Mark DeGraff Archives – KneeDeep Times

Mark DeGraff

is a freelance science journalist and outdoor guide. His stories have appeared in National Geographic, Mongabay and other outlets. He writes about ecosystems and climate change as he moves around the western US in search of stories and seasonal jobs. You can see his work at markdegraff.com.

A close up image of a scorpion on a rock

Climate Change, A Scorpion’s POV

From the Sierra Nevada to the Mojave Desert, the state’s native scorpions are losing habitat as heat, wildfires, and development reshape ecosystems.... Read more.

A close up shot of a beaver walking out of a pond and onto wet soil, with shimmering water in the background and blurry soil and foliage in the foreground

Tools Tweak Beaver Dams

Humans find ways to co-exist with beavers, tweaking dams to prevent flooding and create more climate resilience.... Read more.

Bushes of tomatoes in rows, with the ocean and mountains in the background

Growing Better Tomatoes with Less Water

UC Santa Cruz researchers find the highly-desired ‘Early Girl’ variety yields more tomatoes under dry-farmed conditions.... Read more.

Man in plaid jacket, blue and white hat and gray pants works on a computer in a Mendocino forest and sets up a microphone on a tree

Birds, Not Bats, Flock to Burned Oak Savannas

A new study has found that birds are thriving in the nutrient rich oak savannas that burned in the 2018 Mendocino Complex Fire. But bats, not so much.... Read more.

Coho salmon in Oregon. Photo: Oregon Department of Forestry

Coho Salmon Remain Afloat Four Years After CZU Fire

At the southern end of their range, coho salmon in Scott Creek are adapting to wildfire and warming.... Read more.

Stories by County

Climate Change, A Scorpion’s POV

Tools Tweak Beaver Dams

Growing Better Tomatoes with Less Water

Birds, Not Bats, Flock to Burned Oak Savannas

Coho Salmon Remain Afloat Four Years After CZU Fire