River Claure Wins E.O. Wilson Fellowship for Andean Water Crisis Project

Vital Impacts has announced the 2026 recipients of $50,000 in Environmental Photography Fellowships, including the E.O. Wilson Fellowship awarded to Bolivian photographer River Claure for his project 'A Boat for the Future of the Mountains.' The project documents disappearing Andean waters through totora reed boats transformed into time capsules, addressing drought, mining pollution, and rising temperatures. Claure, who participated in the 60th Venice International Art Biennale in 2024, works with communities of Uru Murato, Machacamarca, and Paria. The fellowship program, now in its third year, also includes eleven year-long mentorships for emerging photographers. The judging panel featured Alessia Glaviano, Azu Nwagbogu, Evgenia Arbugaeva, Kathy Moran, and Pat Kane. Vital Impacts, founded in 2021 by Ami Vitale and Eileen Mignoni, has raised $3.5 million for conservation initiatives and reached 30,000 students through in-person programs.