DevDharm Khalsa

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2013 Alum, SCA NPS Academy & Bering Land Bridge National Park & Preserve

Name: Devdharm Khalsa

College: The College of Wooster, BA Philosophy

Hometown: Wasilla, AK

Devdharm first connected with SCA in 2013 as an SCA NPS Academy member at Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska. Since then he’s served as an SCA Multimedia Intern at Bering Land Bridge National Park, a Peer Mentor at SCA NPS Academy 2014, and a Digital Media Intern at Fairbanks Alaska Public Lands Information Center, where he’s posted until almost this time next year.

He sent us this photo just recently, taken during a drive on the Dalton Highway in Alaska, one of the most remote roads in the U.S.

Wolf roaming near the Dalton Highway, AK, by Devdharm Khalsa

Here he is with a word on how killer camera skills (of the kind he clearly possesses) can be employed as a true force for conservation.

What draws you to nature photography?

I just love being surrounded by pure wilderness, listening to the chirps of birds and the sound of the breeze. It’s a freeing experience.

Spring at Bering Land Bridge National Park & Preserve, by DevDharm Khalsa

How is photography important to conservation?

A good photo story takes us on a journey through time and space. By the end of that journey, we are different people. One of my favorites is Paul Nicklen’s story of a leopard seal who attempted to adopt him. In short, the leopard seal mistook Paul as a stranded fellow seal and proceeded to bring him offerings of penguin meat. It’s through stories like this that we become inspired to be stewards of the land. We can relate to the seal on an emotional level. Great photo stories like this become symbols of landscapes and species worth protecting, show the important work scientists and researchers are doing to make this happen, and encourage the public to care about the environment. Photography allows us to journey alongside scientists and researchers doing critical work to conserve our public lands in the comfort of our own homes. Today – with the rising popularity of social media – photography and videography rise to the top as some of the most critical tools at our disposal to communicate the need for conservation of our wild lands.
Cook Inlet Tidal Flats, Alaska, by Devdharm Khalsa
 
 
Student Conservation Association