As far back as I remember I have had a deep interest and curiosity about plants and animals. This interest steered me to careers that in included nature interpretation for a park district, work as a geologist, and engineering.  I have also had the good fortune to travel across the United States, and in Mexico, and Central America. My investigations and observations over my lifetime have resulted in my developing a deep concern over man’s impact on plants and animals across the planet.

 

There is a strong consensus in the scientific community that we are the sixth episode of mass extinction in earth’s geologic history. The last occurred at the end of the Cretaceous Period, around 66 million years ago. However the current one is not attributed anything as exotic as a comet impact, but is due to human impact on the environment. The human related drivers are numerous, but the ones resulting in the ongoing climate change appear to be the most devastating. The current rate of extinction is 100 to 1,000 times higher than the background rate (the natural extinction rate in terms of natural evolution).  Studies have indicated that one-half of earth’s higher lifeforms will be extinct by 2100.

 

It is my hope that my photographs will stir an interest and appreciation in our natural world and result in more individuals working to control the actions of our society that are devastating our planet.

 

Thanks you for viewing my work,

Anthony Belfast