About me

I’m Ruth Thornton, an environmental and science reporter and biologist. I have a M.S. degree in fisheries and wildlife and a M.A. degree in journalism.

Before switching to writing about nature, I worked for more than twenty years in conservation, where I did everything from managing natural areas, battling invasives, rejuvenating prairies through burning, assessing areas to prioritize conservation actions, working with non-game animals and buying land for conservation. It was a lot of fun!

I’m also a proud prairie geek and in my free time enjoy spending time with my partner Paul, our three cats, eight chickens and huge garden, plus photography, hiking, running, hunting, baking bread and reading.

Why I switched to science writing and started Nature Signals

During my career I often worked with the general public, and it struck me just how disconnected many people are from nature. There’s also a lot of confusion about the environment and how science applies to our lives, which feeds into the disinformation that abounds when it comes to climate change and the biodiversity crisis.

I find that very concerning – if people don’t understand how interconnected the web of life is or that humans depend on nature, people won’t value it or understand the cascading effects of our actions on wildlife, plants and ecological processes.

So I changed my career to write about the environment and our place in it. I strongly believe that nature is more resilient than we give it credit for, and with enough work we can make a difference and improve things. It’s not hopeless.

But we need to understand the threats and what the solutions are – in a way that is based on science and facts, not wishful thinking or partisan bickering.

If you enjoyed the articles on this website, check out my weekly newsletter, Nature Signals on Substack. You can also find me on Medium.