Role of Art in Conservation

This senior research project originally began with a focus on how art and writing had impacted forest conservation in Minnesota. I carried with me the belief that in the broad field of conservation, art and science were two different languages to express the same truths about the interconnectedness of life and a need to protect nature from human degradation. Much to my surprise, the first resources I found revealed an assumption that art and conservation science are inherently different and rarely reinforce one another.

The battle between art and science was everywhere – in conservation publications and newspapers, on the radio, at the Minnesota State Capitol, and in graduate programs. At St. Olaf, the Arts & Humanities track within the Environmental Studies major seems to favor the approach that there are many ways of truthfully examining nature. But as I searched for graduate programs, I realized that St. Olaf’s program is something of an anomaly among institutions: nearly all focus heavily on the natural and social sciences with little incorporation of the arts.

It seemed that in the struggle, science was winning. Confused and frustrated, I kept going. My research topic took on a different form: I set out to demonstrate the necessity of art within the realm of conservation, focusing on nature photography. Since our senior seminar had studied forest sustainability in Minnesota and I have a love of nature photography, it was only natural that I focus on Jim Brandenburg’s captivating work of the North Woods.

This project became a path of discovery for me on which I set out to determine that while art and science make speak in different languages, they do strengthen one another within the realm of conservation.

Introduction	This senior research project originally began with a focus on how art and writing had impacted forest conservation in Minnesota. I carried with me the belief that in the broad field of conservation, art and science were two different languages to express the same truths about the interconnectedness of life and a need to protect nature from human degradation. Much to my surprise, the first resources I found revealed an assumption that art and conservation science are inherently different and rarely reinforce one another. The battle between art and science was everywhere – in conservation publications and newspapers, on the radio, at the Minnesota State Capitol, and in graduate programs. At St. Olaf, the Arts & Humanities track within the Environmental Studies major seems to favor the approach that there are many ways of truthfully examining nature. But as I searched for graduate programs, I realized that St. Olaf’s program is something of an anomaly among institutions: nearly all focus heavily on the natural and social sciences with little incorporation of the arts. It seemed that in the struggle, science was winning. Confused and frustrated, I kept going. My research topic took on a different form: I set out to demonstrate the necessity of art within the realm of conservation, focusing on nature photography. Since our senior seminar had studied forest sustainability in Minnesota and I have a love of nature photography, it was only natural that I focus on Jim Brandenburg’s captivating work of the North Woods. This project became a path of discovery for me on which I set out to determine that while art and science make speak in different languages, they do strengthen one another within the realm of conservation.
Science versus Art in E.S.
A Brief History of Nature Photography in the U.S.
Modern Functions of Nature Photography
The Photography of Jim Brandenburg
Noteworthy Images
The Influence of Place in Brandenburg photography
Brandenburg's Impact on Conservation
Conclusion
Resources and Methods
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