Sarah Sortum runs a family-operated cattle ranch in the Sandhills of Nebraska while preserving the beauty of the prairie.
Hard Journalism | Thoughtful
Ariana Brocious
abrocious@netnebraska.org | Ariana Brocious
Producer
A native of the desert southwest, knowledge of the vital role of water came early to Ariana Brocious, who grew up exploring southern Arizona’s scrubby mountains and dry riverbeds. A graduate of the University of Arizona, she started reporting on the environment—and how humans interact with it—in earnest during her years in western Colorado, where she worked at KVNF Public Radio and High Country News magazine. Ariana Brocious led the multimedia storytelling efforts for the Platte Basin Timelapse project, including writing short and long-form reported features and producing radio stories, from July 2014 through February 2016.
AUTHOR Stories
Ted LaGrange: Wetland Biologist
Ted LeGrange reflects on his passion for wetlands, conservation, and the challenges of balancing development with preservation.
Audio | Inspiring
Nebraska Climate Centers Train Wyoming Tribes
The Wind River Reservation depends on snowpack as a water supply. What happens if drought hits?
Hard Journalism | Inspiring
Trading Groundwater to Help Farmers and Wildlife
A new program for sharing Nebraska’s groundwater may help both farmers and endangered species.
Hard Journalism | Innovative
Kim Morrow: Climate Change Faith Leader
Reverend Kim Morrow follows her passion — facilitating the faith community’s response to climate change.
Hard Journalism | Heartfelt
Chad Gideon: Farmer, Hunter, Fisherman
Chad Gideon and his family bought property on the Platte River to ensure their continued access to hunting and fishing.
Hard Journalism | Heartfelt
Navigating Airboat and Jeep Recreation on Nebraska Rivers
Navigating recreation while having fun but remaining mindful of conservation.
Hard Journalism | Conflicting
High Water in the Platte River Basin
Unusually high water levels in the Platte River have scoured vegetation, created habitat, and demonstrated the power of nature.
Hard Journalism | Moving
Don Welch: Nebraska Poet
Don Welsch shares how the Platte River has influenced his poetry.
Poetry | Insightful
Ann Bleed: Policy Maker
Navigating distribution of water resources across three states using adaptive management.
Personal Narrative | Reflection
Saving Colorado’s State Fish
Learn about the conservation efforts for the greenback cutthroat trout in the Colorado River Basin.
Mixed Media | Encouraging
Mining the Morning Light
Early morning light in Colorado reveals the subtle beauty of a place and its interconnect history.
Personal Narrative | Descriptive
Craniac Migration
Learn about crane viewing tourism along the Central Platte River.
Journalism | Hopeful
Planting Prairie
Learn about prairie restoration along the Central Platte River.
Journalism | Engaging
Ancient Travelers
Few modern species can lay claim to older origins than the sandhill crane.
Photography | Surprising
Whooper Recovery
Learn about efforts to conserve habitat for endangered Whooping Cranes along the Platte River.
Mixed Media | Hopeful
Bridging the Platte
Learn about the impact that bridges have had on the Platte River.
Mixed Media | Surprising
Into the Current
A community works to conserve wildlife habitat along the central Platte River in Nebraska.
Mixed Media | Discovering
Ice Jams: Nature’s Bulldozers
Learn about the ecological impact of ice jams on the Platte River.
Journalism | Intriguing
One Irrigator’s Waste is Another’s Supply
Learn about different methods of irrigation along the North Platte River.
Journalism | Surprising
Sustaining a Growing City
Learn about how communities along the Platte River obtain their water.
Journalism | Enlightening
Where the Mountains meet the Plains
Phantom Canyon, a small preserve nestled into the land where the mountains meet the plains, in the Laramie Foothills of northern Colorado.
Insightful | Beautiful
From Mountains to Fields
Follow a snowflake from the Colorado Rockies through Wyoming dams and reservoirs to fields in the Nebraska panhandle.
Informative | Thought-provoking
An Unlikely Partnership
Learn about a partnership between industry and biologist to protect endangered birds.
Journalism | Hopeful
Travels in the Kingdom of Grass
A reflection upon a trip through the Sandhills.
Behind the Scenes | Water
Restoring Native Greenback Trout to Colorado
Learn about the conservation efforts by Colorado Parks and Wildlife to restore native Greenback Trout to thier historic watershed.
Narrative | Thoughtprovoking
Touring the North Platte
Follow Ariana on a road trip through the northern Great Plains while learning about the history of the land.
Personal Narrative | Adventurous