2023 Outdoor Photography at Santa Fe Botanical Garden
Saturday, April 29, 2023 through Sunday, November 26, 2023
Piñon Country: Illuminating the Interdependence of Life in the Iconic Woodlands of the West
Piñon Country: Illuminating the Interdependence of Life in the Iconic Woodlands of the West is an educational and photographic exhibit that shares the value and beauty of piñon-juniper landscapes. The exhibit hosts 23 image panels with descriptive captions nestled throughout the Santa Fe Botanical Garden’s pathways and includes links to more information online. This visual story invites viewers into the lives of Pinyon Jays exploring their essential relationship to piñon-juniper habitats, while addressing the alarming decline of these birds due to drought, climate change, land clearing and other factors. Viewers will learn what actions scientists and volunteers are taking to turn the situation around and how we can all become stewards of this unique landscape.
The Santa Fe Botanical Garden thanks the Barbara Goede Foundation for generously supporting the Piñon Country exhibition.
Pinyon Jays fly wing to wing in tight flocks in search of food sources. © Christina M. Selby Photography
Climate change induced piñon tree die off in western New Mexico is one of the threats Pinyon Jays face in their habitat. © Christina M. Selby Photography
Pinyon Jay returns to a roosting tree at sunset on the outskirts of Santa Fe. © Christina M. Selby Photography
Pinyon Jays fly wing to wing in tight flocks in search of food sources. © Christina M. Selby Photography
Climate change induced piñon tree die off in western New Mexico is one of the threats Pinyon Jays face in their habitat. © Christina M. Selby Photography
Pinyon Jay returns to a roosting tree at sunset on the outskirts of Santa Fe. © Christina M. Selby Photography
THE PHOTOGRAPHER
The images for the photo story on display were first made in Santa Fe during the pandemic when Christina M. Selby was home enough to notice the Pinyon Jays occasionally visiting her yard and learned of their plight. The story then expanded to include other areas of piñon-juniper habitat as she accompanied biologists to Pinyon Jay colonies throughout the Southwest. Her photos reveal the beauty and value of the piñon-juniper woodland of the west, give us a glimpse into the social lives of the smart and charismatic Pinyon Jays, the threats they face, the conservation efforts on their behalf, as well as what you can do to help them thrive once again. The birds are shown in their natural habitat, which includes wilderness and urban-wild interfaces across the Southwest. This work has been featured in Audubon magazine and online story maps. She is a member of the International League of Conservation Photographers, a group of professional photographers driving conservation impact through ethical visual storytelling. You can see more of her images at www.christinamselby.com and on Instagram @christinamselbyphoto.
Exhibition organized by Santa Fe Botanical Garden and Christina M. Selby.
Photo credit: Sheena Chakeres
Check out the Pinyon Jays in action!
