The Society of Environmental Journalists announced this week the winners of its 18th annual Awards for Reporting on the Environment and WyoFile’s Angus M. Thuermer Jr. is among the honorees, earning honorable mention in the outstanding beat reporting, small market category.
SEJ’s announcement described the international, multi-media contest as “the world’s largest and most comprehensive environmental journalism competition,” with 478 entries.
Thuermer’s entry — a collection of five WyoFile articles — demonstrated the depth and breadth of his work, covering topics from water law to Pavillion’s groundwater, sage grouse policy to chronic wasting disease and public lands management. The collection was evaluated by a panel of working and retired journalists and compared to those of contestants from newsrooms of 50 or fewer journalists serving markets of up to 250,000 people.
“No one who’s had the honor of working with Angus is surprised by this well-deserved recognition and I suspect few of his readers are either,” said Matthew Copeland, WyoFile’s chief executive and editor. “He’s a consummate professional, a meticulous reporter and, frankly, an irreplaceable asset to the Wyoming community.”
Thuermer thanked his readers. “WyoFile readers and supporters are the ones who deserve credit and should be called winners,” he said. “Their interest in Wyoming issues and support of WyoFile is what enables us to ask the questions this state needs answered.”
First place in the category went to Alex Kuffner of Rhode Island’s Providence Journal. Luke Runyon of Northern Colorado’s KUNC public radio also received honorable mention.
Thuermer, who joined WyoFile in 2014, has worked as a Wyoming journalist for more than 40 years, most of them as the editor of the Jackson Hole News and the Jackson Hole News&Guide. He is a past president of Wyoming Press Association, co-owner and photographer of the Jackson Hole Ski Atlas, has volunteered as an obituary editor for the American Alpine Journal and works with the Wyoming League of Women Voters to host election forums in Teton County. He settled in Jackson in 1978 after a stint as an alpinist, rock climber and Wyoming oilfield roughneck.
Congratulations sahib! And to think I knew you when you were just a whipper snapper.
Angus is a thorough, accurate, conscientious reporter with broad range. He recognizes the important details, and he loves the language.
It’s an excellent combination.
Good job! What keeps you going? Is is the haggis?
Well-deserved honor to an outstanding journalist !
I echo Carla and Dean’s comments: Come back and keep going! Jackson journalism needs you. And I connect that with the loss of the “original” Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance gang. Superb, in-depth work that made a difference. Hey, you can write twice as fast, right? 😉 Congratulations, Angus!
Well deserved Angus.
Thanks very much for your wonderful articles–they have been most useful to me in my research on wildlife conservation.
What an honor,, Angus. Congratulations!
Nancy Guthrie
Thank you, Angus, for your decades of conscientious, authentic, professional reporting. You have stayed true to yourself and never faltered with your integrity, clarity and vision. It’s been an honor to know you over the years and your voice is so missed locally. Our local compass faltered when you left.
Congratulations Angus!
Congratulations Angus, well deserved!
Forty more years please!