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'Roadless' Comes to Durango |
Ryan Bidwell Demmy | 9/9/09
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“ROADLESS”: In Search of America’s Least Known Wilderness
One-Day-Only Exhibit by Nelson Guda
As a part of broad public awareness raising effort, artist Nelson Guda is bringing his latest photography Exhibit – “ROADLESS” – to Durango’s Open Shutter Gallery on Saturday September 12. The exhibit showcases some of America’s least known National Forest treasures, so-called roadless areas, which have been the subject of significant public controversy for more than a decade.
Over the past four years, Nelson has traveled tens of thousands of miles, hiking and kayaking into some of the least known National Forest lands in the US to photograph our country's "Inventoried Roadless Areas" – a vast and diverse set of National Forest lands protected by the Roadless Rule of 2001.
“The protection of the Inventoried Roadless Areas was one of the largest conservation related actions by the federal government in decades, and yet few people know anything about these important and beautiful places,” explains Guda. “I undertook this project to change that.”
 Nelson is an artist, biologist, and writer with a taste for adventure. His art exhibits address the environment from both the perspective of the science that explains it and the artist who tries to understand our connection to it. The “ROADLESS” exhibit is the culmination of a four-year project that was recently exhibited in the Russell Senate Building in Washington, DC, and will now travel the country to help motivate people to protect these important lands. The Exhibit is beginning a three week Colorado tour this weekend in Durango, followed by stops in Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs and Golden, to help generate public comments on a proposal to change roadless protections in Colorado.
Despite attempts by the Bush Administration to remove protections for roadless National Forests nationwide, the 2001 Rule has recently been reinstated by federal courts. Meanwhile, the State of Colorado is currently requesting public comments on a proposed Colorado Rule that would leave Colorado’s more that 4 million acres of roadless areas with weaker protections than any other state. The public Comment period for the Colorado Rule extends through October 2.
Saturday’s Exhibit at the Open Shutter Gallery will also include an opportunity for the public to submit oral or written comments on the latest draft of the proposed Colorado Rule.
“We’re very excited to have Nelson here in Durango to showcase some of Colorado’s, and our Nation’s, finest backcountry forests with his photography,” says Ryan Demmy Bidwell, Executive Director of Durango-based Colorado Wild. “We also look forward to giving the public a chance to voice its support for protecting Colorado’s backcountry forests.”
“The most important thing you can do to help protect our nation's Inventoried Roadless Areas is to call or write your elected officials, and tell them to protect these valuable places,” says Guda. “I hope my exhibit helps people in Durango learn about, but more importantly, take action to protect these American treasures.”
Nelson will be presenting “ROADLESS” at 6pm Saturday September 12 at the Open Shutter Gallery at 735 Main Avenue in Durango. The free event is being sponsored by Colorado Wild, San Juan Citizens Alliance, Great Old Broads for Wilderness, and the Colorado Mountain Club. Appetizers and refreshments will be provided.
For more information visit www.nelsonduda.com |
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