Collinge Lab | Film + photo

An ecologist recounts her experiences and scientific findings from a 20-year restoration experiment in California's vernal pools. Learn what Sharon Collinge and her team have uncovered about these magical ecosystems, the environmental processes on which they depend, and their future in a rapidly changing world.

Client:

For nearly 20 years, Dr. Sharon Collinge had been studying the restoration of vernal pools on an air force base in California. She documented changes in native flower abundance, interactions with pollinators, and more. But as the project was wrapping up, Dr. Collinge realized she had never really documented this huge part of her professional life. We collaborated on a film and photo series to commemorate this long-term ecological research site and what it means to Dr. Collinge.

Goals:

Tell a story about the science of the vernal pools and the context of the restoration experiment. But more importantly, tell the story of an amazing scientist who gave a huge part of her life to studying this ecosystem and doing what she could to restore it. Celebrate the time she gave and the knowledge gained by her team to further understanding of vernal pools but also what it takes to rebuild an ecosystem.