Natural Trails & Waters Coaliton Press Release
August 26, 2002

Contact:

Daniel Patterson, Center For Biological Diversity, 520-906-2159
Julie Miller, Center For Biological Diversity, 520-623-5252 x 303
Terry Weiner,Desert Protective Council, 619-543-0757
David Younkman at the National Wildlife Federation at 619-296-8353

SAN DIEGO -- The Natural Trails and Waters Coalition, Center for Biological Diversity, Desert Protective Council and National Wildlife Federation, along with West Coast Imaging and others have teamed up with L.A.-based photographer Andrew Harvey to create a visually stunning and fascinating photographic exhibition exploring Southern California's Algodones Dunes. This traveling photographic exhibit, which starts this Thursday and will hit cities in California, Arizona and Nevada this fall, is a dynamic combination of art and education. The exhibit engages the public in a
memorable visual experience while inviting them to learn more about the natural history of the Algodones Dunes, the importance of preserving the diverse array of animals and plants that depend on this fragile ecosystem, and the looming threat to our environment posed by the increased use of
off-road vehicles on public lands.

"Come be wowed by the dunes magic, and learn about conservation issues on American public lands." said Daniel R. Patterson, Desert Ecologist with the Center for Biological Diversity.

The Algodones Dunes Photographic Tour is important and timely, as the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is updating their management plan for the dunes. Interior Secretary Gale Norton is leaning toward opening protected areas now closed to off-road vehicles, gravely threatening this unique and fragile Sonoran Desert habitat. Turning off-road vehicles loose on these
areas would make the dunes more dangerous and inaccessible for other visitors, and would further jeopardize imperiled plants and animals that live only at the Algodones Dunes-surviving no other place on Earth.

This is a rare opportunity to view a photographic exhibit with breathtaking visual imagery that also raises public awareness of an immediate environmental threat to our public lands. Your opportunity to explore this rare, extraordinarily beautiful, and biologically important piece of the American landscape will start August 29 to September 13 at the National Wildlife Federation's Western Field Office located at 3500 5th Avenue, Suite 101 in San Diego (Hillcrest). There will be an opening reception sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) this Thursday, August
29 from 6-8 pm. The public is welcome weekdays 10 am to 4 pm. at the National Wildlife Federation's office.

For additional information contact Terry Weiner at the Desert Protective Council at 619-543-0757, Photographer Andrew Harvey at 818-469-1185, Julie Miller at the Center at 520-623-5252 x 303, David Younkman at the National Wildlife Federation at 619-296-8353 or Daniel Patterson at 520-906-2159.

View a slide show with Andrew Harvey's photographs of the Algodones Sand Dunes: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org (click under "What's New on Our Site.")

Learn more about the Algodones Dunes:
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/goldenstate/cdca/algodones.html

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