Josephine Woolington

What’s needed to protect sage grouse? Less grazing. - High Country News Two tribes are showing how saving sage grouse, and other iconic species of the West’s vast sagebrush steppe, will require are assessment of the widespread cattle grazing that has become an emblem of...

Two tribes are showing how saving sage grouse, and other iconic species of the West’s vast sagebrush steppe, will require are assessment of the widespread cattle grazing that has become an emblem of the landscape.

What’s needed to protect sage grouse? Less grazing. - High Country News Two tribes are showing how saving sage grouse, and other iconic species of the West’s vast sagebrush steppe, will require are assessment of the widespread cattle grazing that has become an emblem of t...

I’ve been working on this story for the last year and am excited to finally share it. Grateful for @highcountrynews.org and Brett Sam, who did the lovely artwork.

www.hcn.org/issues/58-2/...

@jwoolington.bsky.social on the sage grouse beat! 👏👏👏

Thank you, friend!

Forest Service seeks feedback on Gifford Pinchot commercial huckleberry harvest The U.S. Forest Service announced a new public survey Wednesday to investigate the impacts of its 2025 ban on commercial huckleberry harvests in Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

USFS is weighing whether to extend a temporary 2025 ban on commercial huckleberry harvests in Gifford Pinchot.
The ban followed decades of advocacy by Native nations motivated by significant harms to berry habitat, gatherer safety and treaty-reserved rights.
www.columbian.com/news/2026/ja...

Thank you so much, Suzi!

Two things felt different to the ppl I spoke with who’d been protesting at the ICE building for months.

1st was the sheer volume of tear gas, pepper balls and flash-bangs used, seemingly unprovoked.

2nd was seeing so many videographers/live-streamers embedded with the feds as they marched out.

Thank you for reading!

Invasive fruit fly hits the Yakama Nation’s huckleberry fields  - High Country News Students from Heritage University and Northwest Indian College were the first to document the presence of the spotted wing drosophila on the Yakama Nation Reservation — a first step to help eradicate…

A study this summer, led in partnership between the Yakama Nation, Heritage University and Northwest Indian College, is the first to document the presence of an invasive fruit fly in huckleberry fields on tribal land.

buff.ly/llJ0GJu

Forest Service pauses commercial huckleberry picking in Gifford Pinchot National Forest - High Country News The berries are a critical resource for the Ḱamíłpa Band of the Yakama Nation and have become a big market of the Pacific Northwest food industry.

The U.S. Forest Service announced Monday that it will temporarily prohibit commercial picking of huckleberries this summer in Gifford Pinchot National Forest in southwestern Washington.

✏️ @jwoolington.bsky.social

For over a century, the Ḱamíłpa Band of the Yakama Nation has fought to protect treaty-protected huckleberry fields from mismanagement & commercial exploitation. Now, they’re working to ban large-scale commercial harvesting.

Join Journalist Josephine Woolington in conversation with members of the Ḱamíłpa Band to discuss their ongoing struggle for food sovereignty & treaty rights.

📅 Wednesday, April 9
📍 Native Arts and Cultures Foundation - Center for Native Arts and Cultures

🔗 Learn more & register: buff.ly/XQIc08V

Thank you so much for sharing!

Really looking forward to this free event next week, and I’m so grateful that the Native Arts + Cultures Foundation has opened their space for us.

@epiphany-couch-art.bsky.social will display her gorgeous art that accompanied my @highcountrynews.bsky.social feature. Join us! bit.ly/huckleberries

Friday, March 28, 2025 – Tribes vie for better access to traditional plants Native America Calling · Episode

Grateful for the opportunity to talk about my @highcountrynews.bsky.social huckleberry story and tribal food sovereignty on Native America Calling today with Elaine Harvey and Bronsco Jim Jr. open.spotify.com/episode/2rJf...

The true cost of the huckleberry industry - High Country News The Ḱamíłpa Band of the Yakama Nation has wanted an end to commercial picking of a critical cultural resource for years. Finally, the Forest Service is expected to make a decision.

The Ḱamíłpa Band of the Yakama Nation has wanted an end to commercial picking of a critical cultural resource for years. Finally, the Forest Service is expected to make a decision.

Lmao

Thank you so much for reading and sharing!

Thank you @kuow.org for having Elaine Harvey and me on today to talk about the commercialization of huckleberries.

www.kuow.org/stories/huck...

Couple seconds later

Saw the SpaceX Starship explode during sunset from Key West tonight

Thank you so much for reading and sharing!

Thank you so much for reading and sharing!

The true cost of the huckleberry industry - High Country News The Ḱamíłpa Band of the Yakama Nation has wanted an end to commercial picking of a critical cultural resource for years. Finally, the Forest Service is expected to make a decision.

I’ve been working on this story for @highcountrynews.bsky.social for many months and am so grateful to members of the Ḱamíłpa Band of the Yakama Nation for all that they shared with me. Also so grateful to @epiphany-couch-art.bsky.social for her stunning art. 💜

www.hcn.org/issues/57-3/...

The Flow Below Josephine Woolington writes about learning to see the hidden springs and streams that shape Portland.

"Water’s presence in a city is difficult to notice. It’s like training your eye to see negative space—absence is the story.”

Josephine Woolington writes about learning to see the many hidden and buried waterways that shape Portland.

Read the essay, now online:
oregonhumanities.org/rll/magazine...