documenting co-existence

A hand-drawn, dotten sketch of the moon

Every story is an environmental story. Understanding the natural world through the lens of scientific research and anthropological forces gets us closer to understanding ourselves.

Project
Prescribed fire campaign for Friends of Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge

Location
Marble Falls, Texas Hill Country

Timeframe
09/2024 - present

A hand-drawn sketch of the phoenix bird with extended wings

Understanding the Burn Plan

In the heart of Central Texas, the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge (BCNWR) stands as a sanctuary for native plants and wildlife, including the endangered golden-cheeked warbler and black-capped vireo. To preserve these critical habitats, land managers at the Refuge employ an essential tool in their conservation arsenal: prescribed fires.

Continue reading here.

Impact Infographics

A Lesson From the Doeskin Pavilion

Few phenomena captivate us like the paradox of fire. Both life-giving and destructive, fire has been used throughout history for warmth, cooking, and landscape management.

Continue reading here.

A documentary about controlled burns in the Texas Hill Country, confronting the ongoing tensions between effective ecological management, limited funding and rapid urban expansion.

An interactive map story on wind impact (scroll to learn more).

deep ecology

Inspired by nature and travel
The Texas prophecy: Wastewater injection research in the Permian Basin
The Texas prophecy: Wastewater injection research in the Permian Basin

In August 1981, Catherine Allen’s parents moved to Midland, Texas, following a minister’s prophecy. Nearly half a century later, their daughter debates leasing her property’s mineral rights to a developer drilling beneath her neighborhood, fearing another earthquake triggered by ongoing operations.

Inspired by nature and travel
Mourning Flora
Mourning Flora

Earlier this semester, Austinites celebrated the life, and mourned the removal, of Flo- a tree that once dangled over Barton Springs Pool. The Daily Texan spoke with community members to learn more. Produced by Lucia Llano.

The future of fashion is trash
The future of fashion is trash

Students at the University of Texas at Austin sift through mounds of clothing items previously left in trash bags. The Campus Environmental Center encourages others to reuse and thrift new clothes at their Trash2Treasure event. Produced by Angelica Ruzanova.

Read more in the environment category.

Sustainable Development

Articles on the latest science, regulation of resources and economic development of ESG topics
Sustainability standards & the semiconductor industry
Sustainability standards & the semiconductor industry

With the rapid advancement of modern technology, the Semiconductor industry is a key player in supplying essential parts that power everyday devices. The companies in this industry, including Intel, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, and NVIDIA, design and manufacture components found in smartphones, computers, and generative AI computing equipment –  the increased demand of which has propelled some of the companies to become the most valued in the market this year.

The state of lithium-ion battery development
The state of lithium-ion battery development

In December 2021, Elon Musk made the strategic decision to relocate the headquarters of Tesla, a leading electric automotive company, to Austin, Texas. This move was particularly interesting, not only for its business implications but also for the tension it created between the company’s clean energy focus and Texas’ historical reliance on the oil and natural gas economy.

The unique environment of international mining law
The unique environment of international mining law

Before humans discovered fire, we were racing for resources. In fact, we used resources to control fire itself, extracting materials such as flint, obsidian, and ochre as early as 82,000 years ago in Morocco, evidenced by Nassarius shells.