In a preface to this book of spectacularly beautiful photography, Chris Lane, chief executive officer of the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES), writes, “My vision was to show the variety of wonderous and critically essential life overflowing all around us by sharing a sampling of life in ACES’ own small backyard.”
ACES’ backyard is 25-acre Hallam Lake Nature Preserve, which has been protected since 1969. The preserve is home to a stunning variety of wildlife, from bear to bats to birds that fly as much as 4,000 miles each year to reach Hallam Lake. There are insects and snakes, plants and fish. Hundreds of species, from the lowly dung beetle to the beloved hummingbird, live in this preserve. They are pictured here in some 100 stunning photographs.