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Hi. I'm Zack.

I'm an environmental reporter

I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where I studied French. I lived in France for two years, teaching English, bartending, and exploring caves. In 2020, I joined the Nevada Conservation Corps and hid from COVID in the desert, where I learned to use a chainsaw under the banner of sage grouse habitat restoration.

I am a master’s student at UNC-Chapel Hill and a freelance environmental reporter. UNC’s student radio show, Carolina Connection introduced me to audio journalism. Listen to my first awkward steps on the CC website as I cover covid mask policies, recycling centers, and even — somehow— sports. Our show won the 2022 Ken White Best Student Newscast.

Since then, I have published with NPR, WUNC, and The Coastal Review. My story “What's killing North Carolina's oysters?” ran on WBUR’s Here & Now. I produced and recorded a documentary on Western North Carolina’s bog turtles for PBS NC. I also produced the voiceovers for two other documentaries that will air sometime in early 2023.

My master’s thesis will examine elements of environmental sustainability through the lens of urban natural spaces. The final three-episode podcast will be available online in June 2023.

I live in Durham, North Carolina, where I joined the rock-climbing cult that swept through the Triangle sometime in the last couple decades. I love playing music, spending time outdoors, and listening to horror stories while I draw.

Publications

WUNC

North Carolina’s largest lake under siege by common carp

The “crown jewel” of Hyde County is a destination for hunting and outdoor recreation. But invasive common carp have altered the landscape beyond recognition. The lush carpet of underwater grasses that once blanketed the lake bottom has been replaced by toxic algal blooms. Now, the NC Wildlife Resources Commission and the USFWS are working to remove the carp and elevate the water quality in the lake.

WCHL

North Carolina Botanical Garden Opens 34th Annual ‘Sculpture in the Garden’ Exhibit

Local sculptors display towering mosaics and metal gardens among the many native plants of the North Carolina Botanical Garden.

NPR

What's killing North Carolina's oysters?

Oyster farming is an up-and-coming industry in North Carolina. But something is killing the oysters. Researchers are working with oyster farmers to uncover the cause.

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