Sullivan Barth is a communications fellow at the National Wildlife Federation. — Just 200 miles north of Los Angeles sits the Arabian desert. Or is it the Himalayas? Or Utah? Or Mexico? Or is it the moon? With a camera and a little imagination, the Alabama Hills have been all of these places. . Long a treasured location for the movie industry…

Lindsay Martindale loves wildlands, working lands, and wildlife and strives to respect the values of each. She is thrilled to be the Colorado Plateau Project Manager for Wildlands Network. — Dear Buffalo River, Remember when I was a child? My big brother and I loved to paddle your muddy spring rapids. I would navigate the river while he fished the rapids, which often ended up with the boat in the bushes and no fish on the hook. Thank you for…

Jody Chapel is an artist living in the Four Corners area of Colorado. She is forever in awe of the natural beauty that is just outside her door and she enjoys hiking, kayaking and horseback riding in the nearby public lands. — This painting, titled “Love Letter,” was influenced by the land that surrounds my home in the San Juan National Forest in southern Colorado. It is part of a series called “WESTISH: Observations and Reflections on the Western Landscape,” in which many of the paintings have the suggestion of a story…

Reverend. Andrew Black is a minister at First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe, the Founder of EarthKeepers 360, and the Public Lands Field Director for the National Wildlife Federation. Chaplain Jośe “Chappy” Villegas Sr. is a Catholic chaplain who served the Santa Fe and Albuquerque Police Departments, Santa Fe and Bernalillo County Sheriff Offices, State Police, and the New Mexico FBI. Villegas is the Mayordomo of the Valle de la Cieneguilla Land Grant.

Ava Rivera is an 11th grader at Jefferson High School in Boulder, Montana. — Glacier National Park will always hold a special place in my heart. My dad recently retired from the military after being in it for my entire life. I had become accustomed to moving to a different area every year — so finding places that really felt like home was a…

Jack Johnson is a sophomore at Jefferson High School in Boulder, Montana. — Outdoor activities have always been an important part of my life and a prominent tradition in my family. We have always enjoyed spending time together outside hunting, fishing, hiking, and playing together. Many of these activities happened on public lands whether it be fishing on the Sun River or wolf…

Morgan Knickerbocker is a junior at Jefferson High School in Boulder, MT. — I grew up and live in Montana, which has an abundance of public lands to explore. There is so much that you can do with public lands. They provide so much happiness and peace for people. In the winter you can go skiing, snowboarding, and so much more with the…

Quinne Shultz is a junior at Jefferson High School in Boulder, Montana. — Within my 16 years of life, I have been able to travel and spend time in several different national parks including Yellowstone, Glacier, and Zion. The one I remember most is Zion. I was able to go at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The park was partially empty due…

Luke Strizich is a 10th grader at Jefferson High School in Boulder, Montana. — I am grateful for public lands because they allow the average person to go outside and enjoy the outdoors. Public lands allow me and my family to get out of the house and be active. We love backpacking in the summer and hunting in the fall. It let’s me spend…