Photos by Gabe Sullivan-Brugger Text by Sakora Smeby
As the year kicks off with many doors of opportunity opening, the tree census that has been worked on diligently by our many census crews wraps up. Each group carried on, season to season, working through the heat of the summer, crisp fall air, and the relatively mild winter temperatures. However, this year, on January 9th, the Paint Rock valley was engulfed in snow, offering a picturesque landscape. The crew took the day to stay inside, and input data and two of the members seized the moment, exploring the forest and capturing it in this rare state. Gabe Sullivan-Brugger went camera in hand, out into the flurrying field, with Joao Pedro de Godoy leading him on the path.
I had the chance to speak with the two men about their time in the snow, I first spoke with Mr. Sullivan-Brugger. When asked what he enjoyed about the experience, he answered:
“It showcased all of the soft edges of the land and captured the natural shape of the topography. It allowed everything to be heard more distinctly, similar to when the streets are clear in the middle of the night. Ambient noise was cut by the snow, drawing focus to typically-hushed sounds like birds swooping down to eat off of shrubs.”
Experiencing snowy mountains was exciting for Gabe, who comes from Athens, Georgia. There, snow is scarce and usually comes down as sleet, whereas this time around, it fell gracefully and formed a powdery layer on the ground.
Gabe says the most notable part of the winter wonderland was the striking appearance of wildlife contrasted against the snow. Vibrant birds danced through the valley, and deer peeked out behind trees.
The next interviewee was Joao, who shared enthusiasm with Gabe, coming from a place of even further and warmer origin – Brazil. The few times Paint Rock has received snow, Joao, a man of few words, says he felt the satisfaction of seeing and feeling something unlike anything he had encountered back home- snowfall and frigid temperatures.
We are happy to be able to share the results of their breathtaking and incomparable time wandering in the frosted forest. The photos, taken by Sullivan-Brugger, are the highlights of their adventure. It is the first time he has used our extensive digital camera system meant to encourage conservation photography. It seems that Gabe has an extremely good feel for the photography process, I am sure he will add it to his tool belt in his future journeys.