Pitches wanted (forests, grasslands, wildfire) | $1,000 per article

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: THE RESPONSE

Deadline: 4 January 2024

The NFF is looking for story pitches for our Summer/Fall 2024 issue of Light & Seed magazine, which will focus on how wildfire intersects with National Forests and Grasslands.

Specifically, we’re seeking pitches for The Response, a department that uses the pillars of solutions journalism to investigate how people are responding to an issue of national importance. The solution should be on the cusp of real-world or large-scale application: it’s shown success (and there’s data to prove it), it’s actively working through its limitations, and it could very soon have significant impact.

Pitches should cover:

• A brief overview of the solution, where we are within its timeline, and the evidence/data gathered thus far that indicates its potential impact
• How the approach has been tested and what challenges remain
• How it fits within the larger landscape of similar solutions
• The narrative thruline and characters that will tie these elements together

Generally, we’re looking for pitches that exhibit a focused angle on a broad issue. As an example, if the idea concerns how California’s main firefighting agency is using AI to quickly spot wildfires, we’d want to focus on a person or entity that has identified a way to address the current limitations of that system.

Stories do not need to center on the NFF’s work (though they of course can), and can feature or mention the work of other nonprofits that take place on or are somehow tied to National Forests and Grasslands. We’re especially interested in ideas that aren’t focused on the West, but will of course consider good pitches regardless.

After a recent redesign, the magazine now has a deeper focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We’re keen to include diverse perspectives as part of our work supporting a resilient National Forest system.

Send pitches to Erin at erinvriley@gmail.com by Jan 4.

Specs: 1,000 words, pay is $1,000, first draft due Feb 7.

CONTACT INFORMATION (please do not share the email address publicly):

• Questions/submissions: erinvriley@gmail.com
• Website: https://www.nationalforests.org/our-forests/your-national-forests-magazine

TO HELP YOU CRAFT YOUR PITCH:

• Learn more about the publication: Your National Forests Magazine is published twice a year by the National Forest Foundation, the nonprofit partner of the U.S. Forest Service. It aims to engage America in community-based and national programs that promote the health and public enjoyment of the National Forest System.
• Read through a selection of recent articles/stories on its website.
• Check out our collection of pitch excerpts on this page and find more sample pitches at The Open Notebook and at SuccessfulPitches.com.
• Do not forget to end your pitch with (1) a short introduction about yourself; (2) a few lines highlighting your writing experience, relevant credentials and publication credits; and (3) links to your strongest work or portfolio, and online profile.

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