I'm a writer, researcher, oral historian, and National Geographic Explorer. I write about the environment and its entanglement with history, culture, and identity.

FEATURED REPORTING:


The San Juan Sails Again

July 2026, Canadian Geographic

Finding, then re-constructing, a Basque whaling ship off Labrador.

Tree Thieves

July 2020, Hachette Book Group

Crime and survival in North America’s Woods

On Danny Garcia

September 2023, The Guardian

On the fate of Danny Garcia — tree poacher, father, former mill worker.


ORAL HISTORY

Recording traditional knowledge, folklore, and memories of land and sea.


ACADEMIA:


“I tell you, they’re oil mad”

The Twilight of Britain’s Antarctic Whaling Industry

University of King’s College

Journalism School


PEN/JOHN KENNETH GALBRAITH AWARD

For Non-fiction


2023

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER

Global Changemaker


2018

THE LUKAS PRIZE

Columbia Journalism School and the Nieman Foundation shortlist


2023

RECOGNIZED WORK:


BYLINES:


Tree Thieves

Crime And Survival In North America's Woods

  • “Bourgon puts herself in the poacher’s shoes, and the result is refreshing and compassionate…”

    DAVID ENRICH, THE NEW YORK TIMES

  • “Supple, thoughtful prose that may remind you of Rebecca Solnit.”

    PETER FISH, THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

  • “She really… builds these almost compassionate looks at people that on one side do terrible harm, while on the other side struggle to survive while normal lines of work are disappearing.”

    DEBORAH BLUM, NPR SCIENCE FRIDAY

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‍ ‍- Lyndsie