Naturalist Audrey Benedict has been a High Country News supporter for over 35 years and a major donor for more than a decade. The couple shared a reverence for the natural world and a passion for science education and environmental conservation. (Find out more about Cloud Ridge Naturalists and Cloud Ridge Publishing.) One of the most significant ways HCN can expand its reach, she added, is through its Western Environmental Reporting Collaborative (WERC). This article appeared in the August 2026 print edition of the magazine with the headline “A longtime donor gives back.”