Help a Legendary Photographer Complete His Dream

Thank you for helping Dave reach the $18,000 mark!  We never thought that we would get this far!   We are very appreciative of all of you who have donated.   Because of your astounding support, we are encouraged to increase the goal amount  to further aid Dave's project.   Thank you for your continued support!


                                                                                           Dave's Dream Project 

Dave Van de Mark is a living legend at Redwood National & State Parks. He arrived in Northern California in 1963 as acres and acres of old-growth redwood forest, the tallest trees in the world, were falling to the axe and chainsaw. He immediately recognized the importance and beauty of the forest and dedicated his life to their protection. Between 1965 and 1978, he trespassed on private timber land, chartered airplanes to fly over clear cuts, slept on stream banks, and walked over a thousand miles to capture over 5,000 photographs. These photos of forest destruction were sent all over the country and world, raising awareness that the old-growth redwood forest was rapidly disappearing. From TVs and newspapers to the state and national governments, Dave Van de Mark’s photos ignited a revolution leading to establishment of Redwood National Park.

Without his dedication to photography and conservation, our favorite places at Redwood National & State Parks might not exist. Dave has committed his life to the redwoods, but conservation doesn’t pay. Almost 50 years after Dave helped protect a national park, he wants to complete his life’s work by photographing places he visited 50 years ago. However, he is struggling to find the resources to make it happen. Now it is time for us to give back and thank Dave for his conservation and protection of the redwood forest. It is time for us to help him complete his life’s work.

This project is a one-in-a-lifetime chance to show, through the eyes of the photographer that helped protected it, what 50 years of conservation can do at Redwood National & State Parks.

Dave’s Lifelong Project

At 78 years old, the next couple years remain his best opportunity to extensively take to the field again. These new photos, when compared to his originals from over a half century ago, will show the drastic physical & biological changes within the park. An excellent photographer with an inspiring memory, Dave will go back to his original photograph locations to document the positive changes from conservation. These new photos will not only show the beauty of this area but its healing after destructive clear-cutting in the 60s and 70s. This is a unique opportunity to demonstrate what 50 years of restoration and preservation has done to a devastated ecosystem.

Funding Needs - Dave wishes to raise $25,000 dollars to cover the 2-year project.

The money will help cover…

- Equipment replacement/upkeep – The equipment Dave hoped to use for the project, computer and photo gear, have suffered some failures or become unreliable and now must be fixed/replaced.

- Travel expenses – Dave lives about an hour outside of the park. He will occasionally use motels and eat out rather than return home every night.

Raised funds will provide Dave enough resources to make the project a success!!

Goals – Step 1 - getting Dave out among the trees while he is physically able. Step 2 - Dave would love to self-publish a selection of images he has taken over the last 20 years of digital photography. With his large format 24” printer back in business, he would once again be able to offer custom enlargements to donors and the public, representing his best from many years of redwoods photography.

Check out some of Dave’s amazing photography at his website, Dave Van de Mark Photography

More information about Dave Van de Mark