On September 3, 1964 President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Wilderness Act. This historic bill established the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) and set aside an initial 9.1 million acres of wildlands for the use and benefit of the American people. Over the past 50 years, and as a result of America’s support for wilderness, Congress has added over 100 million acres to this unique land preservation system. The 1964 Wilderness Act defines “Wilderness” as areas where the earth and its communities of life are left unchanged by people, where the primary forces of nature are in control, and where people themselves are visitors who do not remain.
David Slater is currently embroiled in an argument with Wikimedia over the now famous ‘monkey selfie’ images.
Like other conservation photographers at the iLCP, I support David Slater’s copyright to the now famous ‘selfies’ of the critically endangered crested black macaque.
Look what I discovered in one of my trees when I was pruning with my friend!
If you create a natural habitat you soon get wild animals to share the space with. I unfortunately left for a trip right after discovering these cute little guys and figured they would fly the nest before my return. I sent requests to several of my friends to go photograph them while I was away. My assistant Libby Pfeiffer made it up there over the weekend and got some nice shots. She reported the mother was vary concerned about her presence, and would only land on the opposite side from her camera. You can see how much they grew in a few short days! Also, I want to mention to those near Seattle, if you want to check out my garden, it will be part of the West Seattle Garden Tour on July 20th. I will be there to greet visitors and sign books.
Rufous hummingbird chicks in nest, Seattle, Washington by Libby PfeifferRufous hummingbird chicks in nest, Seattle, Washington by Libby Pfeiffer
National Wildlife Week 2014 is March 17th-23rd and will celebrate wildlife and water. Water is a life source for all living creatures (whether human, animal or plant) and we all depend on having clean waterways.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) decided to proclaim March 3, the day of the adoption of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), as World Wildlife Day, to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild fauna and flora.
Mendocino, California native Justin Lewis was nurtured in the raw and rustic Pacific Northwest, where he honed a keen eye for capturing images that instill wonder and inspire action. Having traveled to over forty five countries and featured in many major global magazines, Justin has woven his photography career seamlessly into his lifestyle of exploration and conservation. As an artist, Justin finds inspiration in beauty, and finds beauty in nature.
Justin has spent the last two years dedicating his life to an eight phase photo-documentary project called 70 Degrees West. The project follows a single line of longitude from Greenland to Antarctica, illustrating the impact our modern civilization has on fragile eco-regions and cultures who dwell there. His photography hopes to expand global awareness of environments at risk by capturing the extreme landscape while also giving a voice to the battles each region faces both environmentally and socially. For more information, including slide shows and two video shorts, visit www.70degreeswest.com For more of Justin Lewis’s photography, visitwww.justinlewis.com
Here are a few images from Phase I – Greenland: Thule Hunter
It is said that Greenland’s Inuit name, Kalaallit Nunaat, means “The Land of Man.” To the Greenlandic natives, it is home, where the dark days and sunlit nights demand the human spirit to endure at all costs. Here, a sled driver and dog team rest for a moment under the arch of a looming translucent blue iceberg frozen in the sea ice.
The life of a dog sled driver is one of patience and discipline. Nine Greenlandic Arctic dogs rest during a long trek across the ice. Greenlandic Arctic sled dogs are only exist north of the Arctic Circle and found no where else in the world.
The magic of Northern Greenland’s midnight sun is filled with stunning beauty and extreme isolation. This image was taken at 3 o’clock in the morning where a tidal pond formed on the surface of the sea ice. Salt water was forced up through cracks in the sea ice as the oceans tide came up.
Spring time comes to Ilulissat, Greenland and the fisherman begin to venture out into the recently broken chunks of looming sea ice. Eager to get out fishing, some fisherman launch their boats into the Arctic waters, delicately navigating through chunks and sheets of ice.
Thomas Martika Qujaukitsoq was born in Qaanaaq, Greenland, one of the northern most municipalities in the world. He wears a reindeer jacket his grandmother hand-stitched for him when he was a young man. Although he has hunted extensively through the surrounding landscape, he has never traveled to any other part of the world. His home is Qaanaaq, his life is that of hunting, fishing, and driving his dog sled. He says, “I drive my dog sled because it is my culture and my life. It will always be like that.”
During the warmer months, massive icebergs calve from the glacier head and slowly drift through vast fjords. Certain icebergs can float for many years, very slowly melting and breaking into smaller chunks of ice.
I had the chance to take a chilly dive under the sea ice during our photo expedition in Ilulissat, Greenland. Dressed in a dry suit and specialized arctic gear, it was ethereal and thrilling. Having a ceiling of ice above me and no sight of a sea floor, it felt other-worldly.
Jim Whittaker is all about this place. Growing up in Seattle gave me the good fortune to be in the same neighborhood as the Whittaker family and I delivered newspapers to their home. Jim was an early model for me when I began discovering the majesty of the mountains and landscape of the Northwest. To watch him go on to Mt. Everest was a huge inspiration and stuck with me. I was eventually given an opportunity to travel to the Himalayas, which changed my life. Congratulations on 50 years! Thank you, Jim!
Mountaineers is hosting two events for legendary climbers Jim Whittaker & Tom Horbein. Both men were huge inspirations for me. These events raise vital funds for Mountaineers conservation and stewardship programs. I am donating a place in my upcoming Seattle Art of Composition workshop and a copy of my book“THE HIGH HIMALAYA”” for their auction.
On September 3, 1964 President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Wilderness Act. This historic bill established the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) and set aside an initial 9.1 million acres of wildlands for the use and benefit of the American people. Over the past 50 years, and as a result of America’s support for wilderness, Congress has added over 100 million acres to this unique land preservation system. The 1964 Wilderness Act defines “Wilderness” as areas where the earth and its communities of life are left unchanged by people, where the primary forces of nature are in control, and where people themselves are visitors who do not remain.
If you create a natural habitat you soon get wild animals to share the space with. I unfortunately left for a trip right after discovering these cute little guys and figured they would fly the nest before my return. I sent requests to several of my friends to go photograph them while I was away. My assistant Libby Pfeiffer made it up there over the weekend and got some nice shots. She reported the mother was vary concerned about her presence, and would only land on the opposite side from her camera. You can see how much they grew in a few short days! Also, I want to mention to those near Seattle, if you want to check out my garden, it will be part of the 
