A woman crouching on a forest path, wearing a colorful patterned sweater with wolves and trees, and making a meditative gesture with her hands.

Bratton, M.S.

Evidence-Driven Environmental Clarity

Terra on the Bench™ Studios is a creative collective founded by environmental scientist Christin Bratton. Here, we translate real-world observations, policy, and evidence into practical tools, analysis, media, stories, and conversations that help people make better decisions about environmental issues. We collaborate with interested creatives to support and build meaningful connections and uphold a strong community.

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  • Open field journal with botanical sketches, a magnifying glass, a pair of binoculars, a green pen, and a yellow flower outside on the ground.

    Field Notes

    Tools to aid in your observational analysis and use in everyday life.

    Download Guides
  • Guidebook on climate change with magnifying glass, colored pencils, sticky notes, and speech bubbles.

    Media Literacy Guides

    Tools that sharpen reading and thinking

    DOWNLOAD GUIDES
  • A lush green background with various plants and leaves, featuring the text 'On Earth with CB' and icons for Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

    Podcast: On Earth, with CB

    Listen to evidence-rich conversations and the unique experiences.

    LISTEN ONLINE
  • An illustrated scene with a woman and two children outdoors. The woman has long green hair, a floral crown, and is holding a glowing globe. The boy has red hair, is holding a magnifying glass and an open book, while the girl has curly hair, glasses, and is using a laptop. There are plants, a butterfly, and a plant sprout in the scene.

    Youth Tools (Terra Verdant)

    Engaging educational resources and games.

    LEARN MORE
  • A person filling out a resume on a clipboard at an outdoor setting with binoculars, a pair of hiking boots, a coil of rope, a ranger book, a compass, photographs, and plant identification cards surrounding them.

    Experience Builder

    Obtain real, documented, hands-on field experience designed to help people build credible resumes.

    SEE OPTIONS
  • A report form on a clipboard with checklists for pollution, habitat damage, suspicious activity, and other. The checklist for habitat damage is checked. The scene includes a camera, a smartphone displaying a riverside scene, photographs, a magnifying glass, a bottle, and various natural elements like leaves and rocks, suggesting environmental observation and reporting.

    REPORT ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

    This form is for documenting real, observable environmental issues in your community.

    REPORT CONCERNS

  • Analysis

    Think better about environmental issues from lived experiences and real data.

  • Resources

    Use Tools That Work in the Real World

  • Collaborate

    Join a community that shares insight and solutions to real world problems.

  • Engage

    Utilize your artistic skills and tell your story. Get inspired!

  • Report environmental Concerns

    Provides an intake pipeline for environmental accountability.

  • Resume Support

    Gain real conservation or environmental experience to help make your resume strong!

REAL Connection

A major part of positive impact to others and ourselves is getting out there and sharing ideas, experiences, and ways to improve our ways of thinking for a more connected world.

Woman in white t-shirt, ripped black jeans, and yellow sandals crouched on a sandy beach, picking up litter with her right hand, wearing gloves, and holding a brown plastic bag in her left hand. The beach has footprints, buildings in the background, and a few other people walking along the shoreline under cloudy skies.
Six women smiling and posing for a photo in front of a wall covered with gum and chewing bubblegum. They are dressed warmly with hats, scarves, and jackets, suggesting a cold weather.
A woman in a green shirt and pink headscarf is harvesting or tending to plants on a multi-level indoor hydroponic farm with LED lighting.
Two people in green Groundwork Buffalo Green Team shirts are tending to a garden with tomato plants, supported by circular wire cages, in an outdoor garden bed.
Group of nine people posing for a photo in an office lobby, with
Two women with dogs having a picnic in a park, with craft supplies and trees in the background.
A person wearing an orange shirt, black pants, pink sleeves, and a gray hat standing outdoors near a river, holding a fallen palm frond. There is a small black utility vehicle nearby with some branches in its bed, and a wooden fence with trees and plants in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
Three women dancing and posing on a ledge outdoors with trees and sky in the background.
A group of ten people standing outdoors near a lake, some wearing hats and casual clothing, with trees and picnic tables in the background.
Group of 15 people outdoors at night, smiling and wearing matching blue shirts with 'For Stephanie' written on them, standing in front of trees on grass.

Progress & Impact by the #s

VoyageHouston logo with black background and white text
Text reading 'The Powerful Voice of the Black People' and 'The Buffalo Criterion' with a subtitle 'Incorporated'.

As Seen on

University at Buffalo logo with white UB initials on a blue background.
A graduate in a garden, wearing a sun hat, gardening. Congratulations message for Christine Bratton, Class of 2022, Unity College.
Bold Journey logo with the word 'BOLD' in large pink letters and 'JOURNEY' in smaller black letters underneath on a white background.
Woman with glasses, black hair with blonde highlights, squatting on a sandy beach, collecting trash with a plastic bag, wearing a dark green top, black pants, silver sandals, and a pink backpack.
  • Group of four diverse professionals standing in an office with framed awards or certificates on the wall.

    "It was nice meeting you!"

    -Marc Lamont Hill

  • Headshot of a middle-aged African American man wearing glasses, a navy blue suit, and a white shirt with a blue pocket square, against a plain gray background.

    “I am just super pleased with the work you do. Keep Going!”

    - Terry Alford

  • Two women taking a selfie together in an indoor setting, smiling at the camera.

    "Brilliant!" Thank you for your help!"

    -Beverly Johnson

  • Two people, a man and a woman, standing by a river near a docked boat labeled 'Yakulla'. The man is wearing a gray uniform with a badge, beige shorts, a cap, and sunglasses. The woman is wearing a dark jacket, camouflage pants, and sunglasses on her head, holding a microphone or recording device, and appears to be speaking or explaining something.

    "Now that is cool!"

    -Tour Guide Wakulla Springs State Park

  • Woman holding a baby husky inside an outdoor animal enclosure.

    Thank you for your hard work! We hope you come back!"

    Lindsay Mayer Florida Wildlife Hospital

Want to contribute or collaborate?

  • What we’re looking for.

    Types of contributions

    Field observations and place-based analysis

    Environmental essays grounded in evidence and systems thinking

    Media literacy breakdowns of headlines, reports, or viral claims

    Case studies of projects, policies, or decisions including what worked and what didn’t

    Visual storytelling, photography, or audio that documents environmental realities

    Tools, worksheets, or frameworks that help people think more clearly

  • Who this is for?

    Students learning how environmental systems actually function

    Professionals working in science, policy, planning, sustainability, or education

    Researchers and writers who want editorial rigor without academic gatekeeping

    Community members documenting environmental realities thoughtfully

    Creators who value accuracy, nuance, and long-term impact

  • How to contribute?

    Step 1
    Review recent work on the site to understand tone and expectations.

    Step 2
    Prepare a brief proposal or draft that clearly states the focus, context, and why it matters.

    Step 3
    Submit through the contributor form (below) or contact page with relevant background and sources.

    You will hear back regardless. We won’t leave you on read!

  • How we work together.

    Shared framework
    Contributors are encouraged to use or align with The Bench Decision Framework. This keeps work comparable, grounded, and decision-relevant.

    Transparency
    Sources, assumptions, and limitations should be clear. Uncertainty is acceptable. Vagueness is not.

    Respect for constraints
    We acknowledge time, money, labor, and institutional limits. Idealized solutions without context will be challenged.

  • How your work is elevated here.

    Editorial support
    Submissions receive light but real editorial guidance. That includes clarity edits, framing, and context. The goal is to strengthen your thinking, not overwrite your voice.

    Contextual framing
    Your work is introduced and archived as part of a larger system of ideas, not posted in isolation.

    Credible presentation
    Your contribution is published under Terra On The Bench Studios with clear attribution, professional formatting, and long-term visibility.

    Audience alignment
    Your work reaches readers who value depth, evidence, and realism over speed or outrage.

    Longevity
    This platform is an archive, not a feed. Your work stays accessible and referenced over time.

  • Peer-to-peer feedback

    Contributors may opt into peer feedback during the drafting or revision stage of a piece.

    Feedback focuses on:
    Clarity of observation and framing

    Strength of evidence and use of sources

    Connection between claims and conclusions

    Missing context, assumptions, or constraints

    Decision relevance and real-world applicability

    Feedback is guided, not free-for-all. This keeps it useful and efficient.

    A special eye is provided for grammatical mistakes.

Contributor Form