I've been developing a Western conservation project for the last two years, while seeking funding to go full speed. It hasn't been easy - conservation funding has been down roughly 30% across the board during the recession, but is starting to swing back again. I'm making progress and working with conservation leaders across the West.
The project goal is to protect and link important Western habitats in the sagebrush ecosystem during the energy rush. I'm focusing on threatened and imperiled species, the remarkable wildlife diversity, and places that are simply too special to drill and develop.... and there's a lot more development coming, making respoinsible land management more important than ever.
Extremely well stated and, with beautiful images also.
Posted by Don Grall on February 19, 2011 at 1:44 PM
Excellent, excellent stuff, Dave. I love how the stills were zoomed in and zoomed out on as if taken with a video camera, special software? The topic is also well defined by the imagery which was just outstanding.
Posted by Craig Myers on February 19, 2011 at 1:46 PM
Dave,
I think your video is an effective way to get your word out. The images are really great. I think the editing of the video works well for the first 1:40. After that there is little dramatazation of the despoilation of the habitat. I would suggest interspersing a hand of man image for every 2 or 3 nature images in the back half of the video--keep hammering away at the theme of this is what is going on and this is what you've got to lose. Thanks for all you do. CM
Posted by Rene Pirolt on February 19, 2011 at 3:24 PM
Very nicely done, Dave.
Posted by Lance Burch on February 19, 2011 at 4:38 PM
Don - I used Fotomagico Pro and an inexpensive Blue Snowflake mic. The software works really well with Mac.
Craig - I really appreciate the critique and have much to learn about multimedia. The story board is 1. a few inconic Western images. 2. Frame the issues with narration and show industrialization... leading into man helping wildlife 3. Show as much beauty and diversity as time will permit. It's an introductory video and there will be more multimedia pieces over the several years I'll be working on the project. The development work has been done on an extremely tight budget and I have big plans that will include all of the stakeholders. By the time there's a book, we'll have a very polished presentation. My conservation partners have been pleased and the video is on 4-5 different sites right now.
Posted by Jesse Speer on February 20, 2011 at 2:31 PM
Congrats Dave. Moving right along! Can't wait to see the book.
Posted by Morris McClung on February 20, 2011 at 6:20 PM
Extremely well presented and great shots throughout. Good luck.
Yes, I see and hear about how land is being destroyed and the beautiful views clouded by windmills, dams, drilling, etc., but don't we need all this to support the world population explosion of today? Soon there want be any space for animals at all, but what can we humans do? Limit the number of children born, but most say- that's against our constitutional rights. Soooooo sad, but there just doesn't seem to be an answer, except for folks like you who keep pointing out about how fast all lands are being gobbled up by commercialism,including farm land, animal habitat, natural water basins and the number keeps growing.Keep up the good work, Dave, well done.
Posted by Dan Walters on February 21, 2011 at 1:15 PM
Great images and very informative. I hope this brings a lot of awareness to this problem.
Yep, population is the elephant in the room, isn't it? Seven billion people on earth puts a strain on everything. My approach is not to see things as absolutes - it's not my place to say what's evil and what isn't. But if science guides our decisions, things get a heckuva lot simpler. Unfortunately, we had a stretch where science wasn't part of the process and sensitive lands were given away. So, we have to buy some leases back where it makes sense. I'm not anti-drilling, anti-wind, or anti-grazing... I'm for protecting the most important places, connecting habitat, respecting law that protects wildlife and people, and leaving something for future generations. Pretty simple.
Posted by Kurt Bowman on February 22, 2011 at 6:51 PM
Good to know we have someone like you Dave who is so passionate about our wilderness out there helping to protect it! Excellent video. I also agree we have to balance the two (growth of population vs. keeping wild areas), but for me, we should be able to manage this. There are ways to have both.
Discussion
14 repliesThe project goal is to protect and link important Western habitats in the sagebrush ecosystem during the energy rush. I'm focusing on threatened and imperiled species, the remarkable wildlife diversity, and places that are simply too special to drill and develop.... and there's a lot more development coming, making respoinsible land management more important than ever.
My new You Tube video is on my blog:http://www.westernwild.org
Thanks for looking and feel free to leave a comment on the blog by clicking "Post Comment".
I think your video is an effective way to get your word out. The images are really great. I think the editing of the video works well for the first 1:40. After that there is little dramatazation of the despoilation of the habitat. I would suggest interspersing a hand of man image for every 2 or 3 nature images in the back half of the video--keep hammering away at the theme of this is what is going on and this is what you've got to lose. Thanks for all you do. CM
Don - I used Fotomagico Pro and an inexpensive Blue Snowflake mic. The software works really well with Mac.
Craig - I really appreciate the critique and have much to learn about multimedia. The story board is 1. a few inconic Western images. 2. Frame the issues with narration and show industrialization... leading into man helping wildlife 3. Show as much beauty and diversity as time will permit. It's an introductory video and there will be more multimedia pieces over the several years I'll be working on the project. The development work has been done on an extremely tight budget and I have big plans that will include all of the stakeholders. By the time there's a book, we'll have a very polished presentation. My conservation partners have been pleased and the video is on 4-5 different sites right now.
Yep, population is the elephant in the room, isn't it? Seven billion people on earth puts a strain on everything. My approach is not to see things as absolutes - it's not my place to say what's evil and what isn't. But if science guides our decisions, things get a heckuva lot simpler. Unfortunately, we had a stretch where science wasn't part of the process and sensitive lands were given away. So, we have to buy some leases back where it makes sense. I'm not anti-drilling, anti-wind, or anti-grazing... I'm for protecting the most important places, connecting habitat, respecting law that protects wildlife and people, and leaving something for future generations. Pretty simple.