KURT REPANSHEK
KURT REPANSHEK is an award-winning journalist well-versed in public lands, wildlife, recreation, environmental, and development issues. After graduating from West Virginia University in 1979, he was hired in 1980 by The Associated Press, initially as a temporary legislative relief staffer, and offered a full-time job late that same year. In 1988, when wildfires swept across Yellowstone National Park and captured the world’s attention, he directed and provided coverage of the fires for The Associated Press. He has a diverse journalistic background, having written about the rich biodiversity that lies within Great Smoky Mountains National Park and launched National Parks Traveler, the world’s top-rated editorially independent website dedicated to daily news and feature coverage of national parks and protected areas.
BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR
RE-BISONING THE WEST
Restoring an American Icon to the Landscape
Kurt Repanshek traces the history of bison from their near extinction to present-day efforts to bring them back to the landscape—and the biological, political, and cultural hurdles confronting these efforts. Repanshek explores Native Americans’ relationships with bison and presents a forward-thinking approach to returning bison to the West and improving the health of ecosystems.
“Kurt Repanshek eloquently lays out the case for how we might bring bison back in sufficient numbers to restore vibrant life on the land. Deep knowledge and cool-headed reasoning inform a narrative for redressing historical wrongs and helping to ensure a palatable way forward.”
—MARY ELLEN HANNIBAL, author of Citizen Scientist