Category: Featured Mission
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Telling the Story of a River Under Pressure
The Colorado River supplies water to nearly 40 million people, supports agriculture across the Southwest, and sustains communities, wildlife, and ecosystems throughout the basin. Yet after decades of drought and growing demand, the river remains under immense pressure. While strong snowpack years in 2024 and 2025 helped stabilize conditions at Lake Powell and Lake Mead,…
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Improving Urban Conservation in New Jersey
Flying over northern New Jersey isn’t easy. The airspace is complex, but that’s exactly where LightHawk volunteer pilot Mike McNamara flew with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in New Jersey, following the Passaic River through one of the most densely populated regions in the country. New Jersey may be the fourth smallest state in the nation,…
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Studying Nutrient-Rich Runoff in Florida with Flight
When you think of Florida, you picture clear blue water stretching beyond sandy beaches. But from above, a different story is unfolding. Across Florida Bay, sediment plumes and algal blooms are spreading, changing the color, clarity, and health of these waters. Working alongside scientists from Florida International University, LightHawk took to the air to help…
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Capturing a Condor’s Story of Survival
The return of California condors to Northern California is a story best understood from both the ground and the air. Their vast range stretches across rugged forests, mountains and coastline, connecting landscapes that are difficult to comprehend from any single vantage point. LightHawk recently flew conservation partner Natives Outdoors over Redwood National and State Parks…
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Aerial Insight into a Proposed Montana Data Center
When LightHawk volunteer pilot and staff member Chris Boyer took off earlier this month, his destination was a small agricultural town in central Montana. Broadview is home to about 150 people – farmers mostly. Their small town is attracting a lot of attention these days. A proposed 5,000-acre AI data center has raised concerns among…