Submission Guidelines
Conservation is an independent quarterly magazine dedicated to high-quality storytelling about cutting-edge conservation science. We seek accessible stories that avoid jargon, connect multiple disciplines, and steer clear of doom and gloom. Our readers are the kind of people who aren’t afraid to have their thinking challenged. “I’ve never thought about it that way before,” is a desired response.
In general, a Conservation story should accomplish one or more of the following:
- introduce readers to novel and innovative solutions to longstanding environmental problems
- offer a counterintuitive twist on a familiar story or topic
- explore an interesting dilemma
Submitting an Idea or Article
Before you do anything, please look through our archives to get a flavor for the types of stories we publish.
Please compose a focused 1-2 page proposal, indicating which section best fits your article (see descriptions below). The proposal can stand alone, or accompany a manuscript or outline. Lay out what is new, counterintuitive, or innovative about the topic. And if readers retain only one thing from your story, what do you want that to be?
Sections
We accept queries for the following types of stories:
Features
These longer narratives introduce readers to the people and projects that are pushing the boundaries of environmental conservation. Successful pieces employ strong storytelling and often link conservation with engineering, business, or design. They connect the science with people’s everyday experience. Themes should reflect bold, original, and sometimes unconventional concepts—the people and ideas central to the story may not necessarily fall in line with traditional environmentalist thinking. (2,500—3,000 words)
Solutions
Each story summarizes a novel approach or new technology for tackling an environmental problem. Solutions topics range widely: some involve sophisticated technology, others are powerful in their simplicity, and often they involve some level of surprise or delight. Who knew that spicing up a cow’s diet could reduce its methane emissions? Or that principles from astrophysics could be useful for saving sharks? (300—500 words)
Think Again
These articles challenge conventional wisdom by dissecting some surprising data or taking a creative twist on an oft-told story—perhaps with a dash of wit or humor. Give our readers a good conversation starter! (500-700 words)
Book reviews
In each issue, we feature one recently or soon-to-be released book relating to ecology, energy, or the environment. We’re looking for writers with some expertise in the book’s subject matter to discuss its importance and/or use one of the book’s key themes or messages as a starting point for thoughtful comment.
We do our best to make decisions on submissions within 2 months. Since our lead time to publication may be several months, articles should not be so time-bound that they will become quickly dated.
Submit Proposal to:
The Editors, Conservation Magazine
Department of Biology, Box 351800
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-1800
or
email: Lindsey Doermann (email hidden; JavaScript is required)
phone 206/221-5292
fax 206/221-7839
