Author’s note: In November 2007, I had the good fortune to talk with controversial writer and environmental activist Derrick Jensen (see http://www.derrickjensen.org/). During our conversation I asked Derrick a number of questions pertaining to subject matter explored in his books “A Language Older Than Words,” “Listening to the Land” and “Thought to Exist in the Wild: Awakening to the Nightmare of Zoos.” The latter is the 2008 Eric Hoffer Book Award winner. His replies proved to be, as I anticipated they might, insightful, interesting and thought provoking. This first part has to do with human use and abuse of wild animals.

This follow up article is based on my experiences in the 2007 Coastal Bend Wildlife Photo Contest, the world’s third richest photo contest. A now all-digital contest, there are other noteworthy changes in the contest format. For basic information about the contest, please see my 2005 Naturescapes.Net article.

This Common Tern colony has long been under siege due to huge increases in populations of Ring-billed Gulls and Herring Gulls; scavenging birds that have located a food source in the mountains of garbage that humans produce every year. Tern colonies all over the world are in trouble as well.

In April 2006 I spent 30 consecutive days photographing nature on a Texas Hill Country ranch along with 16 other professional photographers, each photographing on a separate ranch. We each drew a ranch to photograph mammals, birds, reptiles, insects and scenics as part of the first annual Images For Conservation Fund (ICF) effort to bring landowners and photographers together. The goal is to start a movement for greater appreciation and conservation of the natural wonders on privately owned land.