Conservation

Interested in conservation photography? Read Justin’s Outdoor Photographer article, Critical Exposure

Eastern Sierra and Northern San Gabriel Heritage Act, California, USA. In partnership with the Wilderness Society, Justin brought his photographs to Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, to make lawmakers aware of the incredible landscapes in California’s Sierra Nevada and White Mountains that were then lacking formal wilderness protection. Within a few years, a new law would protect almost half a million acres of additional wilderness in Mono, Inyo, and Los Angeles Counties, including large areas in the Sierra and Whites.

Flathead Valley, British Columbia, Canada. During his time as Executive Director of the International League of Conservation Photographers, Justin joined a team of ILCP Fellows – Roy Toft, Michael Ready, Matthias Breiter, Garth Lenz, and Joe Riis – to extensively photograph the landscapes and wildlife of the undeveloped Flathead River Valley in south-eastern British Columbia. The photographs were used in media campaigns by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Sierra Club British Columbia, and the Wild Foundation, in an effort to stop a planned mountain-top-removal coal mine at the head of the valley.  One of Justin’s photographs of the pristine Flathead River appeared as a section opener in the Vancouver Sun newspaper, the first time the threats facing the watershed had prominent coverage in that regionally important media outlet. The photograph was later selected by the U.S. Senate for display in the Capitol Building at the announcement of an international agreement between the U.S. and Canadian governments to protect the Flathead River and its watershed.

Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. In the lead-up to the 9th World Wilderness Congress in Mérida, Mexico, a team of thirty ILCP photographers tackled a range of assignments covering the ecosystems of the Yúcatan, and the various threats they faced. Justin teamed up with ILCP Founding Fellow Jack Dykinga to photograph the underground cenotes, caves and sinkholes that dot the limestone bedrock of the peninsula. The project led to widespread coverage in major Mexican media, and much needed inspiration for the growing Mexican conservation movement.

Chesapeake Bay, USA. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and is one of the most productive bodies of water in the world, but it faces a variety of threats. In a project for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Justin was assigned to photograph headwaters areas in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, spanning 64,000 squares miles, covering parts of six states — Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Focusing on impacts on water quality, his photographs revealed the impacts of cattle and poultry, fertilizer, deforestation, and development, as well as methods being applied to minimize these impacts.

Dragon Run, Virginia, USA. The Nature Conservancy assigned Justin to photograph the pristine Dragon Run cypress swamp on Virginia’s Middle Peninsula, as a part of the successful effort to protect in a conservation easement the size of Manhattan.

Jaguars of the Pantanal, Brazil. Since 2013, Justin has worked with conservationists and biologists in Brazil to protect critical jaguar habitat. His iconic photo of a large male jaguar catching a yacaré caiman was honored by the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, and featured in the National Geographic Live! video, For the Love of Jaguars, presented by the late Panthera co-founder, Dr. Alan Rabinowitz.

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Visionary Wild’s Galapagos expeditions, led by Justin and photographers Frans Lanting, Tom Mangelsen, and Art Wolfe, raised a total of $45,000 for the Charles Darwin Foundation via two charity auctions held aboard the group’s private charter vessel, Eclipse. The trip leaders auctioned off donated fine prints, books, and local Galapagos handicrafts.

South Georgia Island, Sub-Antarctic. Visionary Wild’s South Georgia Island expeditions led by Justin and ILCP Senior Fellows Frans Lanting, Tom Mangelsen, and Art Wolfe, have raised nearly $75,000 via fine print auctions for the conservation projects of South Georgia Heritage Trust, notably their successful rat eradication program, an initiative to protect the massive colonies of penguins, albatross, and other seabirds.