On a damp October morning away from the noise of I-5 and life's usual distractions, a group of volunteers huddle near a white canopy. Braving the cold, they wait to hear the plan for the day of work they had sacrificed their Saturday for. Most everyone here has a direct association with the base, but few know that Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) is home to the largest expanse of glacial outwash prairie. Out of all historical prairies of this nature, only 5% still exist, almost all of which ...

As someone who learned to hunt in the absence of communal experience and mentorship, I understand the trials of error, self-doubt, and sometimes overconfidence that can plague an inexperienced hunter. Having spent hundreds of hours peering into my phone’s screen, devouring YouTube videos with a side of hunter-forum banter, I felt ready for my first hunt. Determined, I spent that weekend hunting the closest and biggest swath of public land without an ounce of success. I figured – I was ...