Weather can be unpredictable and devastating. As humans, we are completely subject to its will and affected by its temperament. In 2011 Texas endured seven months of drought and resulting forest fires, leading to the death of thousands of trees across the state. In my series, Death in the Park, I explore parks and wildlands that have been most affected by nature’s destructive cycle. As trees die and fall back to earth, they fertilize new growth in their wake, thus completing the circle. Over the past year I have traveled across the state—from drought-thinned Houston parks to fire-ravaged Bastrop—in search of emaciated forests. This series of images represents a meditation on the beauty of creation and destruction with a focused eye on the resilience of nature.
Rain has returned to the region, and these locations continue to change. I document the gradual evolution of the landscape by looking specifically at preventative measures and reforestation efforts instituted by the park service and private organizations. As the clearing of dead trees nears completion, the human presence on the structured landscape becomes increasingly noticeable—from trail planning and water distribution to mountain-bike destruction of green zones. The trees, dead or alive, relay their own narratives to the viewer. Even in death, as their bark turns an ashen hue and their leaves wither, they retain a regal appearance that is mournful and beautiful.