Institutes for Journalism & Natural Resources

“Board of trustees are sent an electronic copy of the return for review before filing.”

“The organization makes its form 1023 and 990 available to the public upon written request.”

“The organization makes its governing documents, conflict of interest policy, and financial statements available to the public upon written request.”

“Sagebrush country institute between april 7 and april 13, 2015 ijnr took a group of 18 journalists on a tour of the "sagebrush sea" - the wide open ecosystem of the american west that supports hundreds of species of flora and fauna - including the greater sage grouse, a small bird with a big story. Participants traveled more than 1,800 miles through five states over the course of seven days, and met with more than 50 expert speakers - from biologists to sixth-generation ranchers to political representatives. With a range that covers eleven western states (and bleeds into two canadian provinces) the greater sage grouse has the entire west holding its breath. Should the species be listed as "endangered" by the u.s. Fish and wildlife service (a decision delayed by congress's last spending bill), it would impact nearly every aspect of western land use - from grazing, to oil and gas development, to wind power projects, to urban development and more. With so much at stake, ranchers, environmental groups, state resource agencies, scientists and energy companies are all at work implementing conservation programs as they try to show the federal government that sage-grouse conservation can succeed where diverse stakeholders work toward a common goal. Some argue that their work shows that listing the grouse would be superfluous and harmful to development, resource extraction and recreation. Others contend that nothing short of the protections laid out in the endangered species act can save the bird. Lake superior institute between june 23 and june 27, 2015 ijnr helped 13 journalists dig into the myriad issues happening in and around lake superior. Inhospitably cold and deep, the world's second largest freshwater lake has long been immune to many of the problems that have plagued the lower great lakes. But superior is now warming, causing fish populations to shift, imperiling coastal wetlands, and giving invasive species an opportunity to take hold. While much of the nation looks to the drought in the american west as the most stark illustration of climate change, lake superior acts as a bellwether, providing a vivid and no less compelling counterpoint to the dry reservoirs and dwindling snowpack of the west. Here we found stories about how climate change is dramatically impacting the water-rich areas of the planet. The lake ice that envelopes lake superior in winter has shrunk by as much as 70 percent in recent years, leaving the lake vulnerable to evaporation, and extreme rain events have washed out municipal infrastructure, costing millions of dollars to replace. The 20-year cycle of rising and falling lake levels seems to be speeding up, creating more dramatic changes in lake levels. As climatic changes continue, lake superior will likely see increased stormwater runoff and sedimentation, more frequent flooding, damaged shoreline infrastructure, and other ecological and economic impacts. In instances such as these, lake superior is a poster child for coastlines around the country. Chesapeake bay institute from september 15th through the 19th of 2015, ijnr brought 15 journalists from around the united states and canada to spend five days learning about issues in, on and around chesapeake bay. The largest estuary in the united states and the end-point for more than 150 streams and rivers flowing through six states, the chesapeake bay is a complicated and storied body of water. Known for its fisheries, the area is also host to industry, agriculture, and a booming tourism economy. Today, threats to the region include nonpoint source pollution, depleted fisheries, and a population that grows by 100,000 residents each year. And in terms of climate change and sea level rise, the chesapeake bay coastline is one of the most threatened in the country. Journalists on the chesapeake bay institute met with scientists, farmers and resource managers to discuss the federally mandated "total maximum daily load", and the latest attempts of the six ches”