The Naturalist Project: Our Rebrand and Vision for the Future

Today, we are excited to announce a significant milestone in our journey: we are rebranding our YouTube channel and website from Seahorse and Co to The Naturalist Project. This change is bittersweet. For over four years, Seahorse and Co has been my creative identity, representing so many memories, milestones, and the foundation of our work. However, this rebrand is about so much more than a name. It’s about better capturing the vision and mission of this project—inspiring curiosity about biodiversity and embracing the joys of being a naturalist.

The mission of The Naturalist Project is simple: to encourage everyone to pause, explore, and connect with nature. Being a naturalist isn’t about being an expert; it’s about curiosity. It’s about discovering the fascinating world around us, and I’m thrilled to bring you along as I grow as a naturalist, sharing the skills I’ve learned and the adventures I’ve experienced to inspire you to do the same.

A Redesigned Digital Space

As part of this rebrand, we’ve launched a brand-new website: TheNaturalistProject.com. This site has been redesigned from the ground up to be more streamlined, visually appealing, and user-friendly. While SeahorseandCo.com will remain online for now as we transition, all the resources you’ve come to rely on, including our popular seashell identification guides, have already been migrated to the new site. Eventually, SeahorseandCo.com will redirect to The Naturalist Project, ensuring a seamless experience for our community.

Our new logo design!

Our Roots and Growth

So, where did The Naturalist Project begin? It all started with my time at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, working in the malacology collection. Malacology, the study of mollusks, introduced me to an incredible world of biodiversity. Wandering through rows of beautifully preserved shells, I became inspired to share this wonder with others. After hours, I started photographing shells and eventually built seashell identification guides, which are now central to our website.

With support from the Levitetz program at the University of Alabama, we expanded these guides to cover all East Coast and Gulf of Mexico states. A trip to the University of Florida allowed us to photograph even more specimens, enhancing the quality and scope of the guides. Today, these guides feature over 500 species and remain a source of pride for me.

Our YouTube Journey

Our YouTube channel has been just as transformative. What began as lighthearted travel vlogs of my wife and me visiting national parks evolved into a platform for educational content. Videos like our Parts of a Shell series and the Sea Silk video offered a deeper dive into biodiversity, even if my early on-camera presence felt a bit awkward! Over time, I’ve grown more comfortable and confident, and this growth shines in series like our Antarctic invertebrate exploration, where I documented incredible animals during a research expedition.

More recently, I’ve focused on local biodiversity in Alabama. My Salamander Season video represents a pivotal moment where I began finding my storytelling voice. Moving forward, I’m excited to create more collection technique videos, like Discovering Meiofauna, and share the joy of discovery as we explore fascinating species together.

Thank You

None of this would be possible without the support of those around me. A special thank you to Nick Roberts, who built the amazing photography tank for our Antarctic videos and helped design The Naturalist Project's branding, including our logo and color scheme. I’m also incredibly grateful to Emma Olson for her patience, feedback, and enthusiasm in editing scripts, reviewing videos, and joining me on hikes that inspire so much of our work.

Emma and Nick at the Alabama Museum of Natural History Family Day Outreach Event

Looking Ahead

The Naturalist Project is about celebrating biodiversity, exploring nature, and inspiring curiosity. From seashell identification guides to educational videos, our goal is to make the wonders of the natural world more accessible to everyone. Whether you’re a seasoned naturalist or just beginning your journey, we’re here to support you and inspire you to slow down, step outside, and discover something amazing.

Thank you for being part of this journey. We have so much planned in the coming months, and I can’t wait to share it with you. Let’s keep learning and discovering together!