The Forgotten Lands Project inspires deeper connection to the overlooked public lands of the American West through immersive written and visual storytelling, keynote talks, and guided camping experiences.

the enduring wild

A lyrical and visual exploration of California’s public wilds and the people and species bound to them.

It started with a campsite in the desert and grew into a five-year pilgrimage across the most overlooked wilderness in the West. The Enduring Wild blends travelogue, natural history, and hope into a testament to the land that belongs to us all.

BUY NOW

“Spectacular…striking…a breathtaking tribute…” — Foreword

“A clarion call…” — LA Times

“A beautiful book, incredibly timely…” — Alta Journal

“A call to adventure...” — Kirkus

"The Enduring Wild is a call to look beyond the surface, embrace the deep connections that tie us to our public lands, and commit to safeguarding them for future generations." — QT Luong, author of Treasured Lands

Dispatches from across the American West

Newsletter

WRITER / PHOTOGRAPHER / GUIDE / SPEAKER

Hey there.

I’m a writer and photographer telling stories from the overlooked public lands of the American West.

My work has appeared in Emergence, the Guardian, Los Angeles Times, High Country News, SFGATE, and Adventure Journal, among others. I’ve been a featured guest on numerous podcasts exploring nature, science, and conservation. My first book, The Enduring Wild: A Journey into California’s Public Lands (Heyday, 2025), winner of the Golden Poppy Award, is both a love letter to these landscapes and a meditation on belonging and reciprocity.

As founder of the Forgotten Lands Project, I often give keynote talks on public lands and place attachment, engage in storytelling collaborations with conservation organizations, and guide camping trips with the USAL Project that connect people directly to these fragile and inspiring landscapes.

I live with my wife and three kids in Highland Park, a hilly neighborhood in Los Angeles filled with mechanic shops, a rowdy flock of wild parrots, and some of the finest tacos you’ll find in this sprawling metropolis.

Camping was my first gateway to wild places, and my love for its simplicity hasn’t changed much since. I still love wrangling up a tent, sleeping on the ground, building a fire, and, perhaps best of all, that first morning cup of coffee after a night of sporadic sleep. Camping is one of those sublime pursuits that keeps me grounded on this pale-blue-dot we call home.

It’s nice to meet you.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS:

  • Emergence: 10/8/26

    Tracing the Indigenous memories of seasonal abundance and colonial massacre carried by a threatened grove of Rocky Mountain juniper trees in Nevada’s Spring Valley. Protecting Bahsahwahbee.

  • The Guardian: 5/5/26

    Every winter, tens of thousands of Americans migrate to public lands in the Arizona desert. For a growing number, it's not a vacation—it’s the only housing they can afford. The Desert Safety Net.

  • LA Times: 4/7/26

    Part 2 in a series of essays for the LA Times, exploring the forgotten highways of California and the public lands they run through. State Route 78.

  • LA Times: 2/5/26

    Part 1 in a series of essays for the LA Times, exploring the forgotten highways of California and the public lands they run through. Highway 127.