Announcing the Capstone Projects from the 2024 CSM Internship

February 5th, 2025 – Nassau, Bahamas
The power of storytelling in conservation cannot be overstated. Through film and photography, we can capture the beauty of our natural world, highlight urgent environmental challenges, and inspire action to protect what matters most. This belief is at the heart of the Conservation Storytelling & Media (CSM) Internship, a program by The Bahamas National Trust designed to empower young Bahamians to use media as a tool for conservation advocacy.
Over the past several months, the 2024 interns Lauren Ritchie and Quintez Bethel, explored the intersection of conservation and storytelling. Through immersive field experiences, mentorship, and hands-on media production, they developed impactful capstone projects that reflect their unique perspectives on conservation in The Bahamas. The capstone projects premiered at a special event hosted by The BNT for its Lifetime Members and were then released online. See their projects below:
Preserve Our Heritage, Protect Our Future – By Lauren Ritchie
A short film highlighting the profound connection between Bahamians and our natural environment.
Bahamian ecosystems once thrived, supported by a deep and respectful relationship between people and nature. Today, that balance is under threat—disrupted by exploitation and the growing impacts of climate change. In this compelling short film, Lauren explores this connection, showing how our cultural and ecological heritage are intertwined and why urgent action is needed to restore and protect our environment.
Through the Lens: Photography as a Tool for Conservation – By Quintez Bethel
A visual essay exploring how photography can inspire conservation action.
A single photograph can spark emotion, build awareness, and motivate people to protect the natural world. In his capstone project, Quintez shares a stunning collection of images capturing iconic Bahamian wildlife. His work demonstrates how conservation photography can forge connections between people and nature, ultimately amplifying the need to protect vulnerable species and their habitats.
About the CSM Internship
The Conservation Storytelling & Media Internship was created to provide young Bahamians with hands-on experience in conservation media, blending technical skills with real-world environmental storytelling. Through national park visits, workshops, and mentorship, interns gain the tools they need to craft compelling narratives that engage and inspire audiences.
“Proud doesn’t even begin to describe the feeling of seeing Lauren and Quintez’s completed capstone projects. From the start, this internship was about giving young Bahamians the opportunity to tell conservation stories in ways that resonate, inspire, and drive action—and that’s exactly what they accomplished with their projects. Witnessing the public’s response to these projects reinforces why investing in the next generation of conservation communicators is so critical. We can do all the conservation work we want, but if we can’t inspire people to care, the mission falls short. Lauren and Quintez have created powerful narratives that inspire action, and we are incredibly proud of their work.” – Elijah Sands, BNT Senior Communications Officer and CSM Internship Coordinator. “
We invite you to explore their work, share their stories, and continue the conversation about how media can drive environmental action. The Internship was supported by the Wanderlust Foundation, Sean Connery Foundation, Perry Institute for Marine Science, Windsor School, Albany, International Field Studies – Forfar Field Station, Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve, Friends of the Environment, Island School at the Cape Eleuthera Institute, Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier and other individual contributors and friends of The Bahamas National Trust.
To learn more about the role the BNT plays to manage terrestrial and marine national parks, protect Bahamian species, and inform environmental policy, please visit its website: www.bnt.bs and follow/subscribe to various social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
###
Media Contact: Leah Carr | lcarr@bnt.bs | (242) 429-7902
About the BNT:
The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) was created by an Act of Parliament in 1959 to build and manage the national park system of The Bahamas. Possibly the only non-governmental organization in the world charged with such a responsibility, the BNT works daily to conserve and protect the natural resources of The Bahamas through science, stewardship and education for present and future generations. There are currently 33 National Parks managed by the BNT with more than 2 million acres of marine and terrestrial areas protected.