Volunteer Spotlight: Seth Anderson on the Green River

Earlier this year, a volunteer with our Wild and Scenic Rivers project shared some stunning photos from his expedition to collect water quality data. We caught up with Seth Andersen, a third-generation Coloradoan living on the western slope of the Rockies. Learn more about why he chose to volunteer with the project below and check out Seth’s work at GreenFire Photography.

I work for a small college in the Photography Department and own more packrafts than any one person should. I’m currently working on a GIS degree and I have degrees in Photography and Natural Resources already.

I love the idea of outdoor recreation with a purpose. I love to get outside as most of us do but sometimes it feels a little selfish. Combining an adventure with something that can tangibly help make a positive impact is very powerful.

I learned quite a bit about water sampling and the power of combining ArcGIS/Adobe into a project like this. These are both software that I am familiar with but have never combined. Very cool and huge props to whoever on your team figured all that out. This project also allowed me to experience a new section of the Green River that I had not visited before. It was amazing and full of petroglyphs, twisted rock formations, and really great side hikes.

I truly enjoy the way a photograph or video can freeze a moment in time and allow me to revisit it. So much happens every day in our lives that it can be hard to hold onto all of it.  When I see something beautiful and capture it with a camera, I’m able to revisit that place and feeling again and again.