The trees line up when man has something to say...D.C. Part One
By michael billert
24 October 2007
This project began looking at nature inside the Beltway, the twelve lane concrete strip that goes around our National Capitol. My photo's started at The Great Falls, that fills the Potomac River. The river feds the Tidal Basin. Which reflects around the Jefferson Memorial and along the Mall.
Its "in your face" the influence man has on Nature. Really speaks in this forty mile area east to west. The forest is small but very diverse. Millions of years with Nature changing, trying new things. New ways to mix the soup. And the modern American has had three hundred years to poke and push mother nature around. The indigious people's of North America lived her ten times longer. They had their challenges but lived with-in most of the boundries put there by nature.
The author "Mitchner" wrote about this part of the world. 300 years ago, he wrote the geese were so thick they blocked out the sun. The deer and oysters were so thick that when the indians were raided they would just run away and let the tribes from the mountains come and steel all that had been collected.
By hook or crook modern man has really put our mark on this beautiful planet. Its not pretty. We as Americans, the most powerful people living, need to wake up. See our mistakes and take responsiblity for our destruction. Our ability to do good is only outdone by the obsurd mess we have made.
When I am in the woods with my field camera I am usually there by myself. With the 4x5 I am slow, faster than most, but still slow with time to really see what's there. Being there alone leads me to think that this mess that we have made was made one person at a time. That's the only way we will be able to fix the mess, one person at a time deciding to change how he or she lives. Change your carbon footprint this year, this month, start today.
More Projects
More stories by michael billert
Mother Nature and the District
Photo Essay. 17 Jan 2008.
Inside the Beltway is the center of our government and Mother Nature still holds court...
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