Ben MacAskill

In DC today, working on #publiclands with some of the best Congress Reps we have. I finally got to show @repraulruizmd.bsky.social my Chuckwalla National Monument tattoo, celebrating the amazing work he's done getting it designated. He's a true champion, there are good people fighting for us.

Today we've (re)launched a campaign to protect 28 Million acres in Alaska, a partnership with Flickr, The Conservation Alliance, SalmonState, and Wild Salmon Center. Read more about what we're working on, and watch our short film here: protectalaskawildlands.com I'll add some context in thread.

And it all worked! The surveys were completed, the protections were restored. Cheers were had, happy tears were shed. What a tremendous victory. 28 million acres! That's about the size of Pennsylvania!

Today we've (re)launched a campaign to protect 28 Million acres in Alaska, a partnership with Flickr, The Conservation Alliance, SalmonState, and Wild Salmon Center. Read more about what we're working on, and watch our short film here: protectalaskawildlands.com I'll add some context in thread.

This is a campaign we've worked on for years. For almost 60 years, these lands have had successful management and protection. Those protections were stripped away little over 4 years ago. We worked closely with the DOI to advocate for environmental surveys, and restored protections.

Okay, after last week's weather disaster in SoCal, I finally got to show my Chuckwalla tattoo and celebrate the new National Monument. Starting with the President Biden photo from tonight, because he's protected more of our public land and water than ANY other president in history.

And of course Secretary of the Interior, the amazing Deb Haaland! What a champion for our public lands and heritage! ❤️

Okay, after last week's weather disaster in SoCal, I finally got to show my Chuckwalla tattoo and celebrate the new National Monument. Starting with the President Biden photo from tonight, because he's protected more of our public land and water than ANY other president in history.

I see a lot of Flickr chatter in the wake of Meta news. Obviously we'd love to welcome photographers to the community. We're not Instagram though, and don't want to be. We're not looking for gym selfies and influencer lifestyles. We build for people who love photography. (more)

but I don't think we're really an instagram replacement, and I don't think we want to be. We'll always be somewhat niche. I don't think there are billions of people who love photography, and sharing that art. We've proven there are tens of millions, maybe hundreds. I'm okay with that.

I see a lot of Flickr chatter in the wake of Meta news. Obviously we'd love to welcome photographers to the community. We're not Instagram though, and don't want to be. We're not looking for gym selfies and influencer lifestyles. We build for people who love photography. (more)

Today, President Biden designated Chuckwalla National Monument. I was invited to the ceremony this morning in Chuckwalla, which sadly got canceled due to dangerous weather. This is a huge and important conservation win, and one that's super personal to me. (thread) (photo by me, in Chuckwalla)

This is such a huge win. 644,000 (!!!!) acres protected in Chuckwalla National Monument. These lands are part of the sacred homelands of the Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mohave, Quechan and Serrano tribes. It also expands Joshua Tree National Park by 16,000 acres!

Today, President Biden designated Chuckwalla National Monument. I was invited to the ceremony this morning in Chuckwalla, which sadly got canceled due to dangerous weather. This is a huge and important conservation win, and one that's super personal to me. (thread) (photo by me, in Chuckwalla)

In my many visits to DC to advocate for protections, I made the bold promise to @repraulruizmd.bsky.social directly that I would get a Chuckwalla lizard tattoo if we made it. Congressman Ruiz, I hoped to show you today!

Today, President Biden designated Chuckwalla National Monument. I was invited to the ceremony this morning in Chuckwalla, which sadly got canceled due to dangerous weather. This is a huge and important conservation win, and one that's super personal to me. (thread) (photo by me, in Chuckwalla)

One of the big causes I directly work on is public land conservation, and community access to those lands! Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project is the real deal, working with historically excluded communities in New Mexico. www.nuestra-tierra.org (more in thread)