Sitting between Mary Lee Longhair, a Ute elder, and Liz Turner, a fifth-generation rancher, at a local barbeque joint in Meeker, I knew I had come upon one of those rare moments that, to me, define western journalism. Not just the colorful characters, thorny issues, and heart-breaking landscapes, but the moments of authenticity that seem to occur on a regular basis once you start digging - real people trying to solve real problems under extraordinary circumstances. (Read full article in New West).
I am a freelance writer living in western Colorado. Writing about culture and the environment, my favorite stories involve intersections of people and their differing perspectives on life in the West. As editor of Advances in Fire Practice I have published a series of articles on wildfire, and my work has appeared in The Christian Science Monitor, Grist, E Magazine, Seed, The American Prospect, New West, and DirtRag magazine. I have written on topics such as the connections between alternative energy and forest restoration, climate change and wildfire, a mountain biker tackling the Iditarod Trail, and the efforts to rid the Colorado River corridor of an invasive plant species.
Contact:
joshmcdan@hotmail.com
(970) 201-0809