Stories
Spring Hill has started investigating how to turn the water coming out of its wastewater treatment plant into drinking water. I created a nonprofit science podcast called Big Biology with biologists Art Woods from the University of Montana and Marty Martin from the University of South Florida. I write and produce most of the episodes. JD.com wants to buy more of its beef from Montana, but many of the state’s residents are preparing for a fight over a proposed slaughterhouse. Read the story on Civil Eats. The Thomas Fire burned through Ventura in December 2017, but that didn’t stop birders from conducting their annual Christmas Bird Count there. Read the story on the Earth Island Journal. When the Thomas Fire approached a California Condor nest last month, the chick’s radio signal went dark. Biologists recently returned to the burn area to find her. Read the story on Audubon. Photo by Stephanie Cruz Herrera. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality says there might be disease causing bugs in Big Timber’s water. The people living there say they’d rather roll the dice than pay for a treatment plant. Listen to the story on Montana Public Radio. Here is a longer version of that story with extra reporting from Wilsall, MT. Excessive logging landed the Mexican spotted owl on the list of threatened species under the endangered species act, but now government agencies are cutting trees down to save it from wildfire. Read the story on Treesource. George Gruell re-took photos of western forests to document the effects of fire suppression. Read the story on Treesource. Photo taken by Alfred Shultz in 1906. For decades, the U.S. Forest Service has used wilderness areas as a laboratory to learn more about wildfire behavior and effects. Read the story on Treesource. Photo by Bob Mutch. Can a tax on dive tourists stop the lionfish invasion? Read the story from Hakai. I wrote a longer version of this story for my master’s portfolio at the University of Montana. You can read that here. The first lionfish in Cozumel, an island off Mexico’s southern coast, appeared in 2009, but according to dive… In Montana too many people end up in the ER because of meth. Listen to the story on The Meth Effect. Cancún’s underwater museum looked like a conservation success story, but some conservationists were skeptical. Read the story in the Earth Island Journal. How to stop cancer-with rabies. Scientists are using rabies-inspired nanoparticles to attack brain tumors. Published in Science.
Spring Hill investigates using treated wastewater to supplement drinking water supply
Big Biology
Can a Chinese Mega-Retailer Make a Killing off Montana Beef?
Birders get a First Look at how 2017 California Wildfires Affected Wildlife
The search and recovery of condor chick 871, wildfire survivor
Big Timber Locals Say DEQ Water Worries Overblown
Will forest thinning and burning save Mexican spotted owls, or harm them?
Photographs document habitat changes in western forests
Wilderness areas are a laboratory for fire scientists
Money might not be enough to stop the lionfish invasion
ERs emerge as the frontline in the meth war
Is Mexico’s Underwater Museum Diverting Attention from Bigger Environmental Issues?
How to stop brain cancer-with rabies
About
A biologist by training, Matt chased jaguars in Mexico and condors in California before pursuing a master’s degree in journalism at the University of Montana. In another life he would have been the lead singer of a rock ‘n’ roll band. He still sings for fun. Lover of radio. Easily distracted by colorful birds.
Contact
Email: mattblois@gmail.com
Tel: (805) 233-1686
