The Rio Grande Bosque has always been important to Jack Barkhurst and his labor of love for the site has earned him a first place award in an international video contest.

Barkhurst, a 2024 graduate of Corrales International School in Albuquerque, made a short video about the impact Siberian elm trees have had on the local ecosystem. The video was entered into the World of 8 Billion student contest sponsored by Population Connection.

The story

Barkhurst’s entry, Saving the Bosque, was chosen from among more than 3,100 videos submitted by students from 58 countries.

Entrants were asked to explore population growth as it relates to climate migration, health, or invasive species, with a winner named in each category. Saving the Bosque was deemed the best video on invasive species.

The three high-school first-place winners each received a $1,200 cash prize. 

Barkhurst, 17, went into the Bosque twice a month from November to early March, taking clips that documented the progress of the invasive elms and the decline of the cottonwoods.

Judges praised his effort, mentioning an engaging introduction, clear narration and unique and interesting graphics. They said he tackled an issue of global importance and demonstrated a local impact.

“Love that you used your own backyard as an excellent example of the impacts of invasive species,” one judge wrote in reviewing the video.

The 49 judges included college and high-school educators, filmmakers and topic experts, according to a news release.

Barkhurst said he didn’t expect to do so well in the contest, and thought he might snare an honorable mention. He told CityDesk ABQ he was surprised and excited when the email came telling him of his first-place finish.

Firsthand witness

Barkhurst split his time growing up between Albuquerque and Peralta. He said he was usually within a 10-minute walk of the Bosque and his parents would walk through there with him and talk about the changing landscape.

“I’ve grown up witnessing the impact firsthand,” Barkhurst said. “It’s an important ecosystem for a lot of plant and animal species.”

He said the Siberian elms were brought to the area to combat soil erosion in the Dust Bowl days, but their overgrowth has wreaked havoc upon the cottonwoods.

In the video, he says years of drought have made the struggle even more difficult for the cottonwoods, as only Siberian elm sprouts were observed on a recent trip.

Without intervention, Barkhurst said, the entire ecosystem within the Bosque could collapse. He proposes reducing the spread of the Siberian elm by collecting edible elm seeds and removing elm saplings, so the cottonwoods have more resources. 

Humans, he said, also need to reduce their dependence on the Rio Grande by increasing rainwater harvesting and conserving water during times of drought. 

The future

Barkhurst will study environmental planning and design at the University of New Mexico in the fall. He’s already earned some college credits by taking dual enrollment courses through Central New Mexico Community College while in high school.

He also plans  to study abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark — a city that he noted has interesting architecture and good urban planning programs.

He said he’ll probably continue documenting environmental issues and make more films.

While Barkhust took the top prize in his category, his wasn’t the only local entry recognized in the contest. Santa Maria Feverfew — a video by Sophia Zhang, Tam Pham, and Alec Trujillo of the Albuquerque School of Excellence — won the State Honor Award for New Mexico.

“The contest has become a creative vehicle for students to learn how to research a topic of global importance, and share that new understanding with others,” said Pam Wasserman, Population Connection’s senior vice president for education.