PHOTOGRAPHER RAISING INVASIVE SPECIES AWARENESS WITH ART

Most of us are aware of the threats that invasive plants can pose to our waters and lands, clogging our rivers, and choking out native plants.

But it can be hard to get some folks concerned for the survival of plants, when there’s so many cute animals to go around, like the painted turtle or the massasuaga rattlesnake.

Photographer Jane Kramer is trying to change that. A fine art and documentary photographer in East Lansing, Michigan, Kramer’s projects are “created with a conceptual approach and are motivated by a story, message, or education element,” according to her website and from an outsider’s view, are certainly amazing. Currently, her series,  Foreshadowing – Endangered & Threatened Plant Species, is bringing awareness to people all over the world.

By taking photos of the shadows of rare or threatened native plants, and printing them on homemade paper created from invasive species such as reed canarygrass, or garlic mustard, she’s trying to educate through art, and show the delicate balance that invasives upset.

Prints from this series will be exhibited in Shiga, Japan as part of Art from the Lakes, an art exchange program between the State of Michigan and Shiga Prefecture, Japan. The next exhibition is September, 2016 at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens in Ann Arbor, MI. Kramer’s works are also currently on display at the Sleeping Bear Gallery in Empire, MI, until September.

To contact Kramer, or see some of her work online, go to http://janekramer.com/prints.html

To do your part to raise awareness about invasive species, spread these simple tips through your communities and follow them yourself;

• Do not purchase invasive plants or animals that are restricted or prohibited in Michigan.

• Do not transplant or release aquarium plants, fish or animals into lakes, streams or ponds.
• Construct ponds or water gardens away from other waters, wetlands and floodplains.
• Clean, drain, and dry all boats, trailers and equipment
• Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash
• Do not launch a watercraft or place a trailer in the water if aquatic plants are attached.
• Do not release unused bait into the water.
• Do not transport water over land in bilges and live wells.

With your support, we can control the spread of invasive species in Michigan’s natural resources.