Justine Hausheer

As lead science writer for The Nature Conservancy's Cool Green Science, Justine Hausheer specializes in stories where rigorous field research meets existential stakes for threatened ecosystems. Based in Australia but reporting globally, her work bridges scientific detail and human narrative.

Key Coverage Areas

  • Endangered Species Conservation: From Tasmanian swift parrots to Pacific leatherbacks, she documents species recovery efforts
  • Indigenous Ecological Knowledge: Collaborative reporting with First Nations communities on fire management and species tracking
  • Conservation Technology: Ground-level accounts of satellite tagging, bioacoustics monitoring, and other field tech applications

Pitching Priorities

  • Stories revealing unexpected species interdependencies
  • Ethical dilemmas in conservation resource allocation
  • Field-based innovations in ecological monitoring

Achievements: SEJ Award finalist, Eureka Prize nominee, and author of the forthcoming book Last Stands: The Fight for Australia's Threatened Species (NewSouth 2026).

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More About Justine Hausheer

Bio

From Rocky Mountain Roots to Global Conservation Storytelling

We trace Justine Hausheer's journey from her early days at Princeton University, where she cultivated a dual passion for English literature and environmental studies, to her current role as a leading voice in conservation journalism. Her career trajectory reveals a deliberate path toward specializing in stories where scientific rigor meets existential stakes for threatened ecosystems.

"Reporting from beyond cell phone coverage has become something of a specialty – whether that's in Papua New Guinea's cloud forests or Australia's sun-baked deserts."

Career Milestones: Mapping the Conservation Narrative

  • 2013-2015: Cutting teeth at 5280 Magazine and Audubon, mastering the art of translating complex ecological concepts for general audiences
  • 2016-2018: Deep dive into marine conservation as Editorial Manager at Oceana, producing investigative pieces on illegal fishing practices
  • 2018-Present: Elevating The Nature Conservancy's Cool Green Science blog into required reading for conservation professionals through immersive field reporting

Defining Works: Three Articles That Shape the Discourse

Swift Parrots and the Heartbreak of Rare Species

This 4,200-word investigation into Tasmania's critically endangered swift parrots exemplifies Hausheer's ability to weave ecological data with ethical philosophy. Through 18 months of field observations and interviews with 23 researchers, she constructs a nuanced portrait of conservation triage – the painful decisions about which species to save when resources are limited. The article's impact led to increased funding for parrot nesting box programs and sparked international dialogue about extinction ethics.

Satellite Tracking the Pacific’s Most Endangered Leatherback Turtles

Hausheer embedded with marine biologists in the Solomon Islands for this groundbreaking account of leatherback migration patterns. Her detailed explanation of satellite tag technology (including failure rates and data interpretation challenges) set a new standard for accessible yet technically precise science journalism. The piece directly influenced regional fishing policy negotiations, demonstrating her work's real-world policy impacts.

Meet the Channel-billed Cuckoo, the World’s Largest Brood Parasite

This article showcases Hausheer's talent for making evolutionary biology compelling to casual readers. Through vivid descriptions of cuckoo nesting behaviors and interviews with indigenous knowledge holders, she transforms a niche ornithological subject into a meditation on interspecies adaptation. The piece's viral success (1.2M social shares) proves complex science storytelling can achieve mass appeal.

Strategic Pitching Guidance for Conservation Stories

1. Lead With Unexpected Ecological Interdependencies

Hausheer consistently highlights overlooked species relationships, as seen in her analysis of mite-lizard symbiosis in Florida scrub ecosystems. Successful pitches should reveal hidden connections between species or between ecological processes and human communities.

2. Ground Technology Stories in Field Realities

Her leatherback turtle tracking piece demonstrates how to make technical subjects accessible. Pitch stories that show conservation tech in action – the mud, sweat, and failed prototypes behind shiny gadgets.

3. Explore Ethical Dimensions of Conservation

The swift parrot article's examination of triage ethics illustrates this priority. Propose stories that grapple with difficult questions about resource allocation or competing conservation priorities.

4. Highlight Indigenous Ecological Knowledge

Hausheer's work with Martu elders in Western Australia sets a template. Pitches should integrate traditional ecological knowledge with Western science, particularly regarding fire management or species tracking.

5. Find the Human Element in Remote Landscapes

Her account of caring for an orphaned wallaby joey shows how to personalize species recovery efforts. Propose stories that reveal the emotional labor behind conservation work.

Awards and Recognition

  • 2024 Society of Environmental Journalists Award for Excellence in Explanatory Reporting (Shortlisted) – Recognized for making complex conservation biology accessible to non-specialists
  • 2023 Australian Museum Eureka Prize Finalist – Science Journalism category, honoring her decade-long body of work on Pacific Island conservation
  • 2022 Mongabay Environmental Reporting Fellowship – Supported her groundbreaking investigation into Solomon Islands marine protected areas

Top Articles

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