For a long time, climate change was largely perceived as a distant threat.
But Oregon biologist Pepper Trail, 70, who often writes for the opinion service Writers on the Range, said he and other close observers have noticed climate shifts for decades.
He’s seen it in the premature blossoming of flowers, the diminishing snow caps on mountains, and, most strikingly, the increasing frequency of wildfires scorching the landscapes around him.
“I’m a naturalist,” Trail said, “and like many who have been sounding the alarm for years, I’m increasingly frustrated and struggling to avoid pessimism.”
Trail has also investigated wildlife crime. Before retiring in 2021, he served as a senior forensic scientist in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Laboratory in Oregon, investigating about 100 crimes a year, usually involving bird smuggling.
From an early age, Trail said he had an affinity for birds and knew he wanted to pursue ornithology — once he learned that was a “thing.” His studies in animal behavior and evolution led to field research in South America. Later, chance placed him in Oregon with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Laboratory.