The art of conservation: A bug's-eye view of Lincoln's endangered wetlands
By Tierney Brosius and Mitch Paine
While we often think of tropical rainforests and tigers when we think of conservation, in Lincoln, Neb., a small insect offers a local illustration of a global issue. The Salt Creek tiger beetle lives in our backyard and as a result has become a symbol of Lincoln’s environmental conscience. Our community controls the fate of our backyard neighbor.
One of the greatest challenges that faces the tiger beetle is perception. As humans, we place our value system on useful and identifiable living things. If the Salt Creek tiger beetle promised us a cure for cancer, we would probably preserve the insect for both medical value and value for the future of humankind. In the same respect, if the Salt Creek tiger beetle were a warm-blooded, furry creature, we would probably be drawn to its beauty and thus place a higher value on the beetle. Unfortunately, insects typically carry the negative cultural stigma of being disgusting and dangerous. Even more unfortunate, our Salt Creek tiger beetle appears to be on the low end of what many consider as “beautiful.” The conservation of the Salt Creek tiger beetle challenges us to see the intrinsic value of nature: that nature exists outside of basic human needs.
Perceptions are deeply rooted in our emotions. Few aspects of human culture have the profound impact on our emotions as art. Music, writing, dance and the visual arts have been used for centuries to convey powerful messages by drawing upon human emotion. Now, in an age of awakened environmental consciousness, art is beginning to be used to reach communities.
Using art’s effective communication and emotional connections, several local organizations have come together to harness the strength of Lincoln’s art community through an exhibit: “Salt Creek Environment: Local and Endangered.” The goal of this exhibit is to encourage the public to see the subtle and humble beauty of the Salt Creek tiger beetle and the saline wetland ecosystem while increasing awareness of this misunderstood insect and its habitat. Over 20 artists and scientists are part of this collaboration, documenting the tiger beetle’s natural history and ecosystem through a wide variety of artistic techniques.
Because not all Lincolnites can go to view the Salt Creek tiger beetle, this exhibit will show several interpretations of the beetle’s beauty and value to the public. International and local artists have created everything from origami to oil paintings, all to connect saline wetlands to the lives of the citizens of Lincoln. Along with the various pieces of art, information on insect conservation and humans’ interactions with the natural world will be on display to give a better understanding of this truly unique environment.
Many of the featured artists are also scientists and have a deep understanding of the ecological issues surrounding the tiger beetle and the saline wetlands. Through their research, these scientists-artists explore the expansive breadth of ecosystems, yet through art, they are able to simplify that complexity into a format understandable by young kids and old folks alike. One such artist featured in this exhibit is John Acorn. Acorn, who currently lectures at the University of Alberta, is an internationally known scientist, author and broadcaster. Many are familiar with John Acorn as the host of the popular TV Series “Acorn, the Nature Nut.” Along with his research, Acorn is a best-selling author. His books are beautifully self-illustrated nature guides.
Another participating artist began his career as a physicist. Dr. Robert Lang is now a full-time origami artist, and he is recognized as one of the world’s leading masters of the art, with over 500 designs cataloged and diagrammed. Lang was featured in the Feb. 19, 2007, issue of The New Yorker. In the article, Lang expresses that his “…favorite commission was to fold an endangered Salt Creek tiger beetle for an entomologist who collects Salt Creek tiger beetle art. ‘For me, that commission was like manna from Heaven,’ he said. ‘I’ll never be done with bugs.’ ”
One painter contributing to the exhibit has communicated the beauty of bugs for many years. Jessa Huebing-Reitinger, with her husband James, created a program called Project InSECT. Project InSECT educates the general public about the value of insects and the science of entomology using live performance and visual arts. Jessa became involved with the Salt Creek tiger beetle project during the fight to get the beetle listed as federally endangered in 2004 and 2005. Jessa’s first tiger beetle painting, known as Terie I, was labeled “Painting the Endangered Truth” and led the way for a second painting event in Lincoln. Jessa worked as an artist-in-residence for six weeks at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, creating Terie II on a 6-foot-by-4-foot canvas. Jessa said, “I’ll come back and paint this beetle every year until it is listed.” Luckily, the beetle was listed as federally endangered in 2005. Terie II is one of the pieces featured in this exhibit.
When traveling around the world on assignment for National Geographic, Lincoln photographer Joel Sartore has encountered and photographed many rare and charismatic species. Even after photographing Bengal tigers and endangered primates, Joel has a special appreciation for his hometown tiger beetle. In photographing the Salt Creek tiger beetle and writing about its plight in National Geographic, Joel said, “My bottom line is if I can get anybody to care about something as small as a beetle, they’ll care about the big stuff, they’ll care about everything else.” In a recent photo exhibit, his largest photograph was one of the Salt Creek tiger beetle, “and I did that on purpose,” stated Joel. “I don’t think it is going to be here much longer. I put that up really big just to say ‘get a look at it while it is still here.’ ” His photograph will again appear at “Salt Creek Environment: Local and Endangered.”
Because this exhibit involves the collaborative effort of many artists and organizations, there will be a community-building component, a necessity for any successful conservation effort. Many of the individuals and organizations currently involved with the protection of the Salt Creek tiger beetle will be showcased. The list of groups involved include the Nebraska Game and Parks, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Roots and Shoots, the Great Plains Chapter of the Guild of National Scientific Illustrators (GNSI), the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the Saline Wetland Partnership and the Xerces Society, a society for insect conservation.
This exhibit is a unique effort to combine art and science to highlight hidden and natural treasures. The exhibit will be up during the month of July at the Haydon Art Gallery in Lincoln’s Haymarket. A full-color art catalog funded by the Nebraska Environmental Trust and several other community groups featuring images of the artwork, artists’ statements and information about the Salt Creek tiger beetle and its saline wetland ecosystem will broaden and strengthen the impact and intent of the exhibit.
Insects are often described as living works of art. Their bizarre and beautiful forms have been the inspiration of artists for centuries. From Egyptian tombs to Disney cartoons, insects are entrenched in our world’s cultural history. As humanity faces its greatest challenge, conservation must become part of our culture. We must find creative ways to reach our community. Conservation-based exhibits are among a growing trend to use the arts to promote conservation. This enlightening exhibit brings artists and scientists together to celebrate the beauty and natural history of the Salt Creek tiger beetle and allow Lincoln to, as Joel Sartore would say, “get a look at it while it is still here.”
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