This storytelling journey began in a science journalism class at the University of Oregon in January 2023. It quickly grew to become a multi-year endeavor and my thesis project. The work, informed by my studies in journalism, science communication, and spatial data science, includes videos, maps, and data graphics as well as photos I took, one of which is on exhibit at the Bend High Desert Museum in spring 2024.

In “Nature Next Door” my goal is to first bring the audience to a familiar suburban pond, surrounded by cattails and songbirds as well as sidewalks and houses, to introduce a lesser-known frog surviving in the heart of the city and, ultimately, to explore how humans and nature can coexist.

I hope this story evokes a sense of wonder and awe about the natural world hidden in our own backyards and encourages us to reflect on how, like the individuals highlighted in the piece, we can each be a hero in the story.