Science & Environment

Learning from Beavers to Build Dams and Restore Ecosystems

In Jackson County, Wisconsin, Jim Hoffman builds BDAs—beaver dam analogs—to restore wetlands

Who Does Minnesota’s White Earth State Forest Belong To?

Can a beloved forest bridge the gap between a fractured past and a hopeful future?
Maija Hecht, essay & photography

Mapping a Mountain Lion’s Ghost

One mountain lion’s 800-mile journey to the heart of Chicago offers a window into the Midwest’s changing ecology

Rural Louisianans Confront Saltwater Intrusion on the Mississippi River

For residents of Plaquemines Parish, regional unity is needed to solve a growing drinking water crisis
Eva Tesfaye, WWNO & Lily Carey, Sierra

The Unlikely Success of a Georgia Wildlife Highway

The Dugdown Mountain Corridor is coming together as one of Georgia’s—and the nation’s—most critical wild animal pathways.

When the CAFO Industry Comes for Your County

“Dodge County, Inc.” exposes the brutal costs of Big Ag

A Second Trump Administration Threatens Longstanding USDA Conservation and Insurance Programs

Family farmers fear the Conservation Reserve Program, a steady source of income, could be eliminated

Water Protectors Use Novel Legal Tactic to Challenge the Dakota Access Pipeline

Novel anti-SLAPP laws could help uncover Dakota Access Pipeline secrets
Keep an Independent Mind

Sign up to receive twice-weekly Barn Raiser updates on original, independent reporting from rural and small town America.

mail
PFAS
September 23, 2024

The Farm Bill Must Support Farmers Affected by PFAS Contaminated Sewage Sludge

Maine stepped up to protect its farmers. It’s time for Congress to protect farmers nationwide.

Environment
August 29, 2024

Signs of a Ceasefire in Michigan’s Energy Wars

Rural comunities have been fighting for nearly two decades over large-scale solar and wind farms. A new law might turn down the temperature as the state seeks to reduce carbon emissions from generating electricity.

Environment
August 19, 2024

What’s Fueling Michigan’s Green Energy Backlash?

A renewable energy push is bringing millions of dollars to Michigan’s rural communities. But not everyone is pleased.

More in Science & Environment