Writer Nathan Gilles and Columbia Insight bag a prestigious award for journalistic excellence
Original source: Forester Andrew Bower, relocating a Douglas-fir seedling, was a subject included in Nathan Gilles’ story about assisted migration of tree species in the Pacific Northwest. Photo: Nathan Gilles
By Chuck Thompson. June 20, 2023. When Columbia Insight began publishing science writer Nathan Gilles’ series on the unprecedented threats Pacific Northwest forests are facing as a result of climate change, we knew it was a big deal.
After all, the series, which kicked off in August 2022 with a piece examining challenges to the survival of western redcedars, quickly attracted readers not just from around the region but across the country, Canada and beyond.
Gilles’ story on “Firmageddon,” which broke news of a U.S. Forest Service study documenting the largest-ever “mortality event” of fir trees (“firmageddon” was a description coined by the study’s authors) was republished or cited by media organizations including NBC News, The Guardian, Mother Jones, Esquire and many others.
Nathan Gilles
Now the series has been awarded first place in the Society of Professional Journalists Region 10 Excellence in Journalism Awards.
“The next time someone shrugs off extreme heat as the ‘new normal,’ have them read this important news series,” wrote the judges.
The competition is one of the largest of its kind in the nation, honoring journalists across SPJ Region 10, which covers Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon.
The win is just recognition for Gilles’ superb work and Columbia Insight’s ongoing commitment to investigating and publishing environmental news and feature stories no one else is covering. Or uncovering.
It’s also tribute and testament to the backing of our readers, subscribers and donors whose generous support makes these kinds of achievements possible.
Columbia Insight congratulates Nathan Gilles on this well-deserved recognition and thanks you for your continuing to support.
Congrats to Nathan (and Columbia Insight)! I always know that if Nathan’s name is on a story, I’ll learn a LOT!