The Sustainable Lands Strategy brings together tribes, government agencies, and the agricultural community to balance the needs of salmon recovery and farming interests. Their goal is as inspiring as it is ambitious: to build a space for collaboration and long-term thinking where there was once conflict and mistrust.

A necessary ingredient is empathy. It was important to spotlight the stories that build empathy across group divides. As one SLS participant told us, it’s hard to demonize someone once you really get to know them. SLS asked us to create a website to help foster empathy and showcase the values the SLS stands by. 

We built a site rich with imagery and personal stories of individuals from different walks of life. From the farmer, to the tribal leader, to the ecologist – they tell us what the land means to them and their hopes for the future. The beauty of PNW landscapes is on full display throughout the site, reminding us all why it is worth it to put in the extra effort to preserve what we love. Our goal was to show the humans behind the labels and acronyms, while putting the why of the SLS front and center.