Saving Bozeman's Great Gray Owls
Donation protected
My name is Kyle Dudgeon. I am an aspiring nature photographer / filmmaker based in Bozeman, MT. In 2020, I found and documented a family of Great Gray Owls in the Bridger Mountains of Montana whose livelihood laid within the borders of a large logging operation. Over the course of three weeks, I followed two owlets and an adult male as they went about their lives amidst a forest of old growth trees targeted for cutting. This became the epicenter of my first conservation story titled, The Trees With Orange Rings. It talks about the owls and how I along with some friends battled with the US Forest Service to get some sort of protection measures put into place. The story is available via the link below:
https://kyledudgeoncreative.com/thestory/2020/8/7/the-trees-with-orange-rings-part-ii
In order to drive home the importance of protecting Great Gray Owls in the Bridger Mountains, who as a species are on decline due to habitat loss among other factors, I plan to create a short film this summer of 2021 to use as a means of telling their story. Birds that are seldom seen, much like many other conservation issues in the modern day, are often looked over. It is estimated that only 300 individual Great Gray Owls remain in Montana today, but they are not yet listed as a species of concern by the US Forest Service. While the Bridger Mountains represent only a small fraction of the greater population of these magnificent owls, this project could very well be the start of a their conservation state-wide.
Funding for this project will be used to offset costs of creating a short not-for-profit film. Camera equipment primarily, as well as photography blinds, travel expenses and other unforeseen costs.
As a photographer, I am an advocate. I am committed to telling stories with my images and contributing solutions to saving species like the Great Gray Owl. As this film project comes together, I am filled with gratitude and joy for the opportunity I have to make a difference in the world, and I thank all of you for your time and your generous donations!
https://kyledudgeoncreative.com/thestory/2020/8/7/the-trees-with-orange-rings-part-ii
In order to drive home the importance of protecting Great Gray Owls in the Bridger Mountains, who as a species are on decline due to habitat loss among other factors, I plan to create a short film this summer of 2021 to use as a means of telling their story. Birds that are seldom seen, much like many other conservation issues in the modern day, are often looked over. It is estimated that only 300 individual Great Gray Owls remain in Montana today, but they are not yet listed as a species of concern by the US Forest Service. While the Bridger Mountains represent only a small fraction of the greater population of these magnificent owls, this project could very well be the start of a their conservation state-wide.
Funding for this project will be used to offset costs of creating a short not-for-profit film. Camera equipment primarily, as well as photography blinds, travel expenses and other unforeseen costs.
As a photographer, I am an advocate. I am committed to telling stories with my images and contributing solutions to saving species like the Great Gray Owl. As this film project comes together, I am filled with gratitude and joy for the opportunity I have to make a difference in the world, and I thank all of you for your time and your generous donations!
Organizer
Kyle Dudgeon
Organizer
Bozeman, MT
