BIG BEND — Alpine-based artist Shea Cadrin recently released the first zine in a planned series, titled sparselands, on Chihuahuan Desert ecology — available for free online and in print.
In the 20-page black and white publication, Cadrin uses her writing as well as sourced maps and photographs to highlight the variety of ecoregions within the larger Chihuahuan Desert — grasslands, low mountains and bajadas and montane woodlands — and what geologic features, weather patterns, plants and animals make each environment unique.
Cadrin has “oriented most of [her] adult life around plants,” whether it be studying clinical herbalism, working at apothecaries in New England, exploring botanical dyes through textile art, or volunteering at the Sul Ross State University Herbarium. She lends her skills as a graphic designer to the publication as well as the knowledge she’s gained about the Big Bend region through researching books, papers and articles.
The Big Bend Sentinel spoke to Cadrin about the inaugural issue of sparselands and what she’s hoping to achieve with the effort.
BBS: What led you to want to create this publication?
SC: My original goal for the series was to create a container for consistent learning about the ecosystem I live in. Creating sparselands felt like a way to turn my personal curiosity and abilities into something I could give back to the community.
But the deeper reason — the reason why I wanted to be learning and sharing about our ecosystem to begin with — is that being fully engaged with the land I’m part of makes me feel alive. We live in an age of distraction and disconnection — from the land, from other living beings, from ourselves. Finding ways to connect and understand, no matter how small, is an act of resistance against powers that want to keep us alienated — and that resistance brings me hope.
What does Issue 1 focus on and what made you want to explore that topic?
Issue 1 is an introduction to the ecology — plants, wildlife, geology, weather patterns and more –– of Alpine and the surrounding area using the framework of ecoregions.
I wish I had a better answer for what made me want to explore this, but in all honesty, I just grew enamored with the EPA’s Level IV Ecoregion map. Our region has such “interdigitated” subregions, and I struggled to orient myself on the map without roadways as reference points. I ended up combining it with a highway map for my own curiosity, then started digging deeper.
But even though the topic stemmed from personal obsessions, it’s a fitting introduction as it gives a wide-angle view of the ecology of our area, setting the stage for future issues.
This is Issue 1. Are more issues planned? What are potential other topics?
The plan is to release issues seasonally, though that may shift depending on time and energy. Future issues will cover broad overviews of natural systems (there’s a “Climate Patterns” issue in the works), deep dives into flora or fauna, or any related topic that piques my interest.
You mention these landscapes are often dismissed as empty/desolate. What do you want to show/teach people about the region they might not already be aware of?
The main message I hope sparselands conveys is that our desert ecosystem is as thriving, nuanced and interconnected as any other. People who live here already know this, but there’s always more to learn. I hope this knowledge inspires a deeper love for this land and a deeper sense of stewardship for it.
I also think that finding meaning and connection in a place like the desert, which is used as a metaphor for nothingness, can be a framework for exploring the other places that feel like nothing in your life — like strip malls or highways. These, too, have histories, are full of life and connect to larger systems.
Where can we get a copy? Are you accepting donations?
Printed copies are available for free (while they last) at Cedar Coffee Supply Co. and the Alpine Public Library. They’ll be available at the Sul Ross State University Library and Archives when the semester begins, and the series will also be cataloged there for preservation. You can view issues online at sparselands.com.
Donations for printing and website costs can be made via venmo: @sheacadrin.