How narwhals change the ecosystem

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Published on Sunday, 29 November -0001 16:00
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How narwhals change the ecosystem r1 ... BECOME A MEMBER | SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER The Narwhal's masthead logo
Wanna know a secret? The dream for The Narwhal grew out of frustration. A lot of frustration.

Why were there so many business reporters in Canada and so few environment reporters? Why did so much media coverage of the natural world fail to foster greater understanding of issues, instead further polarizing Canadians? Why were the voices of people impacted the most by changes to the natural world so often left out of stories?

We believed journalism about the natural world could be riveting, beautiful and embrace complexity. And, as it turns out, so did you — and hundreds of thousands of other readers.

In four short years, our team has grown from just two full-time staff to a team of 23 (!!). And it’s all because of our readers who give whatever they can each month to support independent, ad-free journalism. But we’re 182 members short of our budget target for September — and we need you to join us.

I’m reminded of the impact our members make as we mark the one-year anniversary of The Narwhal’s crackerjack Ontario bureau. Our team has produced more than 100 stories and filed nearly as many access to information requests this past year, resulting in the release of previously secret documents that revealed risks to wetlands, waterways and endangered species. The most notable thing though might be how the mere introduction of The Narwhal to the Ontario media world has changed the ecosystem.

“At first, we were often the only journalists in the room to really press ministers about the environment,” reporter Emma McIntosh told me. “Over time I’ve noticed that just by being there, we spark interest from other outlets — those reporters see the importance of the questions we’re asking and start following up on them as well, resulting in more environmental and energy coverage than we saw before.”

And it’s not just in Ontario: our reporters across the Prairies and B.C. are bringing climate and environment issues to the forefront — and we need your support to keep moving the needle. YES, I’LL HELP CHANGE THE ECOSYSTEM In the past few months alone, we’ve collaborated with The Guardian, the Toronto Star, the Winnipeg Free Press and The Local for in-depth and investigative pieces, while our work has been referenced by outlets including CBC, The Globe and Mail and Politico.

The power of The Narwhal is to expand the boundaries of what’s possible — and what’s expected of all news organizations.

We can only do this work because roughly one in 30 readers makes the leap to give what they can to support our work, and we need 182 of you to join us this month.

Thanks for helping us change what’s possible.

Emma Gilchrist
Editor-in-chief


P.S. We’re running up against a September deadline to make our budget numbers add up. Will you be one of 182 who step up today to chip in what you can to support independent journalism?

BECOME A NARWHAL

This week in The Narwhal

A lone caribou by the lake in a field What will be the fate of Lake Superior’s last, lonely caribou?
By Emma McIntosh
Facing hungry wolves and a shrinking habitat, Lake Superior’s last caribou were airlifted to island sanctuaries in 2018. But they can’t stay there forever.

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Map showing Westcoast Connector pipeline The northern B.C. pipeline you’ve never heard of — Enbridge’s Westcoast Connector
By Matt Simmons
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Aerial view of the Holland Marsh north of Toronto Ontario’s smallest wetlands are unprotected — and disappearing
By Emma McIntosh
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Justin Trudeau and Doug Ford shaking hands Canada slammed Doug Ford for axing cap-and-trade. Now, as it battles Koch Industries, it’s defending him
By Fatima Syed
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Photo of Watson Slough wetlands ‘A beautiful lie’: BC Hydro says it will replace the wetlands Site C destroys, but experts say it’s impossible
By Ainslie Cruickshank
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Image of a tractor in a field Canada’s push to reduce fertilizer emissions is causing outrage and fuelling conspiracy theories
By Drew Anderson
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What we’re reading

People build barriers in parts of Pakistan to hold back rising flood waters Solar panels installed in all Nunatsiavut towns as Inuit government eyes energy independence When you’re trying to find nuanced stories on Canada’s natural world. Don’t worry, we’ll send a fresh batch to you and your friends every week — just tell them to r63

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