a zookeeper dropped a frozen clam into the pool, waiting patiently as the family of four swam over. this was no ordinary family, but a group of north american river otters, made up of a mother and her three babies. the father is not involved in the rearing of these youths, and may be sent to breed with the denizens of other zoos if he and the mother do not get along well when their children are grown.

“i was always passionate about animals, and once i started working with otters that transferred over, it took on a life of its own” said david hamilton, general curator at seneca park zoo and species survival plan coordinator. “i became the otter guy”.

overcoming historical challenges

as we watched the otters playing in their pool, we were discussing the importance of transferring these otters between zoos to breed in larger otter conservation efforts. north american river otters are an indicator species, meaning that if their population declines in their natural ranges, it signifies broader issues in that ecosystem. thus, the local extinction of the species in western new york for nearly 60 years was a major influence in provoking programs to examine waterways in the area and to begin their clean-up.

hamilton, who organizes the placement of otters in different facilities and closely monitors the otter populations in monroe county through the zoo, explains the historical origins of this issue. “it started off that there weren’t any checks on trapping,” he said. “that was bad news in the early 1800s and 1900s, with the fur trade.”

however, exploitation by the fashion industry was not the only plague that industrialization brought to river otter populations in the region. companies like kodak, which is headquartered in rochester, new york, have generated immense toxic waste which, according to studies by houghton college, have continued to poison local waters and food webs. furthermore, urban sprawl has continued to cause deforestation, shrinking the range available to otters. thus, it is no surprise that their populations almost completely disappeared, either dying out or migrating to the adirondacks and catskills.

“otters don’t follow that kind of migration pattern,” hamilton said. “and they’re one of the main predators of those non-game fish. so when they leave like that, it’s like the wolves of yellowstone – the fish populations blow up, and the ecosystems can’t take it.”

a comeback story unlike any otter

beginning in the 1990s, the new york state department of environmental conservation launched a project working with zoos like seneca park to return otters back to western new york. as a matter of fact, similar methods were being used across the country as otters were reintroduced to clean waterways.

most regions did not have as local a source of otters as western new york did, so many conservation efforts had to bring individuals from farther areas with particularly large and dense populations, such as louisiana. these were employed gradually so that their fitness could be surveyed in new and unfamiliar regions, safely transferred to farther regions like new england and the west coast. however, such movements presented a major problem. 

to solve the issue of population loss, programs needed more research about the causes of otters’ disappearances.  “we looked up the information about river otters and saw that there was a huge data gap,” said megan isadore, co-founder and director of the nonprofit organization the river otter ecology project.

the river otter ecology project was formed in marin county, california, around 2012, in the midst of these government-funded transfer programs. isadore, an enthusiastic and self-taught watershed ecologist, realized that although these programs were based in sound theory, there was very little accurate monitoring going on in california. however, she knew firsthand that anyone could easily become infatuated enough with otters to help without a scientific background, and so developed a solution.

“community science is really exciting to people because anyone can be a scientist,” she said of her organization’s “otter spotter” program. “we help people to understand that science is not just for eggheads sitting at their computers; it’s for all of us out there noticing what’s going on.”

over the last 13 years, using mapping technology and surveying, the project has gathered a remarkable amount of data from people who have reported sightings of otters in the marin county through their otter spotter program.

seeing that populations were truly on the rise, this monitoring began to spread further around the san francisco area, where the new data could inform policy and regulation that has continued to protect the species and clean the waterways.

now, the river otter ecology project is working with several grassroots nonprofits across the country to develop similar maps of otter populations, highlighting the areas that still need further attention – an undertaking made possible by the efforts of local communities collaborating with researchers out of the love for the otters.

the seneca park zoo has borrowed these methods, using similar technology and community reporting to check on the health and population of the otters of western new york. today, this research is focused on whether or not the otters still need intervention; and the outcomes, so far, are very promising.

“i’m monitoring to see whether these populations are sustainable now,” hamilton said. 

as they do, they will continue to help otter populations grow by nurturing their families at zoos across   the nation.

the university of washington (uw) offered a screening of “these sacred hills” on nov. 6, 2025, sponsored by the burke museum, the nature conservancy washington state, uw center for nature and health, uw department of history, and uw school of environmental and forestry sciences.

the documentary featured elected member of the yakama nation council jeremy takala, rock creek band elder elaine howtapat, rock creek band chief bronsco jim jr., and rock creek band activist and uw alumnus elaine harvey. the film was directed by jacob bailey and christopher ward, and is centered around the implications of the northwest’s largest proposed pumped storage facility.

according to the documentary, the energy storage project would be located in goldendale, washington, and would destroy five indigenous archaeological sites, as well as three cultural ones.

“these sacred hills,” which alternated scenes of indigenous cultural practices, public hearings, and interviews with tribal members, followed the broader trend of the “green rush,” or influx of clean energy development, in washington.

there has been increasing pressure for emitters in washington state to decarbonize, especially following the climate commitment act (cca), passed in 2021.

the cca, according to indigenous affairs reporter b. ‘toastie’ oaster at high country news, contained a provision prior to its passing that granted tribes the right to consent to development on sacred lands. on the day of the bill’s passing, after the cca had been approved by the governor’s office, state legislators, and a coalition of 19 tribes, governor jay inslee vetoed all tribal civil rights provisions. 

“there’s nothing out there protecting indigenous rights,” oaster said.

the treaty of 1855 granted tribes the right to hunt, fish, and gather on public lands. the privatization of land, compounded with resource depletion, have increasingly threatened indigenous ways of life.

yakama nation peoples have been overlooked and displaced numerous times throughout history, as outlined in the documentary.

in 1941, after the attack on pearl harbor, tribes residing in the pine creek canyon were forced to relocate so that the area could be used for war plane target training. in 1971, subsequent to the completion of the john day dam, the army corps of engineers informed the rock creek band that they must relocate so that the area could be flooded.

protection of indigenous sacred lands, despite being a united nations standard, is absent in state and federal law in the united states.

the united states geological survey began assessing the columbia river for hydroelectric storage in 1967. klickitat county began working on the goldendale energy storage project in 2008, with the initial goal of completing it through their public utilities district. it wasn’t until several years into the process that the yakama nation was even notified of the proposal, giving them less than 60 days to conduct surveys on the site and give comment.

renewable energy in washington is usually developed on “low value” or low biodiversity land. but these lands often contain critical resources for tribes. according to the documentary, the goldendale energy storage project would be incredibly detrimental to the local shrub steppe habitat.

the goldendale energy storage project is just one of nearly 50 proposed renewable energy projects in the state, many of which overlap with yakama or colville reservations in eastern washington.

this history and sense of urgency was conveyed throughout “these sacred hills;” nearly every scene spanning the natural area of the yakama nation contained imagery of wind turbines.

rye development, the company leading the goldendale energy storage project, brought oaster to tour the project site. though they stressed the importance of indigenous rights, according to oaster, they also spoke of displacement almost as if it were inevitable, “us[ing] the rhetoric of manifest destiny.”

tribes are not against renewable energy, harvey emphasized. they are in favor of “responsible decarbonization,” which should respect tribal sovereignty.

while filming “these sacred hills,” tribal members had to share personal parts of their culture in order to encourage respect and understanding for tribal sovereignty.

the documentary was made with the intention to spread awareness, according to harvey. it’s been screened to the washington department of ecology, and will be screened to legislators in the future.

“we hope that this deepens the conversation about green energy,” bailey said.

as of november 2024, rye development plans to break ground on the goldendale energy storage project in 2026. according to the documentary, the federal energy regulatory commission has never directly consulted the yakama nation on the project.

a study published aug. 4 in nature ecology & evolution outlines a recent breakthrough in sea star wasting disease (sswd) research: scientists have identified a causative agent.

sswd emerged unexpectedly in 2013 and quickly spread along the pacific coast. it destroys the tissue within sea stars, deforming their arms and causing them to break off. since 2013, it has killed billions of sea stars, including more than 90% of sunflower sea stars.

especially on the coast of california, sunflower sea star populations have been decimated, causing trophic cascades in kelp forest ecosystems. die-offs have led to a boom in sea urchins, which have then depleted kelp, their primary food source.

“there’s a lot of regions along the california coast where the kelp forests are severely declined and that has huge impacts,” a doctoral student in the school of aquatic and fisheries sciences, grace crandall, said.

kelp acts as a carbon sink, making it crucial for combating global warming, crandall explained.

a 2014 study suggested a virus as the causative agent of sswd, leading initial research in that direction. instead, the causation was found to be a bacterium known as vibrio pectenicida.

researchers used a method known as koch’s postulate to identify the cause of sswd. they began by performing a series of experiments to identify whether the disease was transmissible. they then boiled a sample of coelomic fluid, which is comparable to the human bloodstream, of the diseased sea star to determine whether the cause was alive. the boiled sample was no longer infectious, suggesting that the disease is caused by a living source, rather than environmental conditions.

researchers used a subtractive technique to isolate the causative agent; they removed everything from the diseased sample that was also highly present in the healthy sample.

“there’s this one type of bacteria that was hugely abundant in these sick stars that was not present in the healthy stars,” jason hodin, a senior research scientist at friday harbor labs (fhl), said.

this finding was a match for vibrio pectenicida fhcf-3, the same genus of bacteria that causes cholera (vibrio cholerae) in humans.

in early 2024, there was an outbreak of sswd at the friday harbor laboratories (fhl), a uw marine research station. scientists were able to isolate the full sequence of the bacterium from that sample for the first time

“the title of the paper talks about a strain called fhcf-3, and the fh in that is friday harbor,” hodin said.

the bacterium found in sea stars afflicted with sswd was a match to a scallop larval culture in france, indicating that it may have jumped species. identifying what drove the outbreak in sea stars is a next step for the research, according to hodin.

researchers are also looking to breed sea stars with more resistance to the disease. ochre stars, for instance, are already showing signs of recovery, indicating that they’ve developed some resistance to sswd. by breeding the most resistant stars, scientists could utilize artificial selection for recovery efforts. additionally, researchers could inject sea stars with a low dose of sswd, which would function similarly to a vaccine. however, scientists are uncertain whether sea stars’ immune systems work in a way that would be amenable to this.

a treatment for the disease has already been developed by the oregon coast aquarium. the process involves altering environmental conditions so that sea stars have the strength to fight off the disease themselves.

“[sea stars] are actually very robust and adaptable organisms, but they have this specific sensitivity to this disease,” hodin said.

to treat sswd, scientists put the sea stars in cooler water, adjust the ph, clean their wounds using iodine, and add probiotics to the water to support the sea stars’ microbiomes.

that afflicted sea stars heal in colder water is one piece of evidence of a correlation between sswd and warmer water temperatures.

“in 2014, there was a massive marine heat wave that coincided with the outbreak of this disease,” hodin said.

exploring this correlation is another next step for researchers.

if you stumble upon a diseased sea star while tidepooling, crandall suggests documenting it with an app like inaturalist.

“a way that people can help is if they see a sea star that looks like it’s sort of melting or has white spots or its arms are twisted up, to not touch it,” crandall said.

if you do touch the diseased sea star, wash your hands before touching anything else to prevent transmission, crandall recommends.

i grew up in fulton, new york, and have seen firsthand the impacts on our local lake. lake neatahwanta is a 715-acre lake. the lake has faced pollution, water quality, and algae-bloom issues for decades.

i hope that by watching this video, viewers can better understand the driving factors of the eutrophication (or the presence of excessive nutrients) of the body of water, what has been done to try to revitalize it, as well as current hopes and plans to help get the waters quality, and toxic blue-green algae blooms under control.

in 2008, ecuador became the first nation in the world to enshrine the rights of nature in its constitution. these articles, which grant ecosystems the legally enforceable right to exist, flourish, and regenerate, reflect deeply held indigenous andean values of ecologically balanced and socially responsible living. they also empower humans to petition on behalf of nature, seeking justice when its rights are violated. 

it is not surprising, then, that the galápagos islands — located about 600 miles west of the mainland of ecuador — are highly protected as part of ecuador’s galápagos national park and marine reserve. scattered across either side of the equator, this archipelago of volcanic islands is home to numerous species that have played a pivotal role in shaping how we now understand the history of life on our planet. it was on the galápagos islands that naturalist charles darwin made several astute observations that contributed to his theory of evolution by natural selection. 

on july 18, 2025, four planet forward storyfest winners embarked on a 9-day expedition around the galápagos islands aboard the national geographic gemini with lindblad expeditions. the students were joined by dr. imani m. cheers, director of academic adventures at planet forward, and jamila o’hara, its assistant editor/program coordinator to help guide the students in their stories. 

throughout the week, the winners worked on brand new stories, reporting straight from the islands of santa cruz, isabela, santiago, fernandina, and rabida, among others. this small group represents a remarkable diversity of interests and focus areas: from highlighting the perspectives of galapagueño freedivers and fishers to investigating how food is sourced sustainably onboard the gemini itself, they are telling stories that are important, timely, and rich with unique insights from their adventures. 

this year’s group of travelers also shared their own personal and cultural backgrounds with each other and with the expedition — an exchange of perspectives that enriched all of our experiences onboard. two of the winners are part of the ilíiaitchik: indigenous correspondents program at planet forward; one student, who has roots in south america, returned to the continent for the first time in over a decade and will be producing a spanish-language audio piece; a winner from guam brought his diving expertise to islands in a new region of the world.

beyond gathering interviews, images, and inspiration for their work, these students embraced every opportunity to engage closely with the archipelago’s rich history, natural wonders, and local communities. whether kayaking along the rocky shores of isabela island, exploring shops in puerto ayora, relaxing on the beach next to napping sea lions, or capturing stunning underwater footage while snorkeling, the winners took full advantage of the week’s jam-packed itinerary — and the knowledge of the gemini’s expert team of naturalists. there was certainly no shortage of awe-inspiring moments during this expedition. 

it is fitting that the galápagos islands, which have been pivotal in shaping our understanding of natural history, continue to be an exemplar of truly thoughtful and rigorous conservation efforts. the planet forward students not only relished the opportunity to spend time in close proximity to such incredible flora and fauna, but also found inspiration in the deep reverence that the naturalists, crew, and locals all have for the archipelago and all that resides there. this shared dedication to protecting and preserving the biodiversity of the galápagos can serve as a reminder to us all: care and compassion for all beings is crucial to the next chapter of conservation. 

the planet forward team is incredibly grateful to have had this transformative experience and we hope that the students’ stories will energize and inspire you as well. just as ecuador’s constitution puts forth: we must all be guardians and advocates on behalf of our planet. 

editor’s note: lindblad expeditions, our planet forward storyfest competition partner, made this series possible by providing winners with an experiential learning opportunity aboard one of their ships. we thank lindblad expeditions for their support of our project.

these are the words of sarah stroup, ph.d., director of the conflict transformation collaborative at middlebury college, spoken as she closed out day 1 of the 2025 planet forward summit, held april 17 and 18 in washington, dc. 

hearing people’s stories, through deep listening and by extending curiosity, is a key way to connect with others, help find common ground — and find a path to understanding. and that connection, forged through the power of storytelling, was a theme heard throughout the 12th annual summit. 

more than 300 in-person attendees and students from 50-plus colleges and universities joined planet forward at the george washington university for two days of inspiring talks, invigorating panels, and enlightening workshops centered around this year’s summit theme: “the climate divide: new narratives to transform the crisis.”

the 2025 event was presented in association with the conflict transformation collaborative, a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to addressing and combating the increasing levels of divisiveness present in much of the world today. 

stroup and netta avineri, ph.d., both leaders in the collaborative, kicked off the summit by explaining that everyone experiences conflict, but that it doesn’t need to be a scary thing. in fact, stroup said, conflict can actually be productive — if we approach it the right way.

“you may have heard the phrase, ‘facts don’t change minds, stories do,’” stroup said. “this insight that stories can foster curiosity and complexity informs all sorts of interventions, like solutions journalism. if we are able to shift the stories that we tell, we can take a step toward more constructive conflict.”

our panels on thursday brought together students, storytellers, and scientists for discussions about navigating conflict, communicating complex data, preserving and respecting traditions, and connecting with people with different perspectives.

a keynote from environmental filmmaker bilal motley highlighted the importance of citizen journalism and recognizing the value of your unique perspective and voice as an environmental storyteller. 

“use what you have,” motley said. “use what you have and tell these stories … you are the answer.”

thursday’s discussions all had one central idea in mind: conflict doesn’t need to be something that we shy away from, especially if we’re equipped with the tools to deal with it in a productive manner. while many attendees began the day viewing conflict as something to be avoided because it made some feel uneasy, most left thursday’s discussions with a much more optimistic outlook on their abilities to approach it productively and constructively.

during thursday’s programming, planet forward also announced two new student experiential learning initiatives. 

first, a partnership between mystic aquarium and the gw alliance for a sustainable future that will send two gw students to mystic, conn., for an 8-week science storytelling fellowship at the aquarium this summer.

“[the fellows] will have access to all aspects of our mission,” said allison d. tuttle, chief zoological officer at mystic aquarium. “we’re going to show them everything: how we inspire our guests, how we educate and engage the public, our citizen science efforts, our world-class animal care and our conservation research. it’ll be a smorgasbord of elements for them to explore, reflect on and choose from. then, they’ll create a piece to tell the story of their choosing.”

the second is a storytelling expedition to the ted turner reserves in new mexico, where a group of students will join planet forward for five days of honing their visual storytelling skills in the remote and wild landscapes of the southwest.

day 1 of the summit ended on a high as the storyfest winners were announced, each of whom will be joining planet forward and lindblad expeditions on a storytelling adventure to the galápagos islands this summer. 

day 2 of the summit began with an inspiring keynote from renowned climate activist and author bill mckibben.

“the fossil fuel industry has so much money and so much power that they were able to figure out how to keep their business model going even when it became clear that it was ruining the earth,” mckibben said. “in the absence of billions of dollars, the only currency that will work is the currency of movements of getting people together to get things done … we can do that work, but only if we build momentum, and that, at some level, is a process of telling stories.”

mckibben’s talk was followed by workshops that engaged students and attendees on a range of topics from creating careers in a changing climate, to centering cultural storytelling in filmmaking, to presenting data in an easily digestible, audience-first manner.

this year’s summit brought together some of the best and the brightest in the worlds of storytelling, science, and conflict transformation. the two days of inspiring conversations instilled in the audience a renewed hope that we can use our voices to continue moving the planet forward.

these are unprecedented times and this year’s storyfest winners have risen to the challenge. from environmental justice to raging fires and rising seas, these students have produced stories that inform and inspire.

this year’s winners will embark this summer on a 10-day voyage to the galápagos islands with lindblad expeditions aboard the brand’s newest ship, national geographic gemini. guided by veteran expedition staff, including expert naturalists and scientists, plus educators, students will explore the extraordinary biodiversity of the archipelago and gain valuable insight into conservation efforts at the frontlines of climate and ecological change.

“travel has the power to open minds and build bridges of connection and understanding. it also has the power to influence how human beings engage with the natural world,” said amy berquist, vice president of conservation, education, and sustainability at lindblad expeditions. 

these outstanding student storytellers represent colleges and universities across the globe. through short films, social media videos, podcasts, longform writing, and multimedia packages, they tackled pressing topics like invasive species, emerging contaminants, and equitable access to nature. their work was selected by a panel of professional journalists, educators, and environmental leaders for its originality, clarity, and impact.

“we are honored to sponsor the planet forward storyfest awards for an eighth year,” berquist said. “the college and university storytellers who win this expedition experience are important voices for our planet; their stories will center on issues that shape the future.

“as a company that believes in the power of science and education — and making our ships available as platforms for research and learning — we are always inspired by hosting students. it is an honor to facilitate a way for them to use their energy and talents in support of the world’s wild and remote places.”

the winners’ stories illustrate the power of compelling environmental communication. above all, the 2025 storyfest winners give us hope on our journey to 2022年卡塔尔世界杯官网 . a hearty congratulations to our winners:

best short video
farron taijeron – university of guam 
“swimming with snakes: the backyard science of an invasive species in guam”

best social media video
mario castroviejo  – university of navarra | the george washington university
“how climate change impacts one of our favorite sweets: chocolate”

best podcast
avril silva – the george washington university
“a pfas problem: emerging contaminants in water in frederick, maryland”

best multimedia story
devin santikarma – middlebury college
“water gods: an ancient irrigation method in bali comes under threat”

best written story
kayla smernoff – howard university
“understanding the demographic discrepancy in park visitorship”

gw award
paul leoni – the george washington university
“cutting through the fog: the future of lobsters in the warming gulf of maine”

spotlight award
karli moore – stanford university 
“a native farmer growing a native crop: the role of fiber hemp in a more sustainable future”

fan favorite award 
sagen lily quale – university of wisconsin-madison
“seeding stories: manoomin and anishinaabeg relations”

with politics ever-changing, how we view our environment should not be impacted. simple understandings aim to find common ground for everyone while taking a deeper look at how the next generation of leaders understand our environment today. in this story, learn how high school students from upstate new york, to vieques, puerto rico are engaging with environmentalism at pivotal points in their lives.

check out the full story by clicking on the image below!

this video is an investigation into the relationship between art, science, and the environment, aiming to emphasize the importance of using art to convey science, particularly in the environmental sciences. this story is told through an interview with bonnie monteleone, co-founder of the plastic ocean project, a non-profit focused on the plastic pollution crisis based in wilmington, north carolina.

their mission is based on three pillars: scientific research, artistic storytelling, and collaborative solutions. monteleone, an artist at heart, created the traveling art exhibit “what goes around, comes around”, a mural made of plastic waste collected from the ocean in the shape of “the great wave of kanagawa” by katsushika hokusai.

monteleone is an expert in merging the arts and sciences in environmental storytelling and emphasizes the importance of using art to convey science, “it’s this little dance that we’re constantly doing, just so hungry to share, to communicate with one another. and that’s where, when i started this conversation the science was locked up, and helping people understand how horrible we were treating the ocean because we weren’t communicating.”

access to electricity is already unstable for much of the world and economic inequality has been rising exponentially. in addition to the human equity side of this issue, the foundation of our electrical supply is one of the driving forces of climate change and the sixth mass extinction.

whether it be knowledge about our nervous system or potato radios, most people are familiar with the presence of electricity in organisms. last year, our biodesign team at the university of richmond outlined a plan to explore this as a renewable energy source, centering the invasive species english ivy.

a foot long clipping of the vine from right behind the university’s library produced over 0.5 v. while small, this is a notable amount of electricity which can theoretically be scaled up with biomass, as well as stabilized with capacitors, and stored in batteries.

few of us in this day and age would do well without electronics for a month; imagine losing everything from your phone to washing machine to heating. yet all of us come from places affected by natural disasters, climate change, poverty, or other forms of instability.

a “grassroots” power source has the potential to alleviate the financial and physical burdens of the most vulnerable populations. this project is an interdisciplinary study of biology, electrical engineering, design thinking, and sustainability with the purpose of making electricity environmentally sustainable and socially conscious.