Dredging Up The Truth


By Bob Ferris   With every complicated, science-based issue we seem to tackle, from climate change to wolves and from forestry to diesel particulates, there seems to be a handful of slide-rule era-educated, contrarian scientists who pull themselves up from the depths of retirement to confuse the issue.  These self-proclaimed mavens generally have some credentials, but not the … Continue reading Dredging Up The Truth

Of Wolf Experts and “Wolf Experts”


By Bob Ferris When I was in graduate school we learned an awful lot in our core areas of expertise.  But we also spent time talking about scientific ethics and acceptable practices.  Part of those discussions dealt with issues relating to research and publications such as why a certain person should be identified as a … Continue reading Of Wolf Experts and “Wolf Experts”

Suction Dredging…Sucks


By Bob Ferris   My access point to my career in the conservation field came originally from fish.  I caught my first trout on the Eel River in northern California while my family was on their way to visit the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle.  As we were on our way north, my mother grudgingly … Continue reading Suction Dredging…Sucks

Coos Bay Gas Pipeline Puts Much at Risk–Get Engaged


by Gabe Scott   Last week’s massive refinery fire in Richmond, California should serve as a wake-up call. Not that we needed another to remind us of a basic fact: oil and gas infrastructure is dangerous. When things go wrong, they go very wrong, very quickly.   Add this to the list of reasons why the … Continue reading Coos Bay Gas Pipeline Puts Much at Risk–Get Engaged

My Summer as a Legal Intern at Cascadia Wildlands


My experience as a legal intern with Cascadia Wildlands this summer was extremely rewarding, both professionally and personally.  My research helped answer important questions to advance our legal claims in various challenges to federal agency authorizations of timber sales in Oregon.  I wrote legal memos including an informative memorandum regarding a new potential area of … Continue reading My Summer as a Legal Intern at Cascadia Wildlands

The Flying Potato is Famous: Marbled Murrelet Media Madness


For a little bird often described as a flying potato, the federally listed marbled murrelet is getting a lot of well-deserved attention these days.  Why?  Mainly because of Cascadia Wildlands et al. v. Kitzhaber et al. our suit against the state of Oregon to halt harm to this soaring spud with our co-litigants Center for Biological … Continue reading The Flying Potato is Famous: Marbled Murrelet Media Madness

Alone in the Rogue


          Have you ever felt like you were being watched? All logical sense reassures you that you’re alone but an eerie feeling persistently creeps in that you’re not. I had that eerie feeling a dozen times this week while I backpacked through the Rogue River area. When you spend three days in solitude, it is … Continue reading Alone in the Rogue