Streaming, wildlife, and how one vtuber is working to support conservation

Brynlea (Brynleabuilds) is a plant-based virtual YouTuber (or vtuber) who loves exploring how technology is used in artistic expression, as well as how to live sustainably with nature.

New to the world of streaming? Virtual YouTubers use motion capture technology to create virtual avatars, using their animated avatar to connect through live streamed videos with viewers all over the world.

Earlier this summer, Brynlea invited Y2Y’s Donor Relations Manager Robin Forsyth to join her livestream to talk about Y2Y and the work behind the scenes of wildlife crossings and protected areas. Brynlea generously donated all proceeds from her livestream to support Y2Y.

Read on for a question and answer interview with her.

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How does nature, or conservation, inspire your work, and what would you want your supporters to understand about why this work matters?

I find so much inspiration from the diversity of all living things. On the artistic side, I love seeing fictional characters that combine humans with other animals. What would a human with wings look like, how would that affect clothing and daily living, what are the physiological compromises necessary for flight? On the tech side, seeing how humans create things derived from nature is the coolest thing, like dams inspired by beavers or solar panels from plants. I still remember the first time I saw a live dragonfly and how amazed I felt that they’re real and not something someone imagined.

Is there a particular conservation topic, species, or place you feel especially compelled to protect or highlight through your work?

I have a strong interest in preserving old-growth forests and rewilding developed land. I am always in awe of large trees and how much they impact their environment. These habitats are sadly becoming more rare, but there is hope in reclaiming places like abandoned mines, native prairies, and dried up rivers. It’s something I believe we can also apply to our own lives. It’s never too late to make a change.

All income from your Twitch channel is donated to conservation groups. What made you decide to support Y2Y during your fundraiser?

For my birth month, I like to choose a specific group to fundraise for. I have always thought that Y2Y does unique work in the conservation space, but what sealed the decision was all the positive experiences I had interacting with Y2Y staff, whether through social media, questions about my donations, and now with the fundraiser. Since most of the work I do is through social platforms, I wanted to collaborate with a group that also makes an effort to directly connect with their community.

What role do you feel artists, vtubers, and supporters can play in conservation?

I used to think conservation was something that didn’t matter to most people in regard to affecting daily lives, but with the proliferation of generative AI and its data centers, we all now have a common enemy. Countless people in every creative field have lost their living because of image generation tools, and because of the close relationship between vtubers and the artists who create their avatars and media assets, it’s very frowned upon for a vtuber to use these tools.

The data centers built to support generative AI are overloading our power grids, draining water supplies, creating noise and air pollution, and taking land meant for public use. Not even getting into the costs of computer components or website operation, I feel there’s a role for everyone, from rejecting genAI use to lobbying policymakers.

You describe yourself as a “casual conservationist”. Can you talk a bit on what this means to you?

Once or twice a month I volunteer to help with forest stewardship work, primarily with managing invasive plants. I would like to do more of this work but currently put in the hours when it’s convenient and skip when it’s not. Because of that, I see myself as a casual conservationist.

At the same time, I recognize that I’m part of a small group that consistently shows up to do this work every month. My hope is that by talking about my involvement as a volunteer, I can motivate others who think that only career conservationists can make a positive impact.

Conservation is about connection — between land, wildlife, and people. How do you see your work as a vtuber and artist contributing to that sense of connection?

“If there’s one takeaway from my time in conservation, it’s how there’s nothing else like it that unites people across all walks of life.”

While I feel that vtubing and art is ultimately a form of entertainment, there is so much potential for education as well. Many vtubers will base their character on a specific animal and teach their viewers about these species. Some animals that I personally learned about this way are sun bears, nudibranchs, manuls, and capybaras.

In my work, I personally follow a general plant-based theme and talk about flora in media during my live streams. More directly, I occasionally stream from public hiking trails and share what I learn from the naturalists and rangers I worked with about local species and habitats.

If there’s one takeaway from my time in conservation, it’s how there’s nothing else like it that unites people across all walks of life.

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Follow allow with Brynlea through her Twitch channel here.

At Y2Y, we’re grateful for supporters like you whose love for nature and the Yellowstone to Yukon region makes it possible to protect the landscapes and wildlife that inspire artists and entertainers like Brynlea.