The New York State Conservationist is a non-profit magazine published six times per year by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. It has a been published for the past 76 years and continues to offer subscribers interesting features and articles at a very reasonable price.
Conservationist does not pay market rates, but provides a modest honorarium for published contributions. Note: This does not generally apply to unsolicited images from the public that are used in the Letters or Briefly sections, or on Conservationist's Facebook page.
Articles of 1,500 words or more (maximum length 2,000 words): $100
Articles of fewer than 1,500 words: $50
Cover photos / original artwork: $50 - $100
Photography (color or black & white): $25 - $50
After publication, the contributor will be sent a payment form along with copies of the published magazine. Within approximately eight weeks of receipt of the completed and signed form, a check will be mailed.
Employees of DEC and other New York State agencies are NOT eligible to receive honorariums for a submission of materials from their areas of professional expertise or responsibility. However, they may be eligible for honorariums if the submissions are not part of their work product. For example, if someone in fisheries writes about a fish hatchery project, they would not be eligible. If someone in fisheries writes a story about a camping trip they took last summer and fishing in the Adirondacks, they would be paid for it.
Address submissions, query letters, and requests for information to:
Conservationist
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-4502
Telephone: 518-402-8047
Fax: 518-402-8050
email: [email protected]
All reasonable precautions will be taken to safeguard submissions, but Conservationist assumes no responsibility for lost or damaged submissions.
PLEASE NOTE: We strongly discourage submission of unsolicited manuscripts and suggest that the contributor first submit a query letter outlining the subject matter of the proposed article.
As an official publication of DEC, Conservationist reflects and interprets the missions and goals of DEC and New York State. Typical topics include fishing, hunting, natural history, nature viewing, and all forms of outdoor recreation. Other topics will be considered if they relate to the natural, environmental, cultural, or historical resources of New York State. Conservationist is not a scientific journal. It is intended for a lay audience. However, our readers rely on this magazine for scientific accuracy. Please be sure of your facts.
IMPORTANT: Submissions that do not adhere to the following guidelines will not be considered.
1. Manuscripts: Can be submitted via e-mail, in digital format, to: [email protected]. Do not use any special text formatting, page numbering, bolding, etc. Manuscripts should be accompanied by images (see below) whenever possible; alternatively, authors may suggest likely sources for relevant graphics. Note: Conservationist does not accept poetry.
2. Photographs: Photos can be submitted via e-mail to [email protected]. In order for consideration for inclusion in Conservationist, images must be high resolution. Digital photos should be sent as camera raw, or uncompressed jpeg files (at least 300 dpi) with a minimum size of 5" by 7". For each image, please be sure to provide captions, subject identification, and the name of the photographer. Please organize photos and captions carefully.
3. Artwork: High Resolution scans of original artwork will be accepted by email to [email protected]. Scans should be no smaller than 300 dpi at 8.5” x 11”.
4. Required information: All contributors must submit a two-sentence biography with their materials for our files. Example: John Doe is an account manager for Dusty Stocks, Inc. He enjoys hunting and fishing with his sons near their residence in Suffolk County. In addition, please provide your e-mail, phone, and mailing address.
5. Rights: Conservationist retains first publication rights. We can reuse articles (text and photos) or the entire publication as a whole. A contributor or photographer can have an article or photo(s) republished elsewhere individually. The magazine reserves the right to reproduce or reprint, with proper credit, its articles and features in other publications, on television, websites, and other media.
6. On hold: Because of our publication schedule and backlog of submissions, we cannot guarantee when or if an accepted submission will be published. All submissions will remain on file for an indefinite period unless the contributor requests return.
Click here to download a printer-friendly copy of the contributor's guide (PDF)
