• Joshua Trees in a desert landscape with a road in the foreground, under a partially cloudy sky.

JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK

CASE STUDY

Connecting People to the Desert Through Digital Media

Ongoing collaboration with Joshua Tree National Park to create impactful digital media that bridges the gap between visitors and the park’s fragile desert ecosystem. By combining my expertise in photography, videography, and content strategy, I have helped the park achieve its mission to educate, inspire, and promote conservation.

Joshua Tree National Park website in Spanish featuring an image of Joshua trees in a desert landscape.

  • Produced content for social media, website, and special campaigns.

  • Developed strategies to manage visitor flow during peak seasons.

  • Blended storytelling with visual art to enhance audience engagement.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

Challenges

Joshua Tree National Park faces several unique challenges, including:

  • Managing increased visitation while minimizing environmental strain.

  • Communicating complex ecological and conservation topics in accessible ways.

  • Highlighting the park’s cultural and natural history to a diverse audience.

As a trusted team member, my role was to create compelling digital content that addressed these issues while capturing the park’s essence.

  • Crafted engaging posts that combined visual storytelling with educational messaging. Themes included conservation, wildlife awareness, history, and visitor guidance.

  • Captured the park’s landscapes, wildlife, and cultural landmarks, delivering a library of high-quality visuals that aligned with the park’s messaging.

  • Developed campaigns for special events and seasonal changes, such as:

    • 2024 Photo Contest: Encouraging visitors to tag their park photos on social media for a chance to win a park pass, fostering engagement and celebrating visitor creativity.

    • Desert Tortoise Week: Developing and sharing content that educates the public about the Mojave Desert Tortoise, the park’s only endangered species, and promoting conservation efforts.

  • Focused on reducing crowding and environmental stress through targeted messaging. For example, I created a series encouraging visitors to explore lesser-known areas of the park during peak seasons, promoting sustainability without diminishing the visitor experience.

APPROACH:

Key Projects

Spanish Website Redesign:

  • Objective: Create an inclusive, user-friendly experience for Spanish-speaking visitors.

  • Execution: Rebuilt Joshua Tree National Park’s Spanish website, mirroring the functionality and structure of the English version. This approach set the park apart from others, which often consolidate Spanish content into a single long page. The new design ensured Spanish speakers could navigate the site effortlessly and feel equally valued.

  • Impact: Improved accessibility and visitor satisfaction, fostering a stronger connection with the park’s Spanish-speaking community.

NPS App Video Tutorial:

  • Objective: Educate visitors on how to use the National Park Service (NPS) app to enhance their experience at Joshua Tree.

  • Execution: Produced a straightforward, visually engaging video tutorial demonstrating the app’s features and how visitors can access essential information, including maps and safety tips. The video is now housed on Joshua Tree’s website for easy access.

  • Impact: Increased app adoption among visitors, improving their ability to navigate the park safely and efficiently.

Visitor Management Strategies:

  • Objective: Encourage visitors to spread out during busy holiday seasons.

  • Execution: Created fun, informative content showcasing less-visited areas of the park, including tips for a more enjoyable and eco-friendly experience.

  • Impact: Positive feedback from visitors and park staff, with evidence of reduced congestion in high-traffic areas.

Joshua tree standing against a blue sky with white clouds in Joshua Tree National Park.
Snow-covered Joshua tree under a gray sky in a snowy landscape at Joshua Tree National Park.

Results and impact:

  • Increased social media reach and audience interaction across platforms.

  • Enhanced visitor understanding of conservation topics.

  • Observed a noticeable reduction in crowding in high-traffic areas during peak times.

Let’s Work Together

If you’re looking for a partner to bring your story to life through digital media, let’s connect. Together, we can create visuals and content that inspire, educate, and drive action.