To permanently protect 2,240 privately-owned acres of Galbraith Mountain next to Bellingham, WA, and secure legal rights to extensive, multipurpose, non-motorized recreational activities on that land.
To protect the Yellowstone Gateway from the threat of industrial-scale gold mining by securing a permanent mineral withdrawal that prevents mining activity in 30,000 acres of National Forest lands in the Absaroka Beartooth mountains.
On October 2, 2018 – the 50th anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act – a bill to protect wild rivers and lands in Oregon moved one step closer to the finish line. The Oregon Wildlands Act (S.1548) passed through the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources suggesting it is ready for the spotlight – approval from the full Senate and House and a signature by the President.
Senators Wyden and Merkely’s Oregon Wildlands Act brings together longstanding efforts to protect outstanding rivers and wild landscapes in Oregon. If passed, the bill would protect 90,000 acres of Wilderness in the Devil’s Staircase and Wild Rogue areas, add 256 miles of Oregon rivers to the Wild & Scenic system, safeguard 128,000 acres of the Rogue and Molalla Rivers as Recreation Areas and withdraw an important section of the Chetco River from new mining claims.
Fifty years ago the Lower Rogue River was one of the original eight rivers designated under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The Oregon Wildlands Act would grant nearly 100 miles of tributaries of the Lower Rogue River with the same protections. And, protecting the Rogue, it’s tributaries and it’s surrounding wild landscapes is good for business. According to a 2009 economic report, river-based recreation on and near the Wild & Scenic Rogue River accounted for nearly $30 million in economic output and 445 full and part time jobs.
This The Conservation Alliance success story is a classic. In 2001, funding by The Conservation Alliance lead to the acquisition of 221 acres surrounding iconic Castleton Tower in Castle Valley, Utah—home to one of the “Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.”
In the clip, you’ll see Dave Erley, former two-term mayor of Castle Valley, and Wendy Fisher, Executive Director of Utah Open Lands, explain the history of the Castleton Tower Preservation Initiative. Once threatened by development, the climbing community and Utah Open Lands worked together to secure permanent access to Castleton Tower.
The first video in our six-part success story series celebrates the new 99,000-acre Steamboat Creek Steelhead Sanctuary along Oregon’s Umpqua River.
The backstory: Frank and Jeanne Moore are decades-long stewards and conservation champions for the Steamboat Creek watershed, located in the northeastern portion of the Umpqua River basin, and recognize it as a sanctuary for wildlife, plants, and people.
While recent protections identify the wild steelhead as the preeminent beneficiary, Frank also discovered that spending time fly fishing along the river in this area acted as therapy for PTSD induced by his service in World War II.
See the full video here and follow the grantees who helped protect this wild place: Pacific Rivers and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.
Spanning 5,200 acres in the Great Smoky Mountains, Blackberry Mountain continues a legacy of world-renowned hospitality and unwavering dedication and appreciation for the land. Rising above Miller’s Cove in Walland, TN, Blackberry Mountain has dedicated 2,800 acres of land to conservation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeI_3VLlLyE&feature=emb_logo
Every adventure needs a home base, and the luxury accommodations on the Mountain offer equal parts modern design, natural charm and refined comfort. Choose from a ridgetop cabin, a stone cottage nestled into the hillside near The Lodge, or a multi-bedroom home. You’ll find each to be well-appointed, thoughtfully furnished and, of course, tastefully stocked.
This effort to preserve the natural wonder of the mountains offers breathtaking views and a serene escape from the stresses of modern life in a private national park setting. A commitment to land conservation and a passion for sharing the wonders of life in the Smokies shapes the unprecedented experience that awaits on Blackberry Mountain. Outfitted for adventure and designed for comfort, this estate takes the Blackberry State of Mind to new heights.
5. France – Johnny Hallyday (“Mon Plus Beau Noël”)
4. England – Pet Shop Boys (“Always On My Mind”)
3. Germany – Helene Fischer (“Stille Nacht”)
2. Japan – Yamashita Tatsuro (“Christmas Eve”)
1. United States – Mariah Carey (“All I Want For Christmas Is You”)
Filmed, Edited and Directed by: Aaron Keigher
Original Music by: Robert Levin
“We see in order to move; we move in order to see.”
-William Gibson
There is perpetual, dynamic and never-ending motion all around us. And this motion has a rhythm to it. It is the rhythm of our life — a beat that has become so normal and day-to-day that few of us take the time to see and feel it and even fewer of us take the time to bask in it.
When we experience the world, we encounter this movement and rhythm happening at different tempos. Whether it is the movement within our own body — our heart beat, breathing, walking — or the the different speeds of the movement in the world and universe around us, the various tempos of motion are a polyphonic rhythm that create the symphony of life.
Some motion we perceive easily — the movement of people, cars, or the trees blowing in the wind. But some motion, such as the rotation of the stars or the changes in shadows and light, we, as humans, are not always aware of unless we take the time to notice. Time-lapse photography is a unique tool that can be used to help us see this movement and it can even help us see the motion we can perceive in a different way. And when we pair timelapse with dynamic polyphonic and polyrhythmic music, we can begin to feel that the rhythm of that motion deep in our soul. “Move II” is all about intertwining timelapse photography and music to see and feel that motion both in nature and in the city.
It was a true honor and privilege to collaborate with Robert Levin on the music for “Move II”. His beautiful original score blends together the rhythms and melodies of our world and perfectly captures the feeling of movement that surrounds us at all times. When I first met with Robert to begin working on the music for Move II, I knew it needed something that was unique and special in order to accentuate the movement of the universe, little did I know how perfectly he would capture that idea and deliver a magical and dynamic original score for the film.
A heartfelt thank you to Steve Bill, one of my musical mentors and a true friend over the past 20 years, for introducing me to Robert Levin and for allowing us to use his studio at Room 368 Productions to record the score for this video. Thank you to Ethan Bill for his time, talent and patience recording, mixing and engineering the music for the video. This was a huge undertaking and we could not have asked for anyone better to work with. I would also like to extend a huge thank you to all of the incredibly talented musicians who took part in the recording of the music and helped to breathe life into this film. Your talents and passion are second-to-none.
I am very excited to share with you “Move II”, a continuation of the original short-film “Move” that I released a few years ago. (vimeo.com/aaronkeigherphotography/move) Join me for a few moments to take a step back and experience the rhythm of the movement that surrounds us all.
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Locations Include:
Acadia National Park, ME
Boy’s Ranch, Amarillo, TX
Buckeye Wind Farm, KS
Canyonlands National Park, UT
Capitol Reed National Park, UT
Chicago, IL
Colorado Canyon National Monument, CO
Dead Horse Point State Park, UT
Dinosaur National Monument, CO
Factory Butte, UT
Fantasy Canyon, UT
Goosenecks State Park, UT
Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Havre, MT
Joshua Tree National Park, CA
Lake George, NY
Molen Reef, UT
Monument Valley Tribal Park, AZ
New York City, NY
Niagara Falls, ON, Canada
Philadelphia, PA
Red Canyon, Flaming Gorge National Monument, UT
Trona Pinnacles, CA
Woodville, ID
Directed by JOHANNES OLSZEWSKI
Written by JOHANNES OLSZEWSKI & CODY CHRISTENSEN
Produced by MIRKO PROHASKA & JOHANNES OLSZEWSKI
Director of Photography FELIX REICHERT
B Camera Operator & Animation VALENTIN RAPP
Production Designer BARBARA PEISL
CAST
Pilot of German ballon TIM TAYLOR
Pilot of American Ballon ZACHARY BRAMBLE
Hitchhiker Girl BARBARA PEISL
Hitchhiker Boy LEVI ALLEN
CREW
Production Supervisor LISA GHIO
Production Assistant ALEXANDER SCHULZ
Property Master RONNY BIARD
High above the sacred Navajo land of Monument Valley, two hot air balloons float, circling each other as if in a dance. One carries the German flag, the other that of the United States. A closer look reveals that the balloons are not only tethered together, but that a person is walking on this thin, connecting line.
This is the sight that the protagonist of the short film #buildingbridges beholds, as he steps out of his humble Utah home and looks up at the sky. An old and lonely man, he finds his own courage through the actions of these strangers.
This balancing act in movie form by the young creative agency One Inch Dreams (oneinchdreams.com) was commissioned by the German Embassy as a tribute to German-American friendship.
watch the documentary of BuildingBridges here: vimeo.com/376121031
Experienced outdoor enthusiasts and those lacing-up their boots for their first time: prepare to hike the diverse American landscape. Whether aiming to conquer epic expeditions, or simply complete a day hike to recharge, paths of every size await the intrepid wayfarer in Wanderlust USA, a book that serves as a blueprint for adventurous souls in search of new summits.
Stunning photography and insightful tips from veteran long-distance hiker Cam Honan bring many bucolic treks to life, including the unmissable California ancient redwoods and misty waterfalls of Yosemite Park, as well as Utah’s dramatic canyons, and the Atlantic cliffs of Maine.
Boomers Daily 