For species like the wolverine, the future is closely tied to the fate of the wild, remote landscapes they depend on. As climate change alters these habitats and public lands face increasing pressures, understanding and protecting these places has never been more important.

This month, we’re honored to feature an essay by Kalon Baughan, founder of Wild Ideas, LLC., a small wildlife research company. Having spent countless days in the solitude of the backcountry, Kalon brings a unique perspective on the challenges facing wildlife today.

We hope you enjoy his reflections and insights.

Wolverines and Public Lands

Inspired by Barry Holstun Lopez (1945-2020)

by Kalon Baughan 

There are still places in the American West where a person can walk for days and feel uncertain of their own importance. High cirques buried in windblown snow. Timberline basins where spruce and whitebark pine lean away from prevailing storms. Drainages so cold in winter that sound itself seems restrained. Wolverines live in many of these places, though even there they are seldom seen.

Most people who travel in wolverine country never know the animal has passed nearby. A track crossing a frozen creek may be covered by snow within hours. The animal itself moves through these mountains with a kind of ancient discretion, occupying vast territories across public landscapes that belong, in principle, to all of us.

In the lower forty-eight states, wolverines persist almost entirely on public lands—national forests, wilderness areas, remote alpine terrain held in common trust. Their survival is therefore tied not only to ecology and climate, but to civic character. The fate of the species rests largely in lands managed collectively, and that reality asks something difficult of us: whether we are capable of restraint, humility, and stewardship in places we technically own but can never fully possess.

A wolverine does not recognize property lines or political arguments. It responds instead to snowpack, isolation, connected habitat, secure denning areas, and the availability of food across immense distances. Science has shown that these animals require large, intact landscapes and persistent spring snow for successful reproduction. Fragmentation, warming winters, expanding industrial pressure, and increasing human disturbance all compress the margins within which they survive.

But statistics alone cannot explain why people care about wolverines. The concern emerges from something older and less measurable. Perhaps it comes from understanding that certain animals carry the emotional weight of wild country itself. To lose them would not simply mean the disappearance of another carnivore. It would suggest that the landscapes capable of producing solitude, difficulty, mystery, and resilience have themselves become diminished.

Public lands remain one of the few democratic ideas still visible from space. They are imperfectly managed and constantly contested, but they preserve the possibility that a person without wealth or status can still enter a vast landscape and encounter something larger than themselves. In wolverine country, that encounter may never be direct. Often it is enough to know the animal is there at all.

A track in fresh snow can alter the scale of one’s thinking. Suddenly the mountains no longer feel recreational or scenic in the ordinary sense. They become inhabited. The ridgeline acquires another intelligence moving through it, another life negotiating winter on terms far older than ours.

For researchers, photographers, skiers, hunters, snowmobilers, hikers, and anyone else who travels these places, the invitation is the same: to move through these landscapes with greater awareness of what they still contain. Stewardship begins there—not in abstraction, but in attention.

The future of the wolverine in the American West will depend on policy decisions, scientific research, habitat connectivity, and long-term conservation planning. But it will also depend on whether people continue to believe that some landscapes deserve to remain ecologically functional beyond their immediate economic value. Public lands are not merely scenery or resource reserves. They are living systems carrying species that evolved long before us and may yet outlast us, if given sufficient room.

The wolverine asks for very little from humanity. Deep snow. Connected country. Space enough to disappear into.

What it requires are conditions that once seemed inexhaustible in the American West: cold winters, intact mountain systems, long horizons of undeveloped land, and the freedom to move between them. The fact that such modest requirements have become increasingly difficult to guarantee should concern us more than it does.

Because in the end, the question is not only whether wolverines will persist in these mountains, but whether we will continue to tolerate landscapes capable of sustaining anything truly wild. Public lands still hold that possibility. They remain among the few places where ecological processes larger than ourselves can continue largely on their own terms, where weather, migration, predation, solitude, and silence still shape the character of the land more than human intention does.

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Here's your friendly reminder to go offline for a while. Trade notifications for birdsong, screens for sunsets, and scrolling for exploring. Even a short dose of nature can help you recharge, gain a little perspective, and remember there's a pretty amazing world beyond your inbox.

In the United States we are lucky to have access to incredible public lands and wild places. They don't stay protected on their own, though. Across the country, passionate environmental groups are working hard to conserve the landscapes and wildlife we all love. 

If protecting the environment is important to you, we challenge you to find a local organization, reach out, and get involved through volunteering or donating. If you do not hear back right away, try again. It is rarely a lack of need—more often, these organizations are simply stretched thin while carrying out their important work.

This June, we're putting our money where our values are and donating 50% of our profits to Wild Ideas to support their mesocarnivore research and conservation work.

Now get outside and enjoy the wild!

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Summer has arrived in Montana, bringing with it long days spent hiking, cycling, horseback riding, and enjoying the great outdoors. As Montanans, we understand the value of clean water and air, our public lands, and the freedom that comes with wide open spaces. Here at RaiseYourVoice.ART, we want to honor and celebrate those working to protect and preserve Mother Nature during these summer months.

First up is Wild Ideas, LLC. We introduced them to our followers a month ago, but to recap: Wild Ideas, LLC. is a small business blending creative field approaches with cutting-edge technology to develop effective wildlife monitoring strategies supporting conservation efforts and helping to safeguard ecosystems for future generations.

Kalon Baughan, owner and lead developer, is a true renaissance man. Using his ingenuity and keen observational skills, he’s been developing and refining methods to monitor meso-carnivores — not just identifying their presence in an area, but distinguishing individual animals as well. The results not only provide valuable insight into the populations and behaviors of these incredible creatures, but also allows Kalon to capture some truly kick-ass photos along the way.

In addition to proceeds from the sales of his prints and tees through our shop, RaiseYourVoice.ARTwill be donating 50% of the profits from our in-house shirt designs to Wild Ideas throughout the month of June.

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In a few weeks, we’ll be shifting our focus to a new cause, but in the meantime we wanted to give Soft Landing Missoula another shoutout and heap praise on them for the incredible work they do. Listen to Mary, the executive director talk about the work Soft Landing Missoula does.

In addition to helping refugee and immigrant families build new lives in Missoula, they also run United We Eat. This program celebrates the incredible culinary talent of Missoula’s newest neighbors and international residents, whose rich and flavorful cooking traditions create a cultural bridge enriching our community.

From supper clubs and cookie sales to takeout meals and more, United We Eat gives chefs opportunities to earn supplemental income while sharing dishes you simply can’t find anywhere else in Missoula. And for the rest of us? It’s a chance to enjoy some truly delicious food while supporting a more connected and welcoming community.

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At RaiseYourVoice.ART, we don’t just help organizations raise funds and amplify their message, we’re also proud to support small businesses making a meaningful difference in their communities.

Driven by a desire to improve the monitoring and identification of wolverines and lynx in Montana, Kalon Baughan founded Wild Ideas, a small wildlife research company with big ambitions. By combining creative field techniques with cutting-edge technology, Wild Ideas develops effective monitoring strategies strengthening conservation efforts and helping to safeguard ecosystems for future generations.

Beyond his work as a researcher, Kalon is also a remarkable photographer who has captured scenes few people ever witness in the wild. His striking images of wolverines and lynx—both listed as threatened species—have been featured in museum exhibitions. Through his photography and research, Kalon hopes to deepen public understanding of these elusive animals and the challenges they face.

A heartfelt thank-you to Kalon and his team, who brave harsh winter conditions so we can better understand and appreciate the natural world.

Have a progressive small business? Visit our partner page to learn more.

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With so much happening in the news, both here at home and around the world, it can feel overwhelming. For us and our small business, we have found it more productive and less stressful to focus on one issue at a time for a few months, doing what we can to raise awareness and support organizations making a real difference.

For the next few months, our focus is immigration. Even as headlines have shifted to overseas conflicts, immigration raids continue. Agents are detaining not the “worst of the worst” as promised, but law abiding people, many here legally and even United States citizens. While attention turns abroad, this issue persists here at home.

As part of our commitment, we are creating t-shirts celebrating immigration and the many contributions immigrants bring to our country. We are donating 50% of our profits to Soft Landing Missoula, a community based nonprofit supporting refugee and immigrant families as they build new lives in Missoula. Their work centers on long term welcome, celebrating culture and milestones, and creating opportunities for connection so everyone in the community can thrive.

We encourage you to do what you can to raise your voice. Call your representatives, write a letter, donate, or simply wear a tee that reflects your values.

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For every shirt sold, we donate 50% of our profits directly to our featured cause.

The promise of the American Dream has never been perfect. Many have faced barriers, exclusion, and hardship simply for being “different.” But the idea—that there is room here, that opportunity exists, that community can be built—has endured.

Today, many immigrants and refugees in our own communities are facing a very different reality. These aren’t distant stories—they are the experiences of our neighbors, coworkers, and friends.

That’s why we’re focusing on immigration as our current cause. With every shirt sold, 50% of profits will go directly to Soft Landing Missoula, a community-based nonprofit supporting refugee and immigrant families as they build new lives in Missoula. Their work is rooted in the “long welcome”—not just initial support, but ongoing connection, celebration of culture, and creating opportunities for all of us to build a stronger, more inclusive community together.

Our Current Partnership: Soft Landing Missoula

Soft Landing Missoula is our current featured organization. For every shirt sold, we donate 50% of our profits directly to them.

Located at 2925 Palmer St. Suite A in Missoula, MT, Soft Landing began their work in 2015. Their mission is to partner with local community to provide supportive services and welcome for refugees and immigrants in Missoula, working together to create a home where new neighbors can integrate and thrive.

If your organization is interested in collaborating with us, drop us a line.

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Are you going to the NO KINGS protest this Saturday March 28th?

We’re hoping this will be the largest NO KINGS protest yet. We’re going! We have FREE protest posters you can print out and use as you march.

Remember to wear your values!

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What we’ve been up to:

We’ve done a reset and honed our focus. Our website is all new and we have an updated store with cool, new designs.

We care deeply about what’s happening in our country and believe real change comes from organizations doing the work on the ground.

Which is why we partner with progressive groups to create original, artist-designed T-shirts to raise funds directly for their mission. For each partner organization, we host a dedicated page on our site where supporters can continue ordering year-round — not just during a campaign — so the fundraising doesn’t stop.

When a group is excited to collaborate and helps spread the word alongside us, these partnerships become both a short-term fundraiser and a long-term source of support. Our goal is simple: use art people want to wear to generate real money for the people making real change.

If your organization is interested in collaborating with us, drop us a line.

Our Current Partnership: Haven House Food Bank

Haven House Food Bank is our current featured organization. For every shirt sold, we donate 50% of our profits directly to them.

Located at 316 N. 3rd Street in Hamilton, Montana, Haven House Food Bank is a 100% volunteer-run organization that has been serving Ravalli County for over 30 years. They’ve been a true lifeline for countless members of our community.

What makes Haven House especially meaningful is many of their volunteers were once clients themselves—now giving back to the organization that supported them through a difficult time. Their safe, welcoming environment makes asking for help feel easier and more dignified.

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