Last month, Amanda Biscoe and Pamela Treviño hosted Treetalks, a film screening and panel discussion focused on rainforest conservation and the role of young people in shaping their future. Through work as co-guidors of Tree Generation Z, Biscoe and Treviño have created this event in a rainforest partnership to bridge the gaps in the environment and build hope amid growing climate anxiety. Biscoe and Treviño are both students of the Master of Environmental Science and Policy (MPA-ESP) program, which is provided by the Columbia Institute of International and Public Affairs in partnership with the Columbia School of Climate.
They opened with two short films. First is the Tenna Chain Tree, following a Colombian urban planner who launched ProyectoTití through forest restoration, environmental education and training in local communities to protect the endangered Tibetan forest. Abby Jordan, a graduate of the National Wildlife Federation’s MPA-ESP Program and Climate Education Program Manager, shared a second film that follows the coastal resilience program on Coney Island. It is characterized by local adolescents, many of whom have experienced the effects of climate change firsthand as they restore coastlines and raise awareness of sea level rise.
Biscoe and Treviño chaired a panel discussion including Jordan; Jay Schoen, consultant for wildlife and space ecology in Colombia, adjunct professor; Salo Coslovsky, associate professor at New York University and researcher at Amazon 2030 project; Carolina García, co-founder and CEO of Myzelio. Rae Wynn-Grant, a wildlife ecologist and co-host on NBC’s “Wild Kingdom of Omaha”, recorded a message to the audience urging students to prioritize their passion for conservation, even if academic pressures are overwhelmed.
The group explores a wide range of perspectives on modern conservation. The panelists reflected on the challenges of expanding local projects, rethinking the extraction system, and feeling of sadness about biodiversity loss. “One group member talked about embracing grief as part of protection,” Trevinho said. “It really resonated with the audience because people often feel these emotions but don’t hear their approval.”
Biscoe noted that the conversation reached a turning point when she asked, “What is the niche for all this?” The panelists provided different contestants, triggering a lively Q&A session with the audience. “We don’t want everyone to say the same thing in the group,” Bisco said. “We want honest conversations, we get it.”
“Talking to someone who cares and thinks the importance of this work is giving me hope”
They deliberately select group members to find a mixture of science, policy and community-based perspectives. With the support of Columbia faculty and classmates, they contact speakers across the city. “Colombia’s network really opens the door for us,” Bisco said. “It allows people to unite and we may not have achieved it without it.”
Treetalks marks the first event in the Treviño and Biscoe series and plans to continue. They are already exploring new formats and potential partnerships, including future events at NYU.
For both organizers, experience enhances the importance of building connections and collaborative spaces. “Talking to people who care and think the importance of this work is giving me hope,” Trevinho said. Bisco agreed. “So many people showed up,” she said. “After that, three of them were just to thank us. It made it worth it.”
