Stories from the Southern High Plains
About the Project
Grassland Guardians: Stories from the Southern High Plains explores efforts to protect one of North America’s largest remaining grassland ecosystems. Despite growing threats, local stewards are preserving this vital landscape through research, sustainable land use, and community-based conservation.
Working with Neon Raven Story Labs as cinematographers and editors. This project tells the story
Dir
About the project
In the remote island state of Tasmania, Australia, vast colonies of blue penguins, the world’s smallest penguin, lead dramatic lives. When they are not dodging seals, scouring the oceans for krill, or learning to live amongst their human neighbors, they are waddling around looking for love.
These tiny penguins have big hearts, selecting their mates with care and doting on them with diligence. Unfortunately. Not all their relationships work out. In fact, upwards of 50 percent of pairings end in divorce. Little Penguin Love tells the story of a recently divorced male blue penguin, hoping to get a second chance at love and explores the love that local people have for this adorable bird. This film will be available September 26th, 2024 only on Curiosity Stream.
Director: Annie Roth
Producer: Alex Goetz & Justin Grubb
Cinematography: Alex Goetz & Justin Grubb
A Running Wild Media Film
In the wide expanse of Colorado's Southern High Plains, Steve and Joy Wooten, owners of Beatty Canyon Ranch, have spent their lives nurturing the land. As multi-generational ranchers, the Wootens have focused on ways to future-proof their ranch in the face of climate change impacts - including drought and storms. Creating a conservation easement - a voluntary, legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust that preserves the land - has helped bring resources and wildlife back to their property, and ensures a future for their children and grandchildren. The Nature Conservancy works with landowners across The Southern High Plains to help protect both the land and livelihoods within this critical grassland ecosystem. This film was made possible with generous support from USDA, NRCS and all our partners.
A roughly 71-million-acre region stretching across Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, known as the Southern High Plains, remains one of North America's largest intact and connected grassland landscapes. The Nature Conservancy is working to protect habitat across this multi-state area so that its unique ecosystem of specialized plants and animals can thrive. This film was made possible with generous support from USDA, NRCS and all our partners.