Discover how to use your camera to safeguard the natural world Text And Photography By James Shadle It’s time to plan my next photographic adventure, so I take a minute to ask myself a few questions. Where do I want to spend the limited time I have for my nature photography? Where can I go to capture pleasing images and have a great time doing it? I check the weather and wind direction and determine that a little rookery a few miles from my home will be the best spot to scratch my photographic itch. When I arrive, however, I’m greeted with a new chain-link fence and “No Trespassing” signs. A Harley-Davidson dealership purchased the land and is building a new showroom. Dang - another one is gone. Image copyright: James Shadle A Changing Landscape I see the signs of progress everywhere. It seems there’s no limit to the construction of new homes, roads, schools and golf courses. The politicians bask in the glow of a “job well done,” and why wouldn’t their constituents be happy? They have created new jobs and new schools, and just look at the revenue being collected as property and business taxes. On the other hand, uncontrolled “progress” can be devastating to the remaining natural places and the wildlife that resides there. Progress and urban sprawl not only reduce wildlife habitat, but create fragmentation—the result of large habitats being cut into smaller parcels, with no means for the wildlife to move freely from one area to another. Roads, buildings and other obstructions prevent wildlife from moving outside the small area; they’re held captive, almost as if they were caged. As seasons change (particularly in a state like Florida, where there are two seasons, drought and flood), wildlife needs to move to other areas with better forage. Image copyright: James Shadle Additionally, wildlife must be able to move for the availability of fresh genetic material. For example, the gene pool for the Florida panther has been so greatly reduced by habitat loss and fragmentation that all of them have a kink in their tails. This is the obvious visible result of inbreeding. The other results are less visible but unfortunately much more serious, leading to increased vulnerability to diseases and genetic traits that put the species at risk. Making A Difference As a nature photographer, I’m concerned about the impact of this “progress” on my photographic subjects. I also have a selfish concern. In the future, where will I find the subjects I love and love to photograph? Will I be forced to shoot only in the remaining national and state parks? Or is there something I can do to raise the public’s awareness about the results of uncontrolled development? Image copyright: James Shadle As a master naturalist, much of my training has been on how to help the public and governmental officials understand how uncontrolled growth negatively affects wildlife and other natural resources—and to communicate the importance of preservation to a wider audience. As a photographer, much of my work is trying to express in photographs the beauty of our remaining wild places. Image copyright: James Shadle But just taking a beautiful photograph isn’t enough. For the public to realize the value of our remaining wild places, they must see the landscapes and wildlife images taken in these locations. This means slideshows for family and friends. It also means contacting groups like Audubon and other environmentally conscious clubs or groups. Camera clubs, schools, newspapers and regional magazines are all effective ways to get images seen and the message out. Image copyright: James Shadle The fact that wetlands filter drinking water, recharge the aquifer, buffer against floods and provide valuable habitat for countless species is lost on the public due to lack of information, misinformation and the fast pace in which most people live their lives. If I photograph a roseate spoonbill, snowy egret, redheaded woodpecker or any one of a number of species that reside in these wetlands, and if I do it well, then perhaps the public and governmental officials will see the hidden beauty of these wild places. Image copyright: James Shadle Beauty is perceived as having value and, of course, something of value is worth saving. My photography can and does have a positive impact on stemming the tide of habitat reduction and fragmentation. The success of making the public environmentally aware with photography has paid dividends in my area. Many local governments have environmental programs in place to protect and restore natural places. I have images that would be otherwise impossible to capture. Image copyright: James Shadle I’m not saying that my photography alone has persuaded the local governments to suddenly have an environmental conscience, but every little bit helps. How can I be so sure? I’ve seen this approach in action and successfully so. Saving our wild and natural places is worth every effort. To see more of James Shadle’s photography, visit www.wildflorida.net   Arthur Morris James Shadle Alfred Forns Fabiola Forns Blake Shadle   Robert O’Toole Robert Amoruso   Linda Robbins   Lance Warley   Juan Aragonés Glenn Bartley Doug Brown Daniel Cadieux George DeCamp Bob Ettinger D. Robert Franz Maxis Gamez Sid Garige Susan Griffith Lana Hays Axel Hildebrandt Van Hilliard David Kennedy Roman Kurywczak Judy Lynn Malloch Jody Melanson Mike Moats Chris Ober Romy Ocon Manos Papadomanolakis Judd Patterson Jim Poor James Salywoda Jayanth Sharma Gyorgy Szimuly Jason Vaclavek