High Desert // Introduction

There has always been an interest in the American West as it has been a vast space with ample natural resources such as petroleum, coal, and of course gold. The landscape itself has always been a draw to many people, and by the end of the twentieth century became some of the largest tourist attractions, therefore making the commercial ben­efit of these lands greater than any other natural resources. Reflecting on those facts and considering what the political climate around these lands have been like, especially for the last two years, this project will be look­ing at:

Social environment

What has been the impact of human development on the land and how the people and communities living there now are using the land.

Preservation of land/heritage

What are the people and communities in these places doing to preserve the land and their heritage.

The high desert areas that I wish to explore are:

Bernardino County, CA // Yavapai County, AZ