With our public lands under attack, I imagine a future where our parks are celebrated, not for the natural wonders within them, but for the resources we extract from them.
Our public lands are under attack. This year, the largest rollback of federal lands in United States history unfolded in the desert of southern Utah, in the far North of Alaska, oil drilling is now allowed on crucial coastal arctic breeding grounds for caribou, and a road is being put through a once pristine mountain gateway to the arctic to facilitate access a new mine. This poster series addresses the frightening reality of rescinding federal protections on land once viewed as off limits in the realm of human development.
Drawing inspiration from the vintage national park posters of the 1930s and ’40s, as well as from Hannah Rothstein’s National Parks: 2050, I imagine a world where our parks are celebrated, not for the natural wonders within them, but for the resources we extract from them. I have chosen the top five most visited national parks in an attempt to bring this issue, that may seem far removed from the American public, closer to home. It is up to us to make our voices heard, before this worst-case scenario becomes our reality.
Write to your state and federal elected officials and tell them why you care about public lands, support businesses that advocate for them, and get involved with organizations like Outdoor Alliance who are fighting fiercely to protect them. Together, our support won’t move mountains, but keep them as they were meant to be, wild and free.
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For more information about the artist, visit: https://kaitevensen.wixsite.com/website
Planet Forward Correspondent | George Washington University
Planet Forward Correspondent | University of Guam
Events and Outreach Intern | George Washington University
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