Garth Lenz

Landscape

Landscapes and aerials by conservation photographer Garth Lenz.

   
This wetland is just south of Fort McMurray and the developed region of the Alberta Tar Sands. Although not currently threatened directly by Tar Sands development, it is representative of what the Tar Sands area looked like before development.The forests, wetlands, soil etc. are referred to as "overburden" and scraped off in order to replace this ecosystem with tailings ponds, tar mines, and refineries.Wetlands like this are one of the greatest carbon sinks and best defenses against global warming. This example is found in Northern Alberta within the Forest Management Area of logging Company Alberta Pacific Forest Products - ALPAC. Alpac has certified all its lands under FSC certification, making it the largest FSC certified logging operation in the World. These wetlands are also near the Alberta Tar Sands. These oil reserves are second only to those of Saudi Arabia. Their method of extraction is among the most damaging and their refining creates more greenhouse gases than any other oil refining process.
   
     
  
   
The Tombstone Valley in the Northern Yukon. This is a portion of the winter range of the Porcupine Caribou herd. Although not nearly as well know as the breeding grounds in ANWR this area to is also threatened ny the possibility of mining and pipeline development.
   
Greater Taku Wilderness.Northern B.C. near Alaska/Yukon Border. This area is threatened by the potential of a reopened mine and the building of an all-season industrial road. This road would cut through the traditional territory of the Taku River Tlingit, closely following their historic "Grease Trail."
     
  
   
Atlin Lake. Proposed Greater Taku Wilderness Area.NorthWest B.C. near Alaska and Yukon border.**This marks the western border with the Coastal Region. The beggining of the coastal range is seen in the background. The other side of the mountains is the coastal region and the coastal temperate rainforests of the Tongass and "Great Bear" rain forests. *This area is threatened by the potential of a reopened mine and the building of an all-season industrial road. This road would cut through the traditional territory of the Taku River Tlingit, closely following their historic "Grease Trail."
  
     
  
This region will be directly impacted by the proposed Mackenzie Valley National Gas Pipeline. This pipeline would bring gas from the Beaufort Sea. The primary destination for the natural gas will be to fuel the energy needs of the Alberta Oil Sands mega-project.
  
This region will be directly impacted by the proposed Mackenzie Valley National Gas Pipeline. This pipeline would bring gas from the Beaufort Sea. The primary destination for the natural gas will be to fuel the energy needs of the Alberta Oil Sands mega-project.
  
     
  
Dawn on a small lake in the South Chilcotin Mountains. After a Fifty+ year campaign, the South Chilcotin Mountains were finally protected as the last act of the NDP provincial government of B.C. The replacement "liberal" government overturned the legislation leaving the area once more open to continued degradation from industrial clearcutting, mining exploration, and hydro electric development.
   
  
This region will be directly impacted by the proposed Mackenzie Valley National Gas Pipeline. This pipeline would bring gas from the Beaufort Sea. The primary destination for the natural gas will be to fuel the energy needs of the Alberta Oil Sands mega-project.
     
  
Valle de la Luna.Atacama Desert,Chile.
   
Strait of Juan de Fuca and Olympic Mountains from Botanical Beach.Southwest coast of Vancouver Island,B.C. Canada
  
Flores Island, Clayoquot Sound.West coast of Vancouver Island.B.C. Canada
     
  
A section of the Sea to Sea Wilderness area near Victoria B.C. on Vancouver Island. In the background are the Mountains of Olympic National Park in Washinton State USA