Michael Parks
@jurassicparks.bsky.social
Journalist learning and writing about grasslands. Also a dad / husband in new mexico.
Having lived in / spent time in Mongolia and Argentina...it's wild that the U.S. is on par
November 18, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Having lived in / spent time in Mongolia and Argentina...it's wild that the U.S. is on par
October 29, 2025 at 12:05 PM
What's bizarre is the first paragraphs of his memo set up a strawman of climate change "decimating civilization" and then he rebuts the idea that it will lead to "humanity's demise"
I 100% do not think climate change will lead to humanity's demise, but am quite worried about civilization!
I 100% do not think climate change will lead to humanity's demise, but am quite worried about civilization!
October 29, 2025 at 12:07 AM
What's bizarre is the first paragraphs of his memo set up a strawman of climate change "decimating civilization" and then he rebuts the idea that it will lead to "humanity's demise"
I 100% do not think climate change will lead to humanity's demise, but am quite worried about civilization!
I 100% do not think climate change will lead to humanity's demise, but am quite worried about civilization!
some great content on the Mongolia reddit
(this counts as productive "research", right?)
(this counts as productive "research", right?)
October 25, 2025 at 12:08 AM
some great content on the Mongolia reddit
(this counts as productive "research", right?)
(this counts as productive "research", right?)
This article has some rather telling / fascinating quotes about the water sitch (in the context of data centers) in Texas:
www.myhighplains.com/news/your-lo...
www.myhighplains.com/news/your-lo...
October 17, 2025 at 2:13 AM
This article has some rather telling / fascinating quotes about the water sitch (in the context of data centers) in Texas:
www.myhighplains.com/news/your-lo...
www.myhighplains.com/news/your-lo...
I worked as a comms contractor for Google's DC / energy team. They put out economic reports that I believe were accurate, but tellingly play "indirect jobs." Long-term operations for a DC you're talking tens to hundreds. This was before the AI boom but no real material difference I'd imagine.
October 11, 2025 at 3:39 PM
I worked as a comms contractor for Google's DC / energy team. They put out economic reports that I believe were accurate, but tellingly play "indirect jobs." Long-term operations for a DC you're talking tens to hundreds. This was before the AI boom but no real material difference I'd imagine.
Or in the paper that map is from. Bit generalized but what I have
October 10, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Or in the paper that map is from. Bit generalized but what I have
Viral anti-ethanol skeeters. 👍 I'll never cease to be impressed by how bad this policy is or how much of a handout to very special interests
Was myself just reading about ethanol accelerating Ogallala aquifer decline. Check this map of (water-intensive) corn
Crazy places to grow corn
Was myself just reading about ethanol accelerating Ogallala aquifer decline. Check this map of (water-intensive) corn
Crazy places to grow corn
October 10, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Viral anti-ethanol skeeters. 👍 I'll never cease to be impressed by how bad this policy is or how much of a handout to very special interests
Was myself just reading about ethanol accelerating Ogallala aquifer decline. Check this map of (water-intensive) corn
Crazy places to grow corn
Was myself just reading about ethanol accelerating Ogallala aquifer decline. Check this map of (water-intensive) corn
Crazy places to grow corn
Having a debate -- do other people think the Llano Estacado looks like the head of a buffalo?
October 4, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Having a debate -- do other people think the Llano Estacado looks like the head of a buffalo?
Here's a Google search...
September 29, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Here's a Google search...
All together now
September 9, 2025 at 4:09 PM
All together now
Love this grass. "Feathergrass" in Mongolia. Each long awn connected to a small, pointed seed. Mongolian friend said people call them "arrows." I think (?) the awns are advantageous for wind dispersal
Genus is Stipa spp., derived from the word "steppe." Characteristic grasses of the Eurasian Steppe
Genus is Stipa spp., derived from the word "steppe." Characteristic grasses of the Eurasian Steppe
September 9, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Love this grass. "Feathergrass" in Mongolia. Each long awn connected to a small, pointed seed. Mongolian friend said people call them "arrows." I think (?) the awns are advantageous for wind dispersal
Genus is Stipa spp., derived from the word "steppe." Characteristic grasses of the Eurasian Steppe
Genus is Stipa spp., derived from the word "steppe." Characteristic grasses of the Eurasian Steppe
Arial view of the permian basin. FF infrastructure is insane
September 6, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Arial view of the permian basin. FF infrastructure is insane
Apropos of nothing, Chicago is an amazing city
September 3, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Apropos of nothing, Chicago is an amazing city
You always hear soil erosion isn’t as bad in the old dust bowl region as used to be. Maybe true but man… (note: not this year. Also, weirdly, not spring)
September 3, 2025 at 5:22 PM
You always hear soil erosion isn’t as bad in the old dust bowl region as used to be. Maybe true but man… (note: not this year. Also, weirdly, not spring)
Thunder basin national grassland is pretty awesome. Felt like camping in outer space.
Sometimes I wonder if all the "grasslands are in trouble" stuff means people don't realize there are quite a few incredible public grassland places all over the U.S.
Sometimes I wonder if all the "grasslands are in trouble" stuff means people don't realize there are quite a few incredible public grassland places all over the U.S.
September 1, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Thunder basin national grassland is pretty awesome. Felt like camping in outer space.
Sometimes I wonder if all the "grasslands are in trouble" stuff means people don't realize there are quite a few incredible public grassland places all over the U.S.
Sometimes I wonder if all the "grasslands are in trouble" stuff means people don't realize there are quite a few incredible public grassland places all over the U.S.
Normal Great Plains stuff
August 30, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Normal Great Plains stuff
I mean I don’t know why, but it is here:
July 1, 2025 at 3:24 AM
I mean I don’t know why, but it is here:
Thinking about grasses’ protean side again this week in the context of sidewalks / lawns. The line of grass here is prob just one plant. Elsewhere you see how plants reach toward new ground to send up new growth.
“A grass” can be a line, a circular patch, a square. What wonders we weedeat!
“A grass” can be a line, a circular patch, a square. What wonders we weedeat!
May 31, 2025 at 4:18 AM
Thinking about grasses’ protean side again this week in the context of sidewalks / lawns. The line of grass here is prob just one plant. Elsewhere you see how plants reach toward new ground to send up new growth.
“A grass” can be a line, a circular patch, a square. What wonders we weedeat!
“A grass” can be a line, a circular patch, a square. What wonders we weedeat!
This is burrow of paleocastor, a beaver ancestor that lived into the mid-Miocene, at the agate fossil beds in Nebraska. Inside the case with it is some cheatgrass. Cheatgrass has even invaded the grasslands of the past!
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palaeoc...
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palaeoc...
May 7, 2025 at 5:21 PM
This is burrow of paleocastor, a beaver ancestor that lived into the mid-Miocene, at the agate fossil beds in Nebraska. Inside the case with it is some cheatgrass. Cheatgrass has even invaded the grasslands of the past!
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palaeoc...
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palaeoc...
Environmental history / ecology puzzler for northern New Mexico folks: the Taos gorge has a very noticeable strip of grass at its edge on either side. Why?
I have a theory. Don’t know if it’s right. Grass is blue grama dominant.
I have a theory. Don’t know if it’s right. Grass is blue grama dominant.
May 7, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Environmental history / ecology puzzler for northern New Mexico folks: the Taos gorge has a very noticeable strip of grass at its edge on either side. Why?
I have a theory. Don’t know if it’s right. Grass is blue grama dominant.
I have a theory. Don’t know if it’s right. Grass is blue grama dominant.
World's first monument to soil, Ming Dynasty 1421, Beijing
Black (chernozem) from the north, blue from the east (gley muddy as in rice paddies), red from the south, white from the west (as in deserts). In the middle, yellow loess -- an all important parent material
Black (chernozem) from the north, blue from the east (gley muddy as in rice paddies), red from the south, white from the west (as in deserts). In the middle, yellow loess -- an all important parent material
February 18, 2025 at 6:05 PM
World's first monument to soil, Ming Dynasty 1421, Beijing
Black (chernozem) from the north, blue from the east (gley muddy as in rice paddies), red from the south, white from the west (as in deserts). In the middle, yellow loess -- an all important parent material
Black (chernozem) from the north, blue from the east (gley muddy as in rice paddies), red from the south, white from the west (as in deserts). In the middle, yellow loess -- an all important parent material
Always amazed by diversity of prairie settlement stories
E.G. In Kansas, Octagon City, a vegetarian commune started in 1856. Failed but gave a name to a local creek
Or the Doukhobors, pacifist Russian Christians, wound up in Canada via the steppes. Among other things opposed use of draft animals
E.G. In Kansas, Octagon City, a vegetarian commune started in 1856. Failed but gave a name to a local creek
Or the Doukhobors, pacifist Russian Christians, wound up in Canada via the steppes. Among other things opposed use of draft animals
February 16, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Always amazed by diversity of prairie settlement stories
E.G. In Kansas, Octagon City, a vegetarian commune started in 1856. Failed but gave a name to a local creek
Or the Doukhobors, pacifist Russian Christians, wound up in Canada via the steppes. Among other things opposed use of draft animals
E.G. In Kansas, Octagon City, a vegetarian commune started in 1856. Failed but gave a name to a local creek
Or the Doukhobors, pacifist Russian Christians, wound up in Canada via the steppes. Among other things opposed use of draft animals