Updated January 11, 2019 to remove Oklahoma Outdoor Magazine.

One of the most popular writing niches is the environment. The great outdoors is all around us and makes for a great topic to write about. From wildlife conservation to backcountry skiing, this list of 10 publications is ready and waiting to pay you to write about the environment.

Earth Island Journal

• http://www.earthisland.org
• Submit a story along the spectrum of environmental issues, such as wildlife conservation, policies to protect the environment and animal rights
• Preference for on-the-ground reports outside of North America on people defending/restoring the earth
• Online reports: $50 – $100
• Print stories: $0.25/word; feature stories are approximately 4,000 words
• Send your query to submissions@earthisland.org 

Backpacker

• https://www.backpacker.com
• Submit an article that contains foot-based travel, wilderness or backcountry, a North American destination and advice for Backpacker readers
• Write a feature article in one of four categories: destinations, personality, skills, or gear
• Write for one of the departments: Life List (300-400 words), Done in a Day (500 words), Weekend, Skills, Gear
• There’s also web-only content assigned to freelancers
• $0.40 – $1.00+ per word
• Send a query to the appropriate editor following these guidelines

Backwoods Home Magazine

• http://www.backwoodshome.com
• Submit an article for Backwoods Home Magazine, “a country- and self-reliance-oriented ‘how to’ magazine that specializes in showing people how to build their own home, produce independent energy, grow their own food, and how to make a living without being tied to a city”
• $40 – $200 per accepted article; no specified length
• Articles can be submitted via mail or email following these guidelines

Alternatives Journal

• http://www.alternativesjournal.ca
• Write an article for Alternatives Journal, Canada’s environmental voice “dedicated to in-depth analysis of environmental issues, including their ecological, social and economic dimensions”
• Submit a feature article (100-400 words) or report (500-1,200 words)
• Honorarium of $0.10/word; must specify you are interested in receiving funding
• Submit your proposal through their online form following these guidelines

Coastal Review Online

• https://www.coastalreview.org/
• Write a well-reported story for CRO, an online magazine that covers “a wide variety of environmental and conservation issues and events along the N.C. coast”
• Write for one of five sections: Guest Columns, Our Coast, News and Features, Science or Special Reports
• Articles are approximately 800 – 2,000 words
• $75 – $200 per article
• Email query or article to frankt@nccoast.org following these guidelines

ON Nature Magazine

• http://onnaturemagazine.com/
• Write an article for ON Nature Magazine, a magazine focused on “all aspects of natural history, conservation and the environment in Ontario”
• Specific payment not disclosed; payment comparable to similar magazines
• Send queries to johnh@ontarionature.org following these guidelines

Central Coast Farm & Ranch

• http://www.farmbureauvc.com/about-us/what-we-do/publications/ccfr
• Submit a story to Central Coast Farm & Ranch, a magazine that publishes “news, features, photography and commentary about agriculture in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties”
• Cover story or feature (1,000-1,500 words; $0.50 – $1.00 per word), department story (500-700 words; $350 flat rate) or news brief (300 or less words)
• Additional monies available for accompanying photographs
• Submit story suggestions or queries to Colleen Cason, editor, at farmeditor@gmail.com; or to John Krist, publisher and Farm Bureau chief executive officer, at john@farmbureauvc.com following these guidelines

Bee Culture

• http://www.beeculture.com
• Write an article for Bee Culture, the magazine of American beekeeping
• Articles are generally 1,000-2,000 words and accompanying images are encouraged
• An article of 1,500-2,000 words pays approximately $150 – $200
• Submit a proposal to Kim@BeeCulture.com following these guidelines

Backcountry Magazine

• https://backcountrymagazine.com
• What they want: “Send us researched, timely, original ideas with a strong backcountry hook, from current events to prolific characters to unique destinations. We are always looking for Feature ideas, as well as Destination stories for our On Location department. Pitch us Profiles and Newsworthy items, Mountain Skills pieces and Accounts of avalanches and other mountain mishaps.”
• $0.35 per word
• Send your pitches to Tyler Cohen, editor in chief, at tyler@backcountrymagazine.com following these guidelines

Know of any other outdoorsy publications that pay writers to write about the environment? Share your find in the comments below: