KCETLink Secures $8,600 on Kickstarter to Launch Comprehensive Online Resource Guide on CA Wildlife

A Citizens Guide to California Wildlife will be developed as the backbone for KCET.orgs recently launched ReWild initiative with renowned environmental

journalist Chris Clarke

Burbank, Calif. - Nov. 14, 2013 - KCETLink, the national independent public transmedia network, has announced that it has raised $8,615, exceeding its goal by $1,100, on the crowdfunding website, Kickstarter, to develop a definitive resource guide about California wildlife for KCETs newly launched online ReWild initiative.

Written by renowned environmental journalist Chris Clarke, along with KCETs editor-in-chief of blogs Zach Behrens, A Citizens Guide to California Wildlife is free to the public and will be developed as a longstanding reference guide to law, legislation, and human and environmental factors impacting Californias struggling wildlife. The guide, which will include comprehensive databases, FAQs and other interactive tools and features, is expected to become available at KCET.org/Rewild in the first quarter of 2014.

We are happy that our inaugural fundraising campaign on Kickstarter was such a success and are pleased to be able to provide a resource of such enormous value to the community, said KCETs Behrens. When we broke stories such as our investigation revealing a pattern of water bird deaths at solar desert facilities on our renewable energy blog, ReWire, we realized there was a need to cover more wildlife issues. The field of wildlife reporting will benefit greatly from having an authority like Chris Clarke serve as a watchdog and guide to these issues.

The Kickstarter campaign, which ran Oct. 14 through Nov. 13, 2013, received 87 backers from around the globe raising a total of $8,615. The fundraising campaign was created in conjunction with the launch of ReWild, a weekly blog on KCET.org written and edited by Clarke, which covers the threats to Californias wildlife, the people who are working to restore Californias wildlife habitat and those who could be doing a better job accounting for their impacts on that wildlife.

The initial rollout for A Citizens Guide to California Wildlife will deliver information around wildlife issues in digestible increments, such as an

easy-to-read directory of wildlife species of concern in California, a laypersons guide to complex concepts like Critical Habitat and take permits, and hints for staying on the right side of wildlife protection laws. The Guide will provide clarity in the seemingly conflicting information on Californias wildlife from state, federal and international groups who each have their own take on which species face the biggest threats; and wildlife laws on the Federal, state and international levels.

ABOUT KCETLINK

KCETLink is the new national independent public transmedia organization formed by the merger between KCET and Link Media. A viewer-supported 501c(3) organization, its content is distributed nationally via satellite on DirecTV and DISH Networks, in Southern and Central California via broadcast, as well as through various digital delivery systems. KCET and Link TV are services of KCETLink. For additional information about KCETLink productions, web-exclusive content, programming schedules and events, please visit kcet.org or linktv.org.

ABOUT CHRIS CLARKE

Chris Clarke is a natural history writer, editor and environmental journalist who has been reporting on California wildlife issues since 1989. In addition to KCET.org, Chris writing has appeared in publications ranging from Camas and Orion to Bay Nature, Earth Island Journal, California Wild, and more than 30 daily papers nationwide. Since 2011, Clarke has written for KCET.org and has played an instrumental role in KCET being named a finalist in the advocacy journalism division of the prestigious Los Angeles Press Club Awards for two consecutive years.

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LINK:	http://www.kcet.org/about/pressroom/press-releases/kcetlink-secures-86...
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