Elkhorn Ranch appeared in a segment on CBS Sunday morning today. The significance of the site in the formulation of president Theodore Roosevelt’s views on resources and the environment and as the “Cradle of Conservation” was contrasted with the threat posed by oil development in the Bakken.
It was a whirlwind of activity this fall that kept me from posting regular updates. The last half of 2014 included the following:
A third trip to the western part of the state in mid-October. The focus this time was on the built environment (read as Oil Development) surrounding the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
The first exhibit of images from the Oil and Water project opened on 20 November at TMI Hospitality (4850 32nd Ave S, Fargo, North Dakota 58103). The exhibit includes 11 color images from the exploratory trips. The show runs through mid-March 2015.
Here is a short video on the exhibit:
Participation in the final Community Supported Art event for 2014 (September), the FMVA Studio Crawl (early October), and the Holiday Sales event (November).
The prices for crude oil plummeted to less than $60/barrel late in the year. This is having a chilling affect on the rate of oil development in western North Dakota. Reports suggest that the boom may be over, or at least paused until prices rise again. It is sad that economics is the best means of slowing oil development, but I am glad that it has slowed nonetheless.
Oil and Water 