CARMEL RIVER WATERSHED - A VISUAL STORY

PROJECT WORKING TITLE – “It takes a village to save a river”

VISION

We will create a visual story that documents the water stress issues faced by the Carmel River Watershed, its impact on the local community and wildlife, and the collective efforts to save the river. Through captivating imagery and storytelling, this project aims to foster awareness and amplify the outreach and impact of local conservation organizations.

TEAM

I am a conservation storyteller and wildlife biologist and have published in magazines such as Audubon and Hakai. Over the past three years, I produced interactive websites about the Carmel River Watershed conservation in partnership with Carmel River Watershed Conservancy.

 Currently, the project has the following partner organizations: Hastings Natural History Reservation (University of California Berkeley), Carmel River Steelhead Association, Carmel River Watershed Conservancy, and Santa Lucia Conservancy.

IMPACT

We hope to raise awareness about the Carmel River's current health and the species that depend on it, with a special focus on the Steelhead trout, and the water stress that affects the local community. We hope this will lead to behavioral change, lessening the human-wildlife conflict, and garnering community support for the conservation of the river.

TIMELINE

January - December – 2024 • Document the wildlife’s water scarcity struggles to survive such as: documenting the animals' search for drinking water with the use of camera traps, documenting the struggle for steelhead to reproduce and survive in the Carmel River • Shoot the work performed by the environmental organizations such as: the rescue of the steelhead young from drying waters, the environmental education programs bringing awareness to the youth • Shoot the water stress issues in the Carmel Valley and Monterey Peninsula community.

December 2024 • Send portfolio of images to project partners and selected stakeholders. The images will be used for communication and outreach purposes.

January-April 2025 • Launch a photography exhibit during California Wildlife Day 2025.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

We are currently requesting help to cover the financial costs of the project. The goal is $20,000 in funds. We have a tier of contributions that is as follows:

Tier 1: $1000 to $2500 dollars. Aimed at organizations, this gives you a prominent display of your organization logo during the photography exhibit.

Tier 2: $500 to $1000 dollars. Aimed at organizations, this gives you the display of your organization logo during the photography exhibit.

Tier 3: $50 to $500 dollars. Aimed at individuals, this gives you a printed picture and a thank you note.