Winter 2007 Newsletter
Schermeister photos reveal the scenic beauty and often-overlooked details of nature in our local region
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For more than 20 years, photographer Phil Schermeister has worked for dozens of clients all over the United States. His widely publicized photos of nature and people have been featured in various National Geographic Society books and magazine articles -- allowing his pictures to be seen by millions of people.
A loyal supporter of CSERC, Phil has periodically visited with our staff to brainstorm with us about specific locations in our region that might be best for finding photogenic wildlife or eye-catching wildflowers. Thanks in small part to the clues he's gotten from CSERC staff and in large part to his professional talents, artistic skills, and hardy persistence, Phil has taken many spectacular pictures in the Sierra Nevada. A few of them are featured in this newsletter.
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As the close-up view of ladybugs hibernating on a pine branch vividly reveals, Phil's photos convey the beauty and intricate patterns of nature in our region. Look inside this newsletter to see more of Phil's impressive photos and to be inspired to do all possible to protect and preserve our precious ecosystem. |
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A stunning river scene, a floating leaf, and a snow river all grip the imagination to make us "feel" the experience... |
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Ladybugs, buckeye, and Indian rhubarb in a stream.. |
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As CSERC's staff takes on our wide range of fieldwork tasks, we see bright wildflowers in the midst of spring's abundance or, in the winter, leaves decked out in an icy covering of fresh snow. Perhaps like many of our readers, we usually fail to take the time to examine closely the intricate details of the plants (and animals) that make up the web of life in our foothill - mountain ecosystem.
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It is often difficult to communicate the fragile nature of that web of life to state forestry officials, who routinely approve the widespread use of herbicides -- resulting in the widespread killing of plants on cutover forest lands. It is also hard to communicate the value of at-risk plant species to county planning decision-makers, who are usually more sympathetic to developers' profits than they are to potential impacts to plants. It is far easier to convey our concerns if key officials have actually seen the threatened plants in person or at least have skimmed over stunning photographs showing what would be lost. As CSERC staff continues to seek effective ways to be a voice for nature in this region, we hope to increasingly use photography as one important tool to defend the ecosystem.
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CSERC | PO Box 396 | Twain Harte, CA 95383 | (209) 586-7440 | info@cserc.org
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