service's Submerged Resources Center dives to preserve some of the country's most fascinating underwater archeological and natural history.
Image courtesy of the National Park Service Submerged Resources Center.
The Fignificent Fig Man
High Country News—Jan. 3, 2014
With 89 fig varieties, plus grapes, pomegranates, and walnuts, growing in his back yard, Lloyd Kreitzer is New Mexico's Fig Man.
Photo Bowl of figs by Clemens v. Vogelsang CC BY 2.0
Prairie Dog Plague Vaccine
High Country News—Dec. 16, 2013
Plague threatens western Prairie dog and endangered black-footed ferret populations. Researchers hope a new plague vaccine could help conservation efforts.
Colorado's Black-footed Ferret Reintroduction | High Country News—Nov. 20, 2013
In the fall of 2013, the first black-footed ferrets were reintroduced on private land in Colorado, opening new possibilities for this endangered species' recovery.
Photo Jumping Black-footed Ferret by USFWS Mountain-Prairie, CC BY 2.0
The Long Journey of the Gila Trout
High Country News—Oct. 29, 2013
Dwindling populations of Gila trout living in small mountain streams in southern New Mexico rely on human intervention to survive.
Image courtesy New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.
Snake Hunting in the Gila
BioScape Magazine—Winter 2013
Biologists from the ABQ BioPark traveled to southwestern New Mexico in search of garter snake last seen 20-years before.
Banff Highway Animal Overpasses
High Country News—Aug. 11, 2013
Banff National Park has several bridges and culverts to wildlife cross highways. A new study shows the overpasses are helping maintain genetic diversity in the park's bears.
Photo Wildlife crossing 4 by Adam Fagan, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0