I am honoured to announce that one of my in-depth articles on declining populations of plant pollinators has won an award. The Manitoba Community Newspapers Associaton cited "Plight of the Humble Bee," published in the Roblin Review this winter, as first runner-up in the category of environmental journalism.
The first-place award in the category went to Shane Gibson for a story published in the Stonewall Argus and Teulon Times.
The awards were announced at the 91st Annual MCNA Convention and Better Newspapers Competition Awards in Winnipeg in April.
I'm also pleased to announce that I have had my first story (also about plant pollinators) posted recently on AlterNet, an award-winning news magazine and online community. Much to my delight, it has prompted a huge amount of comment and debate.
AlterNet creates "original journalism and amplifies the best of hundreds of other independent media sources. Its aim is to inspire action and advocacy on the environment, human rights, civil liberties, social justice, media, health care issues, and more."
Several of my stories have also appeared on OnEarth and Allvoices. OnEarth is both an online and "a quarterly (print) magazine of thought and opinion on the environment and is open to diverse points of view."It is published by the Natural Resources Defense Council, NRDC, a large US conservation organization.
Allvoices is an outlet for "citizen journalists" to have their articles on any topic read by a wide internet audience.
World Governments Fail to Halt Biodiversity Lossby Janet Lawrence
"The distinctive drumming of the ruffed grouse (r.) is a sound heard in fewer and fewer locations as suburban sprawl, expanding agriculture and commercial development rob this elusive game bird of habitat. As man builds to accommodate the expansion of his own race, the habitat of the ruffed grouse is seriously threatened." Cdn. Ruffed Grouse Society.