The Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative established the Craighead Conservation Award in 2003 to honor the legacy of Frank and John Craighead. Our inaugural award that year was given to Steve Kilpatrick, who embodied the dedicated spirit of the Craighead brothers, as reflected in his significant contributions to conservation in the Yellowstone region. Steve's passing earlier this month is a great loss to the whole of the community, for people and wildlife. Steve's dedication to wildlife spanned roles with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and as Executive Director for both the Wyoming Wildlife Federation and the Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation. Among the long list of his achievement awards, Steve was inducted into the Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame earlier this spring. We mourn Steve's passing, and take inspiration from his legacy of enduring dedication to creatures great and small, from the pocket gopher to the bighorn. (fb)

We write on the eve of 2025, humbly asking that you consider a year-end donation to NRCC. What began 37 years ago as a grassroots collaborative for independent conservation researchers has expanded into a network of 60 interdisciplinary scholars, scientists, practitioners, artists, writers, students, and community leaders, working together in network, on the leading edge of conservation, on behalf of people and wildlife. While we are far from alone in our work for environmental conservation, we are unique in our approach. We organize ourselves by our mission of “Conservation for the Common Good” because we know that coexistence is a high order good for the whole of the earth, society, and the well-being of generations past, present, and future. And we go about our work as such: bridging gaps across the spectrum of disciplines, grounded by values in democracy, justice, and dignity, and always working to expand both how and what we know. A gift to NRCC supports a future where humans and wildlife coexist and thrive, and we thank you considering our organization among the many worthwhile endeavors you may be supporting today. nrccooperative.org/donate We thank Ben Bluhm for the donated use of this image of a young cub, reminding us of the creatures great and small with whom we share this life and future. @benbwildlife (fb)