Meet Your Peers: Jason Kauffman

Hello everyone, my name is Jason Kauffman. I am currently working as a freelance outdoors and environmental writer and photographer here in Missoula. I’m really excited to get started on our program this fall. I’m happy to be a part of a new program that’s attracted people with such varied backgrounds—I’m certain that we’ll learn a lot from each other over the course of the next two years. I chose the University of Montana’s environmental journalism program in large part because of its wonderful location in western Montana. That, as well as the school’s strong forestry, wildlife and environmental science programs, will make for an interesting education.

For the most part, my work as a journalist has focused on topics like endangered wildlife, the management of public lands, the preservation of wildlands, backcountry and adventure travel, food and sustainable living. Until last fall, I was the environmental-public lands reporter for the Idaho Mountain Express, a small mountain town newspaper in Sun Valley. I really enjoyed my work there. It placed me front and center on controversial issues like the recovery of gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains, how we manage wildfires here in the West and salmon and steelhead restoration.

Before becoming an environmental journalist about seven years ago I worked a number of odd jobs, including wildland firefighter, whitewater rafting guide, cannery worker in western Alaska and handyman at a backcountry lodge next to Yellowstone National Park in northwest Wyoming. I like to think that these jobs have influenced my work as an environmental journalist.

My hope is that this program will strengthen my credentials as a freelance environmental writer and photographer. I’ve already done some coverage on environmental issues during my travels both here at home and abroad and hope to do much more in the future.

Beyond my work as a staff writer, I’ve also been published in Backpacker Magazine, Newwest.net, Sun Valley Magazine, The Idaho Statesman, the Twin Falls Times-News and a number of other publications. In my free time, I like to hike, backpack, fly-fish, mountain bike, trail run, grow my own vegetables and cook with my wife, Elizabeth.

Have a great summer and see you all this fall!