Years ago I had hit a dead end. I continued to do the same work without growth. There were pockets of new opportunities in between the monotony, but I couldn’t give myself to those chances fully. I was stifled in parts of my life and it seemed to be seeping into every aspect of my life! I’d work in ways to push myself even in the monotony, but it wasn’t enough. I knew it was possible to grow exactly where I was and yet I really needed space from everything I knew to truly stretch in a new way. That’s when I decided it was time to really push myself. So, I applied to work as a media intern at Wrangell St. Elias National Park & Preserve in Alaska for four months. There, I was able to fulfill my personal and career goals working in visual communications, documenting science and research, cultural events, and history in the nation’s largest park through photography and video!
Wrangell St. Elias National Park & Preserve is home to the largest glacial system in the country. The glaciers within its borders are the headwaters for many of the river systems that flow through the park and towards Alaska’s seas. Along this journey from glacier to ocean, these rivers shape the land as well as the living communities, connecting people, animals, and plants. My work followed the flow of these watersheds, from interviewing scientists who study the evolving glaciers and their effects on the environment, to the people who rely on the rivers to provide nourishing salmon for their families, to the communities whose histories are forever intertwined with the ancient landforms. In a place where people and nature are so clearly tied together, it’s more obvious to me than ever before that conservation is not simply about land, but history, culture, and people as well.
After my four months there, it’s still my first media assignment that drove this message home with the most power. On a trip to the southern coast of the park, during a visit to a site that was historically significant to the Yakutat Tlingit, I met many new faces and heard many new stories. Oral histories passed around campfires from elders to youth to connect new generations to their ancestors and their personal identities. One elder, while reflecting on his personal reasons for providing this opportunity to the youth, told me of the time he learned his grandfather had been a guide for naturalist and “Father of the National Parks”, John Muir. He told me before learning about his grandfather he wasn’t very confident, but knowing who his grandfather was gave him pride. From then on he learned as much as he could about his grandfather and his culture, modeling his life after his ancestor’s philosophy. This conversation made me realize how important inclusivity is in conservation.
Our conversation also began my search for naturalists and conservationists outside of the white faces we’re already familiar with. John Muir, Aldo Leopold, even my beloved Jane Goodall. While providing lots of important ideas and thoughts to ponder, they still only provide a limited view. There are so many more important perspectives we’re missing when we don’t broaden our ideas of nature writing. So, if you too are looking to see the landscapes you love through fresh eyes with new experiences different from your own, then feel free to use these suggestions as a jumping off point:
The Colors of Nature: This collection explores the relationship between culture and place through many different authors from various backgrounds, so it’s a great place to discover more writers (like Jamaica Kincaid, who’s A Small Place always pulls me back, Robin Wall Kimmerer, or Lauret Savoy).
Camille Dungy’s Black Nature: an anthology of nature writing by African American poets.
Carolyn Finney’s Black Faces, White Spaces: an examination of the natural environment and how it is represented by black and white Americans.
After all, we’re not just protecting land for future generations, but protecting history, culture, and identity as well. The more people and ideas included in conservation efforts, the more that can be achieved. Feel free to share some of your favorite “nature” writings with me in the comments as well!