The Wright-Ingraham Institute

03/27/2026

In our latest issue of the Integrative Futures (IF) Substack, as a record-breaking heatwave grips the American West, intensifying drought conditions in the region, Frank Miller shares reflections and research from the StudyTank: Colorado River Basin Project.

“The Colorado River Basin encompasses 7 U.S. states, 29 tribal nations, over five million acres of irrigated farmland, and 40 million people. The Colorado is the most over-allocated river in the world, promised to more users than it can supply. It is also at the center of what is arguably one of the most consequential environmental negotiations in American history.”

Read the post via the link in our bio!

03/05/2026

Last week, our team (ED Tal Beery & Field Workshop Program Director Frida Foberg) hit the road to Northern New Mexico + Colorado’s San Luis Valley and came home energized (and honestly, pretty blown away) by the generosity, insight, and care folks shared with them.

In Española, they joined the 2-3-2 Cohesive Strategy Partnership, and were thankful to the leadership and vision of Lily Bruce, Cody Dems, and the Forest Stewards Guild. Santa Clara Pueblo Gov. James Naranjo opened with: “we are the unborn our ancestors prayed for.” How beautiful is that??!

In Taos, conversations with Layne Jackson Hubbard (Futuros Ancestral) and J. Matthew Thomas (Paseo Project) sharpened how the Institute is weaving culture, land stewardship, and community capacity into the upcoming 2026 Field Workshop. A site visit with Darien Fernandez and Avery Blair at Taos Land Trust helped lock in some key pieces of the program development.

Finally, in the San Luis Valley, the team met with our partners and presenters across soil health, water governance, and groundwater - CSU Extension-SLV, Soil Health Services, Rio Grande Water Conservation District, Mosca-Hooper Conservation District, the Salazar Center/Adams State, Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust, and more. So much deep knowledge and long-term commitment to land and water in this region.

Grateful for everyone who welcomed us. July 2026 in the SLV and Northern NM is going to be amazing. More soon. ✨

02/27/2026

Howdy Friends, we have jumped on the Substack bandwagon! Sign up (link in bio) to receive Integrative Futures every month to learn about the sticky issues and research questions animating our work at the Institute. ⁠
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Integrative Future is a space where we can reflect on the background conditions, internal questions, and unresolved tensions that shape our work. It’s where we can think in public about interdisciplinary collaboration, institutional design, intellectual risk, and the messy realities behind integrative science and practice. This substack will focus on process.⁠
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We almost called the Substack “Hard Problems Club” because that’s what keeps us going in this work. At the Institute, we focus on the complex and sticky problems that can’t be easily solved. But Integrative Futures is also about our focus on integrative studies — putting things together in a world where things may seem to be falling apart.⁠
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07/03/2025

Next Week – Working the Llano Sin Agua in Antonito, CO https://mailchi.mp/wright-ingraham/untitled-18157040

07/02/2025

Join us TODAY at 12 PM MST / 2 PM EST for "Water, Land, and Life: Adaptation and Regeneration in the San Luis Valley" - https://mailchi.mp/wright-ingraham/slv-webinar-18156994

12/03/2024

Double Your Donation: Support Ideas That Shape Our Future - https://mailchi.mp/wright-ingraham/grant-2023-18152983

11/26/2024

Have you ever had an ‘aha’ moment, when an exciting new idea emerged from a set of complex problems? The Wright-Ingraham Institute is developing unique ways of sparking more of those moments—critical for navigating the pressing environmental, social, and technological issues of our time. Bringing together varied perspectives, we uncover valuable insights that help communities adapt and thrive in a complex, interconnected world. This work builds on the important legacy of our founder, Elizabeth Wright Ingraham, who understood the value of thoughtful, interdisciplinary approaches long before they became mainstream.

Today, we continue this mission with initiatives like our 2024 Field Station program, Nexus of Land and Water in Southern Colorado, and our Drought Interfaces online tool—a cutting-edge resource helping communities navigate the impacts of drought in the American Southwest. Your support advances efforts like these, and furthers the Institute’s work to create new and much-needed opportunities for leaders in interdisciplinary research.

In the words of a recent collaborator: “Field Stations was a life-changing experience for me—one which will inform my professional and personal trajectory for years to come. I am so thankful for the lessons I learned!” This transformational impact on future leaders is only possible because of donors like you.

Our aim is to raise $30,000 by the end of the year. As we approach the year’s end, I invite you to make a gift that ensures WII can continue to lead and inspire in 2024 and beyond. Your support helps the Institute continue its work to address complex ecological challenges, and sustains our legacy of innovation and impact.

Support our work by making a one-time or recurring donation through the link in our bio.

Image: Our San Luis Valley team prepares their presentation for the Nexus of Land and Water Symposium this October in Cortez, Colorado at the Center for Earth Theology. From left: Angie Mestas, Patrick O’Neill, Madeline Wilson, Seth Denizen. (Credit: Heidi Steltzer)

11/14/2024

11/14/2024

"Downright compelling and super informative": Exciting press and a report-back on our recent Nexus of Land and Water symposium in Cortez, CO. - https://mailchi.mp/wright-ingraham/grant-2023-18152591

10/23/2024

One Week Away: Nexus of Land and Water Symposium - https://mailchi.mp/wright-ingraham/grant-2023-18152220