Forrest Wilder

Forrest Wilder, a native of Wimberley, Texas, joined the Observer as a staff writer in 2005. Forrest specializes in environmental reporting and runs the “Forrest for the Trees” blog. Forrest has appeared on Democracy Now!, The Rachel Maddow Show and numerous NPR stations. His work has been mentioned by The New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker, Time magazine and many other state and national publications. Other than filing voluminous open records requests, Forrest enjoys fishing, kayaking, gardening and beer-league softball. He holds a bachelor's degree in anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin.

The ResponseAug 08, 2011
Texas Observer reporter Forrest Wilder provides video stills from The Response, Texas Governor Rick Perry’s, Aug. 6th prayer rally held in Houston. Read more [...] Full Story

Harold Simmons Wins Another Favor from the LegeMay 21, 2013
Every session, Harold Simmons' radioactive waste dump company comes to the Legislature with a new favor to ask. Every session Rep. Lon Burnam, a Fort Worth Democrat with a peace activist pedigree, puts up a spirited protest. And every session, Simmons—one of the state's most generous GOP donors—pretty much gets what he wants. Full Story
Instead of Tax Breaks for Yacht Owners, How About Closing Corporate Loopholes?May 14, 2013
If we need more money—and there’s no doubt we do—let’s undo the massive tax breaks, tax abatements, corporate loopholes and big-business giveaways before we start raising the sales tax. Full Story
A Last-Ditch Effort to Rein in Payday LoansMay 08, 2013
In a last-ditch effort to salvage payday loan reform, Rep. Mike Villarreal called on a recalcitrant Texas House committee to send legislation to the House. Full Story
Water, MUD and Beer: Recipe for an Explosive Hill Country Development FightMay 03, 2013
In hindsight, perhaps Greg LaMantia, a scion of a South Texas family who made its fortune as a regional Budweiser distributor, shouldn't have named his 5,000-acre spread near Wimberley "Needmore Ranch." Full Story
Give Us Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Huddled Masses—We Have Private Prisons to FillMay 01, 2013
Since 2005, immigration has been criminalized as never before. Full Story

Heavy MetalAug 01, 2012
On October 20, 2010, two investigators with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality climbed a smokestack at the Gulf Chemical & Metallurgical Corp. plant [...] Full Story
Washington Post Reporter Allows College Officials to Alter Story on Controversial TestJul 24, 2012
Updated Below (Thursday, July 26) In February, Daniel de Vise, a reporter for the Washington Post, arrived at the University of Texas at Austin [...] Full Story
Indictment Links Prominent Texas Family’s Horse Stable to Zetas Money-Laundering CaseJun 21, 2012
A prominent Texas family with connections to the state’s top officials is alleged to have purchased and boarded horses for a Mexican drug cartel [...] Full Story
The Sun Will Come Out TomorrowJun 10, 2012
Bill Sinkin has a knack for being ahead of his time. Fifty years ago, he headed the committee that brought HemisFair to San Antonio, [...] Full Story
Live Texas GOP Convention CoverageJun 08, 2012
Update at 5:10 p.m. Ted Cruz Brings a “Dogfight” to David Dewhurst Poor David Dewhurst. Try as he might, the lite-guv underwhelmed the tea [...] Full Story

Forrest Wilder

The ResponseAug 08, 2011

Harold Simmons Wins Another Favor from the LegeMay 21, 2013

Instead of Tax Breaks for Yacht Owners, How About Closing Corporate Loopholes?May 14, 2013

A Last-Ditch Effort to Rein in Payday LoansMay 08, 2013

Water, MUD and Beer: Recipe for an Explosive Hill Country Development FightMay 03, 2013

Give Us Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Huddled Masses—We Have Private Prisons to FillMay 01, 2013

Heavy MetalAug 01, 2012

Washington Post Reporter Allows College Officials to Alter Story on Controversial TestJul 24, 2012

Indictment Links Prominent Texas Family’s Horse Stable to Zetas Money-Laundering CaseJun 21, 2012

The Sun Will Come Out TomorrowJun 10, 2012

Live Texas GOP Convention CoverageJun 08, 2012