Meet the struggling saltmarsh sparrow – and the band of volunteers trying to save it

When you think about the climate crisis, Rhode Island in the United States is probably not the first place that springs to mind. But surprisingly, despite its mild climate, the state is one of the places where sea levels are rising at the fastest rates in the world.

For this week’s newsletter, I’d like to transport you to a serene ribbon of salt marsh there, to join the fight to save a species on the brink of extinction: the saltmarsh sparrow. Who is leading the fight? Septuagenarian and self-proclaimed “60s person”, Deirdre.

In our latest Guardian Documentary, Between Moon Tides, we join Deirdre in the field alongside other citizen scientists hacking nature in the hope of saving this unassuming sparrow. When Deirdre learned that the saltmarsh sparrow the species is facing extinction before 2050 due to elevated high tides inundating nests and drowning fledgling birds, she knew this “unacceptable loss” had to be avoided. The idea? Installing a buoyant addition to nests susceptible to flooding, made from coffee filters.

We live alongside more than 10,000 different species of bird in the world, of which around half are declining in population, and 500 species may face extinction in the next century. In the US, Donald Trump’s administration is carrying out an attack on the Endangered Species Act and federal wildlife agencies that, if successful, environmentalists warn will almost certainly drive numerous species closer to extinction. So this group of bird enthusiasts have decided that the DIY approach is best, in the hope they might inspire younger generations to think ahead and begin the work of saving other species less close to the brink.

Enjoy Between Moon Tides here. But before that, read on for a chat with the director, Jason Jaacks, about what the film means and why it matters – after this week’s most important reads.

Jason Jaacks is a film-maker, photographer and professor based in Rhode Island, whose work dives deep into the natural world through the lens of science, natural history and exploration. Guardian Documentaries asked Jason to make this beautiful film at a time that feels pivotal for American wildlife history; this isn’t the only species on the brink. This unassuming bird, and unassuming gaggle of characters, piqued my interest and struck me as unexpected. I asked Jason some questions about his approach to the story.

How did you meet Deirdre and what made you want to tell her story?

I learned about the Saltmarsh Sparrow Research Initiative (SSRI) while producing another film (Turtles on the Hill) about diamondback terrapins, another species that depends on salt marshes. What I find so unique about Deirdre and her team is the dedication – it takes an extraordinary amount of work to find and protect saltmarsh sparrow nests.

I believe many people share her feelings towards species that are facing extinction, especially those in our back yard. But the fact that she has spent 10 years actualising that feeling is both incredible and inspirational. After I tagged along with the team in 2023, I was hooked: here was a story about three retirees and a plucky intern who were looking at extinction right in the face, and deciding to do something about it.

Why did you decide on documentary film as the best format for this story?

I’m drawn to visual stories. The salt marshes of coastal New England are beautiful places, especially up close. I was really drawn to the visuals of the marsh and how it changes with the tides twice a day. The saltmarsh sparrow (as well as the SSRI team) happen to be most active just after dawn, making the golden hour glow of the salt marsh particularly appealing.

In addition to the visuals, I was drawn to the emotion of the story: Deirdre’s love of the sparrows and her passion to train the next generation. Documentaries have the power to transport an audience into someone else’s world, and my goal was to bring an audience into two: Deirdre’s, and the female saltmarsh sparrows as they cared for their nestlings.

What stuck with you most from the shoot?

I have two very memorable moments. Watching Cooper White, the SSRI’s intern, successfully find a nest and become a member of the Needle in the Haystack Society (which requires being thrown into the Warren River fully clothed) was particularly moving.

A more sombre memory is the night I filmed a sparrow nest and its inhabitants being drowned by the rising tide. To top off an emotionally tough evening, I lost my way in the dark and ended up sinking in an otherwise hidden hole in the marsh. I sank up to my chest and drenched a camera in the process.

It’s easy to feel pessimistic about our planet. How hopeful do you feel that future generations will care about the environment?

I’m actually very hopeful. I have two young children, aged five and eight, and their curiosity about the world is infectious. I was able to bring both of them into the field while shooting the film and they delighted in watching the sparrows, especially as the females entered the nest. While they have yet to find nests themselves, I have hope that they can join Deirdre in her search for nests in a couple of years.

I also see the desire to take action in interns like Cooper and in the students I teach as a professor of journalism at the University of Rhode Island. Young people really do seem to grasp the challenges we face and I’m hopeful that they feel inspired by the film to find ways to act in their own back yards.

Ekaterina Ochagavia is an executive producer across Guardian Documentaries

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On Tuesday 16 September, a Guardian panel of experts will be looking to answer questions about the forces driving the pushback against a greener world.

The live event in London will start with a special welcome address from the Guardian’s editor-in-chief, Katharine Viner. We’ll then be joined by the Guardian columnist George Monbiot; Mikaela Loach, the climate justice activist and author; and Emma Pinchbeck, chief executive of the Climate Change Committee and with other special guests to discuss the factors driving the big green pushback, and answer your questions followed by a special address by singer and environmentalist Feargal Sharkey. This panel discussion will also be livestreamed globally.

Ahead of the event, we’d like to hear from you. If you have a questions would you like us to put to the panel, you can submit them here.

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