Ecotourism poster show opens at Durham Museum

The Center for Great Plains Studies has opened an exhibition of 12 ecotourism-themed posters at the Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St. in Omaha.

The posters are the centerpiece of the Great Plains Ecotourism Coalition, a group of for- and nonprofit organizations and businesses committed to conservation through nature-based tourism. The images are based on the 1930s Works Progress Administration's National Parks prints, which were intended to show Americans the beauty of their country and encourage tourism. The ecotourism posters seek to show people why they should visit the natural wonders of the Great Plains. They feature subjects such as Sandhill cranes, bison, rivers and geologic formations.

On Oct. 3, the center's assistant director and poster artist Katie Nieland will take part in the Durham's Saturdays in the Gallery and give a tour of the exhibition. Space is limited on these tours. Reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling 402-444-5027 or emailing reservations@durhammuseum.org.

Several short essays from conservationists, including Michael Forsberg and Paul Johnsgard, accompany the posters. These essays and the posters have been paired in a new magazine-sized poster booklet, available for sale at the Durham museum store or at UNL's Maps and More store (http://go.unl.edu/poster-booklet).

The exhibition is being presented in conjunction with the museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, which features several prominent nature photographers. The Durham will conduct many nature-themed programs during the exhibition.

Visit the center’s website at http://www.unl.edu/plains for more information.