June 2-4, 2026 | Thermopolis, Wyoming
Journalist Workshop
By many standards, invasive annual grasses and rangeland fires are the most significant threats to western landscapes. Land managers and conservationists are racing to implement effective treatments to get ahead of this massive land health issue before it becomes insurmountable due to scale and cost. The Intermountain West Joint Venture is hosting an event for journalists to make a deep dive into this complex issue.
This workshop will be a fully on-the-record opportunity for journalists to learn from speakers, ask questions, collect imagery, and have hands-on experiences. We hope all participants will build a strong understanding of the topics to be able to report effectively on them and grow the base of people they can reach out to on these natural resource issues.

Who Will Be There?
Speakers will include representatives from Wyoming Game and Fish, Bureau of Land Management, Natural Resources Conservation Service, University of Wyoming, Wyoming Department of Agriculture, local livestock producers, and, potentially, other national-level officials, all who are knowledgeable and passionate about these issues. *Please note that the federal representatives speaking here are only available on the record at this event. We will also not be sharing the contact information for the producers. If you’d like to hear either of these groups speak and to interview them, please attend this event.
Agenda
June 2nd: Meet in Thermopolis, Wyoming, for an introduction to the region and this event from local conservation representatives, followed by a national-level perspective of the invasive grass challenges facing the West.
June 3rd: Full day field for a tour of fire scars, project sites, and talks from ranchers and conservation practitioners about how the fires unfolded and how the land is being restored. Participants can look forward to hands-on demonstrations of seeding, herbicide application, and infrastructure building. Concluding talks will detail actions needed to continue to combat invasive annual grasses and catastrophic rangeland wildfire in Wyoming and beyond. In the evening, there will be local recreational opportunities, such as hiking, biking, hot springs, and fishing, as well as a group dinner.
June 4th: Follow-up interviews and visual content collection on your own or on an optional group sunrise field trip.
Where will we be?
Thermopolis is a small, rural community in north-central Wyoming. Known for its extensive thermal features, this town and the surrounding lands host vibrant industries in agriculture as well as recreation. Event organizers are excited to showcase this beautiful and unique place that’s facing natural resource challenges emblematic of many small towns around the West.
Join Us!
Participation will be capped at 20 journalists. A limited number of travel scholarships are available to support transportation and lodging. Please apply if interested and reach out to Hannah Nikonow at (307) 431-9876 or [email protected] with any questions.
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