EAST ALTON – National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC℠), in collaboration with Route 3 Films, announces the premiere of their new documentary, “The Call of the Swamp: Investigating the State-Threatened Bird-voiced Treefrog.”

The event will be held from 5:30-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 15, at The Old Bakery Beer Company in Alton.

There will be a brief introduction about NGRREC, a Q&A session and a social hour to accompany the film’s premiere. The documentary will be available on NGRREC’s social media channels on Nov. 16.

Research Coordinator and Assistant Scientist Jessica Mohlman was the project lead for the documentary. The film was a joint effort between NGRREC and Route 3 Films, a local video production company based in St. Louis.

NGRREC’s upcoming film focuses on conservation research occurring in the bald cypress and tupelo swamps of the Cache River System in Southern Illinois, home to a threatened species of treefrog, the bird-voiced treefrog.

Viewers will follow NGRREC’s research team through a typical field day as they journey through the swamps searching for bird-voice treefrogs. Learn about their trapping methods, research objectives and why people should care about these tiny green frogs and the swamps they live in.

Mohlman was inspired to create this documentary because of the work she and her colleagues completed throughout the past three years.

“I will always treasure the moments where I get to share these habitats and species with others,” she said. “Seeing the film crew light up when we found our first bird-voiced treefrog and the awe they felt seeing the swamps for the first time was incredible.”

The film seeks to spark the public’s curiosity about bird-voiced treefrog populations, their habitat and the importance wetlands have in our lives. Mohlman hopes the documentary will encourage viewers to learn more about the work that NGRREC does.

“We want people to know that this state-threatened species and internationally important habitat exist and that they both need our help,” Mohlman said. “NGRREC is helping pave the way through the research they do every day.”

The Old Bakery Beer Company is located at 400 Landmarks Blvd., Alton.

For more information, contact Mohlman at (618) 468-2833 or jmohlman@lc.edu.

National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC℠)

NGRREC is dedicated to the study of great river systems. Through research, outreach, and education, they hope to serve the communities that call the Mississippi River Basin home by fostering an understanding and appreciation for the unique ecosystems of large rivers and their surrounding watersheds.