The Sagebrush Sea Film Screening and Discussion at UW Aug. 12

A documentary that highlights the greater sage grouse in the changing landscape of the sagebrush steppe will be shown Wednesday, Aug. 12, at the University of Wyoming Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center. A reception begins at 5 p.m., with the film screening at 6 p.m. A panel discussion will follow. The event is free and open to the public.

Produced by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “The Sagebrush Sea” follows the greater sage grouse -- an increasingly rare bird known for its elaborate mating rituals -- through a year in its natural habitat. The documentary was filmed largely in Wyoming, where nearly 40 percent of the sage grouse population lives. Other footage that was captured during the three years of filming includes snapshots in the lives of golden eagles, hawks, mule deer and pronghorn.

Following the screening, Willow Belden, host of “Out There: A Podcast about the Outdoors,” will moderate a panel discussion on the science and issues involved with the greater sage grouse. Panelists are Marc Dantzker, the film’s producer; Brian Rutledge, National Audubon Society’s conservation and policy adviser; and Matt Holloran, an ecologist whose research has focused on sage grouse and sagebrush ecosystem conservation issues.

The public is invited to learn more about Wyoming’s sagebrush ecosystems through displays and materials provided by various conservation agencies and organizations, says Nyla Hurley, special events coordinator for the UW Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources. The displays will be available to view before and after the film screening.

For more information, call Hurley at (307) 766-5083 or email nrhurley@uwyo.edu.

The event is coordinated by the UW Ruckelshaus Institute of Environment and Natural Resources, the UW Biodiversity Institute, the Laramie Audubon Society, Audubon Rockies and the Wyoming Outdoor Council.