by Rich Levy, Steamboat Springs

Renowned Colorado nature photographer John Fielder has launched a special touring event, “Celebrating 50 Years of Colorado Wilderness”, hosted by WCC, Community Alliance of the Yampa Valley (CAYV) and Conservation Colorado.

Fielder will be in Steamboat Springs on Wednesday, June 11, at the Chief Theater (813 Lincoln Ave).  The event will begin at 6 pm with a VIP reception with Fielder, followed by slideshow at 7 pm.  Tickets are $8.50, or $23.50 with the VIP reception, and are available at www.ChiefTheater.org (click on the “Tickets” icon).

The 75-minute presentation by Fielder features more than 200 images of Colorado and other American wilderness areas accompanied by music. Fielder, who has photographed all of Colorado’s wilderness areas during his 40 years of exploring, will also share stories of life on the trail.

Signed copies of all of Fielder’s Colorado books and calendars will be available for sale before and after the presentation, including a new edition of his best-selling Mountain Ranges of Colorado and a special Colorado Wilderness 50 poster. Proceeds will benefit nonprofit wilderness advocacy organizations, CAYV, WCC and Conservation Colorado.

Traveling Exhibit

Fielder’s state-wide tour also includes a traveling exhibit of 20 limited-edition photographs of Colorado wilderness areas, which will be on display at the Center for Visual Arts in Steamboat Springs (837 Lincoln Ave) June 10–30. Copies of the prints will be available for sale and proceeds will again benefit nonprofit wilderness advocacy organizations.

Other dates and locations for Fielder events this year include:

• Craig: Exhibit:  June 10 - July 12 at the Museum of Northwest Colorado.
  Fielder slideshow:  June 12 Moffat Co. Fairgrounds Pavilion
• Grand Junction: Exhibit:  November 10 - 29 at the Mesa County Central Library
  Fielder slideshow:  Nov. 19 Colorado Mesa University
• Montrose: Fielder slideshow:  Nov. 20 at the Montrose Pavilion

A legacy of wilderness

In Colorado, 3.6 million acres have been protected as wilderness since the Wilderness Act passed in 1964, including the Rawah Wilderness Area in Poudre Canyon, which was one of the nation’s original wilderness areas.

Other diverse Colorado wilderness areas include the Maroon Bells, Gunnison Gorge, Flat Tops, Great Sand Dunes and much of Rocky Mountain National Park. Today, Coloradoans are working to add deserving places like Hermosa Creek and parts of the San Juan Mountains and Browns Canyon to the National Wilderness Preservation System.

Award-winning photographer

Fielder has worked tirelessly to promote the protection of Colorado’s ranches, open space, and wildlands during his renowned career as a nature photographer and publisher. His photography has influenced people and legislation, earning him recognition such as the Sierra Club’s Ansel Adams Award.

More information about the tour exhibit and slide show locations and dates, as well as how to purchase prints, books, and posters, can be found at www.johnfielder.com. To learn more about the 50th anniversary of The Wilderness Act, visit www.wilderness50th.org.

For questions on Steamboat’s event, contact rich.levy(at)rmc.sierraclub.org. For the other events, contact Donna at (970) 256-7650 or donna(at)wccongress.org.