Joshua Tree National Park – Save the parks

/ Bulldog Travels

I cut my teeth photographing Joshua Tree National Park with my first medium format Hasselblad somewhere around 2000.  Looking back the photos I was so proud of at the time have a lot of flaws.  But, my memories are some of the best I have ever had photographing a National park or the outdoors in general.  I fell in love with this park and its unusual and amazingly distinct Joshua Trees.  It breaks my heart to see that the park has been shut down due to politics.  And it is even worse to read reports of damage to the park’s treasured and protected Joshua Trees.  I am disappointed in the people who would do such damage to a park and it’s innocent trees.  And I am disappointed in our government for not doing what it has been charged to do.  It is up to us individually to make good decisions and protect our treasures.  Do no harm, Leave no trace behind and take care of our parks, P.L.E.A.S.E.

For the love of Trees

23 thoughts on “Joshua Tree National Park – Save the parks”

  1. I agree with you. However given that there seems to be no end in sight to the government shutdown with 800,000 Federal workers who are furloughed or working without pay things will get much worse. As Peoples personal savings are gone we will see much worse. Our entire Safety Net which protects The Elderly, Veterans, children and the disabled is about to disappear. Already there will be no Tax refunds but by next month Food Stamps, WIC and other programs might end. I never thought I would live to see the government collapse but unless Congress and the Senate force the issue soon we will have riots and Chaos in the Streets. I worry about my brother Stephen who has Autism and gets SSI, Medicaid and Medicare benefits.

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  4. I can’t understand the ignorance of people. My comment is directed at those with no regard for our national treasures but it could hold true for those who’ve decided to play chicken and use people livelihoods as the stakes.
    I recall my last visit to Yellowstone and seeing people leaving the boardwalks and paths and standing on the fragile crusts of the hot springs. I read recently about a geyser erupting and spewing 80 years worth of trash; cans, signs, cigarette butts…
    I’ve been on this Earth for 65 years and it seems that I shake my head more and more every day.

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  5. I was just in Death Valley and was pleased that I didn’t see any damage, which doesn’t mean that there isn’t some. I also drove by lots of beautiful and quirky Joshua trees. The thought that someone would cut them down sickens me. I’m with you all the way.
    Our son, who flies helicopters for the Coast Guard saving lives and stopping drugs from coming into the country, has not been paid for a month. –Curt

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  6. I can understand your frustration. In my case, it was so heartbreaking to see how some thousands-years-old temples were vandalized here on the island where I live. Irresponsible visitors engraved their names on ancient stones, defacing the temple’s facade. Things like this will usually affect other tourists whose intention is just to see and visit, not damage, a site as regulations tend to be made more strict afterward.

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