Publication Items

The Battle To Protect Congo’s Vast Peatlands [1]

The Congo Basin is home to the biggest network of tropical peatlands in the world, a vast carbon storehouse central to combating the challenge of climate change. A team of reporters made the journey to this little-covered region and returned with an award-winning feature that told the tale not just of the peatlands, but of the people that protect it. The latest Inside Story Q&A.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Justice [5]
Environmental Politics [6]
Forests [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Natural Resources [9]
People & Population [10]
Region:
International [11]
Africa [12]
Visibility:
Public [13]
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For Animals, a New Text Suggests, the Play’s the Thing [14]

It’s a much-understudied area of animal behavior. But play, as it turns out, may serve many developmental functions. A new book, “Kingdom of Play,” explores what play looks like in many types of creatures and in the process provides a deft synthesis of evolutionary biology, neurology and the history of science to examine its elusive nature. A BookShelf review from Jenny Weeks.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Studies [16]
Science [17]
Wildlife [18]
Visibility:
Public [13]
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Beach Nourishment Offers Challenging Local Environmental Stories [19]

It’s peak beach season around much of the United States, with its timeless traditions of sunbathing, beach reads, swimming and beachcombing. But nature has its own ideas about shorelines, stripping some beaches and growing others. Humans, too, have their own beach engineering enterprises, with their own environmental impacts. The latest TipSheet helps you cover your local beach scene, with questions to ask, story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Health [4]
Journalism & Media [8]
People & Population [10]
Water & Oceans [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [22]
Visibility:
Public [13]
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Up for a Challenge — Fifty Environmental Journalists on the Profession and Its Future [23]

Environmental journalists tend to be intrepid and creative individuals who will fight to work their beat against all odds. That’s one of the findings of a journalism educator who is studying the rise of environmental journalism as a news priority. In this EJ Academy, Suzannah Evans Comfort talks about key takeaways from her research – and her next big question.

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ Academy [24]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Justice [5]
Environmental Studies [16]
Journalism & Media [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [22]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Up for a Challenge — Fifty Environmental Journalists on the Profession and Its Future [23]
Track Harmful Algal Blooms With Data. Avoid Bad Clams [25]

It’s summertime and the living is easy for algae that can be hazardous to human health. Climate heating and agricultural pollution are making the problem worse. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox explores useful sources of data for tracking trends. Plus, tips on how to use the data for local reporting on the risks posed by this seasonal threat.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [26]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [27]
Biodiversity [28]
Climate Change [3]
Economy & Business [29]
Environmental Health [4]
Fish & Fisheries [30]
Food [31]
Government [32]
Health [33]
Journalism & Media [8]
Natural Resources [9]
Pollution [34]
Science [17]
Water & Oceans [21]
Wildlife [18]
Region:
National (U.S.) [22]
Visibility:
Public [13]
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At Mid-Year, SEJ Celebrates New Records, New Faces and Important Legacies [35]

SEJ board president Luke Runyon (pictured, left) shares news about the April 2024 annual conference in Philadelphia, conference director Jay Letto’s retirement, organizational updates, changes on the board of directors and upcoming elections, the new SEJ Future Council and the call for nominations for the annual Stolberg Meritorious Service Award.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ Presidents Report [36]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [22]
International [11]
Visibility:
Public [13]
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What Would a Second Trump Reign Mean for Press Freedom? [37]

The possibility of a second Trump administration has WatchDog Opinion sweating blood over the potential for a serious undermining of the press, whether by choking off access to public records, opening up libel laws that help protect journalists from libel suits by public figures or going to virtual war with the news media. What might be in store if Trump wins back the presidency?

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [38]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [6]
Government [32]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [39]
Policy [40]
Region:
National (U.S.) [22]
Visibility:
Public [13]
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Sniffing Out Invasive Plant Species — Conservation Canines in Action [41]

Plant species that take root outside their normal range and spread aggressively are wreaking havoc in ecosystems worldwide. But specially trained detection dogs are on the job, following their noses to find the invaders so they can be eradicated. Contributor Nancy Castaldo reports on a demo of this conservation tool by a scent-savvy Lab and his devoted handler.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [42]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [28]
Climate Change [3]
Forests [7]
Science [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [22]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [43]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [44]
International [11]
Europe [45]
Visibility:
Public [13]
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Extreme Heat Changes Landscape for Summer Recreation Stories [46]

Outdoor recreation is a half-trillion-dollar industry in the United States and summer is a peak season for fun. But as the planet warms, the combination of extreme heat and outdoor activity greatly raises the health risk. The latest TipSheet explores more than a half-dozen common pastimes to report on — whether fishing and hiking or picnics and state fairs — that now hold hidden dangers.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Consumer [47]
Health [33]
Journalism & Media [8]
People & Population [10]
Region:
National (U.S.) [22]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Extreme Heat Changes Landscape for Summer Recreation Stories [46]
Will the Coming Plastics Treaty Solve the Problem Or Enshrine It? [48]

A major intergovernmental gathering later this year will address plastic pollution, including in oceans. But an overview from our Issue Backgrounder notes that the likelihood of solving the problem may be small. One reason? Petrochemical industry lobbying. Another? The shifting world market for plastic waste. And there are more concerns, such as the effectiveness of incineration and chemical recycling techniques. More, including questions to ask, in Backgrounder.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [49]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [50]
Climate Change [3]
Consumer [47]
Economy & Business [29]
Energy & Fuel [51]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Politics [6]
Government [32]
Health [33]
Journalism & Media [8]
Policy [40]
Pollution [34]
Waste [52]
Water & Oceans [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [22]
International [11]
Asia [53]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Will the Coming Plastics Treaty Solve the Problem Or Enshrine It? [48]

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