Publication Items

Reporting on Illegal Wildlife Trade – Story Ideas, Safety Tips and More [1]

Illicit trade in wild animals and plants is a billion-dollar global business that threatens biodiversity and human health. Endless reporting opportunities range from exposing corruption and criminal networks to debunking claims about products derived from endangered species. Journalist Rene Ebersole shares insights from her 20 years on the trail of wildlife smugglers, poachers and other environmental lawbreakers — and introduces a new nonprofit dedicated to this beat.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [3]
Consumer [4]
Economy & Business [5]
Fish & Fisheries [6]
Government [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Wildlife [10]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
California [12]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
International [14]
Mexico [15]
Africa [16]
Central America & the Caribbean [17]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Reporting on Illegal Wildlife Trade – Story Ideas, Safety Tips and More [1]
Small Fry — How to Tell Compelling Stories About Obscure Species [19]

Getting people excited about large, charismatic wildlife is easy, but tiny, little-known or less-than-lovable species can be a tough sell. Journalists Bethany Brookshire and Douglas Main on why it’s important to include oddball organisms in your reporting and how to get audiences engaged. Pro tip: Building curiosity and caring for minor-league creatures often means being a bit self-centered.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [3]
Climate Change [20]
Environmental Health [21]
Forests [22]
Journalism & Media [8]
Science [23]
Wildlife [10]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
International [14]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Small Fry — How to Tell Compelling Stories About Obscure Species [19]
When Disasters Hit, Nursing Homes Can Be Disasters Waiting To Happen [24]

In any disaster, among the most vulnerable populations are the residents of nursing homes. Yet many communities may simply not be ready to protect them, despite a complex patchwork of state, federal and local regulatory oversight. That means environmental journalists should get on the case, reporting the risk in their locales, advises the latest TipSheet. Insights, plus a dozen story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [25]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [20]
Disasters [26]
Environmental Justice [27]
Health [28]
Journalism & Media [8]
People & Population [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about When Disasters Hit, Nursing Homes Can Be Disasters Waiting To Happen [24]
How Climate Change Complicates the Refugee Crisis [30]

The displacement of populations by climate impacts, while not a new phenomenon in human history, is worsening in the face of global warming’s extreme weather patterns. Yet the extensive international regime to aid refugees doesn’t cover those migrating due to flooding, drought, natural disasters or climate change. Backgrounder considers the implications and how nations will respond to the new realities.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [31]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [20]
Disasters [26]
Environmental Politics [32]
People & Population [29]
Policy [33]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
California [12]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [34]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [35]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [36]
International [14]
Mexico [15]
Africa [16]
Antarctica & Arctic [37]
Asia [38]
Central America & the Caribbean [17]
Europe [39]
Middle East [40]
South America [41]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about How Climate Change Complicates the Refugee Crisis [30]
New-Look Landslide Risk Database Captures Potential Human Costs [42]

Susceptibility to landslides is more on the minds of environmental reporters, especially in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which caused hundreds of them. To get a better read on local landslide risk for local stories, Reporter’s Toolbox recommends an enhanced resource from the U.S. Geological Survey, which layers the risk data into easily readable map form.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [43]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [20]
Disasters [26]
Environmental Studies [44]
Journalism & Media [8]
People & Population [29]
Science [23]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Northwest (OR WA) [45]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about New-Look Landslide Risk Database Captures Potential Human Costs [42]
Is Climate Data at Risk From Natural Disasters? [46]

When Hurricane Helene ravaged a swath of the Southeast in September, leaving at least 230 people dead, it also temporarily took out a critical repository of climate data in Asheville, North Carolina. That got Reporter’s Toolbox thinking about the risks to some of the nation’s other important storehouses of environmental information, whether from extreme weather, hackers or politics. Here’s a shortlist.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [43]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [20]
Disasters [26]
Environmental Politics [32]
Environmental Studies [44]
Government [7]
Science [23]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [47]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Is Climate Data at Risk From Natural Disasters? [46]
Will Your Local Dam Turn Deadly in the Next Big Storm? [48]

The devastating death toll and damage from Hurricane Helene are a dire warning of the risks of extreme weather and flooding. But one notable hazard is that such flooding may overwhelm any one of the thousands of small, neglected U.S. dams. TipSheet examines the issue and offers more than a dozen story angles and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [25]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [20]
Disasters [26]
Infrastructure [49]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Water & Oceans [50]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
California [12]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [35]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Will Your Local Dam Turn Deadly in the Next Big Storm? [48]
Sea Surface Temperature Data Tells Many Environmental Stories [51]

With hurricane season expected to kick into high gear, a key data source for reporters is sea surface temperatures. But this widely available information can also tell reporters something about many other water-related environment stories, whether algal blooms, bacterial risks to public health or the prospects for entire estuarine systems. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox helps you dip your toe into this important data pool.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [43]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [20]
Environmental Health [21]
Fish & Fisheries [6]
Health [28]
Journalism & Media [8]
Science [23]
Water & Oceans [50]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [35]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [36]
International [14]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Sea Surface Temperature Data Tells Many Environmental Stories [51]
Will Zombie Ag-Gag Laws Ever Really Die? [52]

Laws that make undercover journalistic investigations of animal agriculture operations illegal violate the First Amendment, right? Not so clear, laments WatchDog Opinion, which points out that while the Supreme Court appeared to have struck down such laws just last year, it may now revisit the issue. Why it should matter not just to environmental reporters but to all journalists.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [53]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [54]
Agriculture [55]
Environmental Politics [32]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Policy [33]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [34]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [36]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Will Zombie Ag-Gag Laws Ever Really Die? [52]
LNG To Fuel Conflict, Profit, Warming in Coming Years [56]

A partisan debate has flared over liquified natural gas, as industry, environmentalists and politicians wrangle over LNG’s role in climate change and the energy transition, heating and electricity prices, and international and domestic U.S. politics. Backgrounder lays out LNG’s history, starting with the fracking boom and bringing it up to speed with the war in Ukraine and upcoming presidential elections.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [31]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [54]
Chemicals [57]
Climate Change [20]
Energy & Fuel [58]
Environmental Politics [32]
Government [7]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Natural Resources [59]
Policy [33]
Pollution [60]
Technology [61]
Transportation [62]
Water & Oceans [50]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Alaska and Hawaii [63]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [35]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
International [14]
Canada [64]
Mexico [15]
Asia [38]
Europe [39]
Middle East [40]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about LNG To Fuel Conflict, Profit, Warming in Coming Years [56]

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