Welcome to the Sunday Dispatch. Here are our top finds for the week of Sept. 5.
Photo by Ford Yates.
01. Photographer pick: Ford Yates
Life-long outdoor enthusiast and renowned photographer Ford Yates is on a mission to capture simple but meaningful moments in nature. His humble photos often portray the emotion experienced at the time the photo was taken, giving each an original narrative. For him, photography is less about the person behind the lens and more about the subject in front of it.
Whether taken on a hunting, cycling or fishing trip or just soaking up the outdoors, Yates' images help tell the stories that may have otherwise been forgotten.
Unsplash
02. Article pick: ‘Best Birding Destinations in the USA’
With almost 10,000 species on all seven continents, birds serve as great ambassadors of the natural world. Each species interacts with countless creatures in the animal kingdom, and they're exceptionally connected to parts of the nonliving world including geologic formations and weather systems. Between singing, vibrant colors, plumage patterns and quirky behaviors, birds offer learning opportunities that connect us to the many ecosystems they inhabit.
Birds can be found almost anywhere, but there are special places that are home to the most diverse, eye-opening bird action you probably don’t see every day. “Best Birding Destinations in the USA” highlights nine birdwatching places all over the U.S that bird lovers should be sure to add to their bucket list.
"50 Water Adventures to do Before You Die" by Lia Ditton.
03. Book pick: ‘50 Water Adventures to do Before You Die’
The author of this book is no stranger to aquatic quests. In 2020, Lia Ditton broke a world record when she rowed from San Francisco to Hawaii in 86 days and 10 hours. During the (often fatal) journey, Ditton capsized her 21-foot boat twice and still managed to set the women’s record. In her first solo crossing of the Atlantic at age 25 in 2005 she was the youngest competitor and only woman to finish the Single-Handed Trans-Atlantic Race. The water athlete now has more than 150,000 nautical miles of experience under her belt — the equivalent of eight laps around the globe.
Featuring her favorite water activities all over the world, Ditton’s book “50 Water Adventures to do Before You Die” highlights a variety of rewarding must-dos — from underwater dining in the Maldives to whitewater rafting in innertubes to diving with great white sharks in the Western Cape — designed to educate, guide and inspire readers to get out of their comfort zone. Each listed adventure includes a complexity, cost and sentiment rating as well as a multi-page description and stunning action shots. This coffee table book accommodates all audiences but is perfect for adventure seekers and travelers, especially those who like to get wet!
04. Random pick: ‘Sides of a Horn’
Thousands of wildlife species are threatened by illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade in Africa, and many are getting closer and closer to extinction. With one of the most valuable natural commodities on the tip of their nose, rhinos make a major target for people living in poverty. To promote awareness and help save rhinos from extinction, African Wildlife Foundation created a short movie that takes an unbiased approach and exposes the root of the problem. “Sides of a Horn” shows how two people from the same community can end up on “opposite sides of the war" against rhino poaching. It’s based on real life events and was filmed in the townships and reserves where people are directly affected by wildlife crime.
To read more about the film as well as African Wildlife Foundation and its initiatives, visit awf.org.