A Letter from the Editor

Welcome to our magazine, ‘& the West,’ presented by Stanford University’s Bill Lane Center for the American West. The waters, the lands, and the people of the West are central to our work: what they did to make the West what it is and how they shape what it becomes. Fire, drought, and a changing climate frame every issue.

Much journalism is focused on things facing the West today. We try to look over the horizon at the stories of tomorrow – from sea level rise’s impact on coastal communities, to the promise and problems of solar energy arrays in Indian Country, to the uneven distribution of technologies from broadband to electric vehicle chargers. We are always open to discussions; we presented differing views of the declaration of Bears Ears National Monument in Utah.

After nearly four decades reporting and editing at national newspapers, the Lane Center has given me a chance to shape this online magazine, working with Geoff McGhee, a former New York Times colleague who is fluent in all languages journalists must now use, particularly the language of big data. Stanford students give new eyes and energy to our work. 

Here’s what you’ll find in our pages: 

Coverage of the West’s environment, health issues, and rural areas. We’ve focused on decisions facing Native Nations, on rural towns and the delicate bonds of trust that hold them together, on the future of family farms that can no longer depend on groundwater, on the strawberries that are the economic lifeblood of Baja California, feeding health-conscious Americans while undermining Baja aquifers, and on “orphan” diseases, like Valley Fever, whose spores are embedded in southwestern soils. We’ll watch how the Southwest navigates this era’s megadrought, how the people of the Northwest deal with the legacy of dams that reshaped their rivers and strangled salmon runs, and how Californians tackle an ambitious plan to manage groundwater sustainably and rethink farming in the nation’s richest agricultural region.

Conversations with leading academics and policy specialists illuminate all topics.

Original Infographics, Maps and Data Visualizations. Our graphics, maps, and visualizations are crucial to our work. Take a look at our map showing crops on every acre of California farmland, or marking every public EV charging station in California. We have charts showing how California’s energy mix has changed and renewable energy potential on Native Nations.

An Eye on Western Environmental Journalism. Our biweekly feature, & the Best, points out the most compelling articles, videos, and podcasts about western topics.

Comments, Suggestions, and Re-Publication Are Welcome. Our articles and infographics are free to re-use and re-post; all we ask is appropriate credit. Contact Geoff via e-mail or @mcgeoff on Twitter.

Stay in Touch. You can keep up with our stories through our email newsletter or follow us on twitter at @westcenter. If you know of newsworthy issues that should get our attention, please get in touch. My e-mail is febarr@stanford.edu; on Twitter I’m @felicitybarr.

Again, “& the West” welcomes you. Please keep reading.

Felicity Barringer
Editor and Lead Writer