In March, over Spring Break, Mike taught a popup class at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln with wildlife professor Larkin Powell called "Prairie Cranes & Sandhill Chickens". This class took a group of students to the Platte River and Nebraska Sandhills and provided experience in blinds with Sandhill Cranes and Greater Prairie Chickens, with a focus on how conservation organizations and private individuals work to conserve these critical species and their landscapes in Nebraska.
Counting Cranes–New PBT Film
Imagine trying to count hundreds of thousands of birds in a matter of seconds. This is what Andy Caven does every spring… from a plane. In March, upwards of a million sandhill cranes pass through Nebraska's central Platte River Valley. For the past 20 years, the Crane Trust has conducted aerial surveys of sandhill crane roosts to get an accurate count of the number of birds that pass through. Andy and his team take us behind the scenes to show us how this process is done, what they have learned, and why it's important.
The Nature Photographer by NANPA - Plains, Cranes and Watersheds featuring Michael Forsberg
Mike was recently featured on the podcast series, “Wild and Exposed” by NANPA.
Hear how Mike and his partners are building community around a watershed. Plus, hear about Mike’s journey to document the migration path of sandhill cranes, a new project on whooping cranes, and other fun things he loves to photograph in the Great Plains. Winner of NANPA’s 2017 Environmental Impact Award and the Sierra Club’s 2017 Ansel Adams Award for Conservation, Mike joins NANPA President Dawn Wilson and Wild and Exposed’s Ron Hayes, Jason Loftus and Mark Raycroft for this inspiring episode.
Listen HERE >>> https://www.wildandexposed.com/journal/lt3zw44z3hy6pmb-6lrdl-6pb4d-bsgm2-zj6b4-ygpm3-a7hgn-m7srp
Wetlands of Nebraska: An Outreach and Education Project
A project PBT is currently working on in partnership with Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is called Wetlands of Nebraska: An Outreach and Education Project. This project will produce and distribute a series of integrated wetland outreach and education products to increase awareness of the importance of wetlands in Nebraska and understand the need for wetland conservation. The products will be published Fall 2022 but please check our social media accounts to follow along the way.
On the Move: Pronghorn Migrations Across Seasons
Over the past year, the National Wildlife Federation and The Nature Conservancy of Montana have been partnering on a project across the Northern Great Plains, using pronghorn as the main character to identify the importance of connectivity across this vast landscape. Please follow this link http://nature.org/pronghornseasons to the interactive Story Map, On the Move, to follow pronghorn migrations, and their interactions and requirements over the seasons of a given year.
There is an introductory minute-long YouTube video that you can watch as well - YouTube link is here
Mike helped advise on the project, and his images appear throughout the StoryMap.
Summit Nature & Conservation 2021
Mike recently instructed at the Summit Nature & Conservation Workshop . The Summit Nature & Conservation Workshop is a long-standing workshop held in Jackson, Wyoming taught by photography instructors who are some of the best in the business.
How can the most endangered ecosystem in the world be saved?
Mike’s image of an aerial view of plowed prairie grasslands around wetlands in North Dakota appeared in the recent National Geographic article titled, “How can the most endangered ecosystem in the world be saved?” by Gabriel Popkin.
Nebraska Stories: Return of the Swan
NET’s Nebraska Stories aired the Platte Basin Timelapse film Return of the Swan on NET Television in late January 2021. The film and more can be found on the Nebraska Stories website HERE.
The Wildlife Society - Montana Chapter Annual Conference
Mike will be the banquet speaker for The Wildlife Society - Montana Chapter Annual Conference on February 24th. The virtual conference runs from Feb 23 - 25th, 2021.
Garden Club of America's first National Photography Conference
Mike was keynote speaker for the Garden Club of America's first National Photography Conference "Focus on Photography - Imagine the Possibilities" on January 21st, 2021. The one day virtual event had over 1500 participants from around the country.
National Wildlife Magazine: Return of the Swans
Mike’s photo essay was featured in the National Wildlife Federation December 2020-January 2021 Issue.
Click HERE to read the essay.
International Crane Foundation: Plains, Cranes and a Watershed
Mike gave his presentation titled, “Plains, Cranes and a Watershed” in a special member’s only webinar with the International Crane Foundation on October 22, 2020.
Presentation Summary:
Join Conservation Photographer and Nebraska native Michael Forsberg as he takes us on a lifelong personal journey with camera in hand following cranes up and down the Central Flyway, and exploring the Great Plains – once one of the greatest grasslands on Earth. See in a new way his home watershed where he co-founded an innovative multi-media storytelling project called Platte Basin Timelapse (PBT) that leverages the power of photography to explore the questions of where our water comes from and what it means to live in a watershed community. Healthy watersheds, resilient grasslands and the connectivity of migratory flyways are central to almost every conversation we have about crane conservation in the world today. And those conversations are stories and imagery that, when shared, have the power to elevate the science and transcend the politics to help each of us connect personally, care deeply and understand what is at stake.
iLCP 15th Anniversary Virtual Exhibition
The International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP) is a global Fellowship of extraordinary photographers and filmmakers whose work aligns with the organization's mission: supporting environmental and cultural conservation through ethical photography and filmmaking. This exhibit celebrates 15 years: 15 years as an organization, 15 years striving towards positive change, and 15 years of community and support.
Mike’s image of a lone bison bull in Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota was contributed to the exhibition.
To enter the exhibition click HERE
Summit Nature & Conservation
On October 27, Jim Richardson and Mike presented at this year’s Summit Nature & Conservation Workshop with a presentation titled, “Photography to the Rescue: What pictures can do for nature”. The Summit Nature & Conservation Workshop is a long-standing workshop held in Jackson, Wyoming, but it was successfully held virtually this year.
Audubon Summer 2020 Magazine: The Life Aquatic
Mike's images of the American dipper were featured in an article in the latest Summer 2020 issue of Audubon magazine. They were also featured in the online article, along with the film "A Trout with Feathers" by Platte Basin Timelapse. Click HERE to read the article and watch the film.
Impact: The Conservation Photography Podcast -
Finding Conservation Stories In Your Backyard: An Interview With Mike Forsberg
Check out Jaymi Heimbuch's latest podcast episode featuring PBT co-founder Mike Forsberg where he talks about the PBT project, photography and how to find inspiration, even in your own backyard!
Photo by Jaymi Heimbuch
In this episode, "Finding Conservation Stories in Your Backyard" Mike talks about the inspiration for the Platte Basin Timelapse project and how it has become a way to connect community members and shine a light on one of our most precious resources: water.
“I think all of us have something that we can call a habitat of our heart. It's the place that we feel most alive in the natural world, and there that can be almost literally right in our own backyard."
Listen here: JaymiH.com/24
Teton Talks – Lessons from the Land #2
On Friday, May 1, Mike gave a virtual presentation on the biweekly event called “Lessons from the Land” by the Teton Regional Land Trust. Mike shared his presentation titled, “On Ancient WIngs - The Sandhill Cranes of North America”. For more events by the Teton Regional Land Trust visit HERE
New Story: Return of the Swan
PBT's latest photo essay, and film, "Return of the Swan" are now available!
Link to photo essay: http://plattebasintimelapse.com/2020/03/return-of-the-swan/
Link to film: https://vimeo.com/383779413
In this conservation success story, you will meet the researchers who have worked tirelessly to protect trumpeter swans and their habitat, ranchers who live among these birds and make their lives in the Nebraska Sandhills, and a photographer whose love for this species emanates through his photographs.
Spirit: A Celebration of Art in the Heartland 2020
MONA - Museum of Nebraska Art
The online auction of over 180 artworks by 64 Nebraska artists began at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, April 3, 2020, and conclude at 12:00 Noon on Friday, April 17, 2020. A wide variety of media and price points are available for paintings, sculpture, fiber works, ceramic pieces, and assemblages. The images displayed above are Michael’s, and they are available in the auction. To place a bid and make purchases go to qtego.net/qlink/mona/register.
For more information, visit the MONA website. CLICK HERE
Colorado Environmental Film Festival 2020
The film, A Trout with Feathers was an official selection for the 2020 Colorado Environmental Film Festival in Golden Colorado, February 20-23, 2020. To see the full schedule, please visit the CEFF website. CEFF 2020 Schedule
To see the film, and read the story visit the links below:
http://plattebasintimelapse.com/2019/01/a-trout-with-feathers/