The Middle East is the most water-scarce region in the world and has the largest liquid freshwater losses on the planet, according to NASA and the University of California study. This is due to climate change, population growth, and socioeconomic development. We Used to Watch the Rivers Go By is a 4-year writing, photography, and video project about the loss of ecosystems and waterways, in the ancient Fertile Crescent region of Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Iraq. Year one of this project will focus on the water crisis and forest degradation in Jordan, a region with the world’s scarcest renewable water resources per capita, teetering on the brink of survival due to climate change, heat, and misuse of water resources. This is leading to the death of endemic trees at Dana Biosphere Reserve, one of Jordan’s most ecologically diverse forests, and, threaten the critical balance of the last remaining wetlands of Azraq in North Eastern Jordan. Connecting land and water, I aim to reimagine narratives about nature through oral history, collective memory, and indigenous knowledge to protect biodiversity and engage communities. My project is an important initiative to inspire future generations and document local experiences before they are gone—a momentous opportunity to harness indigenous knowledge for the advancement and restoration of ecosystems.