DOCUMENTARY PROJECTS
Festival of Trees
Queuña Raymi is an annual tree-planting festival in the high Andes of Peru. Polylepis forests play a vital role in ensuring glacial melt and precipitation are captured in their watersheds, but as global temperatures increase, meltwater from receding glaciers becomes less and less available. Restoring these forests to offset diminishing water resources is crucial for the survival of highland communities. Multiple villages come together to sow 100,000 trees in a single day. From children to the elders, everyone in the community climbs steep mountains to plant saplings so that future generations will have access to water.
Goose Conflict
In Summer of 2019, I spent 5 months in Sweden doing fieldwork research for my master's thesis. The project focused on growing conflicts between farmers and migrating bird populations that graze in agricultural landscapes. Tagging geese with radio collars has become essential in identifying shifts in movement and foraging behavior that are primarily caused by climate change. This collection of images highlights the beautiful landscapes surrounding field sites, and scientific work conducted during the research process.
Takaka
Takaka is a small town in Golden Bay, New Zealand - an idyllic valley that lies on the South Island's northern most tip. The community comprises a diverse mix of sustainably minded people from around the globe that choose to pursue alternative lifestyles. This is a collection of photos showcasing the incredible humans I met while living in Takaka from 2015-2016.
How Human
The Celebes crested macaque (Macaca nigra) is a critically endangered species endemic to the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Researchers in Tangkoko Nature Reserve are racing to save the Old World monkeys from extinction, however deforestation and poaching continue to threaten remaining populations. In 2014, I spent a week in the jungle with scientists documenting this incredible species, resulting in a series of images that demonstrate undeniably human-like expressions and behaviors of our wild cousins.
