In 2024, Minuteman National Historical Park and Walden Pond were named as among the top 11 endangered historic sites in America, in part due to climate change. The alterations to our natural environment during the climate crisis have far-reaching consequences to the preservation of history as well as the natural landscape.
More than 40 years ago, the park ranger Jon Waterman took his first journey to Alaska’s Noatak River. Astonished by the abundant wildlife, the strange landscape, and its otherworldly light, he spent collective years of his life exploring Arctic North America on extended sea kayaking, packrafting, skiing, dogsledding, and backpacking journeys—often alone for weeks at a time. After three decades away from the Noatak, he returned with his son, and amid a now-flooded river bereft of the once-plentiful caribou, he was shocked by the changes. The following year, 2022, he took one final journey to film and document the climate crisis across the North in his new book, Into the Thaw (Patagonia Press) —the subject of his October 17 image-intensive presentation. A frequent National Geographic grantee and NEA Literary Fellow, Waterman (Lexington High class of 1974) is the author of 17 books.
This presentation generously sponsored by Lester E. Savage Real Estate
$10 members, $15 nonmembers