Calling Artists, Public Art Lovers & Wildlife Enthusiasts!
Join our grassroots effort to
Celebrate Local Wildlife
A collective survival instinct is activating in humans across the planet. Extreme and unpredictable weather is impacting our ecosystems as the earth warms. The wild habitats and web of wildlife those ecosystems include are increasingly precious and under threat.
Some species are failing to adapt to rapid climate changes and many more will follow. Those of us who value time in nature and face-to-face encounters with wildlife, mourn the loss of biodiversity and feel some alarm. Instinctively, we are looking to each other to learn how to feel better about this reality and how to act in this moment.
Since ancient times, Earth's creatures have held an important place in the imagination of humans. We each have a special wildlife memory that is etched into our primal brain and acts as a reflection of our own wildness. Drawing on these memories is a natural remedy against the stress and overwhelm of modern life in this age of anxiety. We enjoy the lasting benefits of these encounters far into the future; as the soothing connection to the wild world these memories hold can be accessed through simple recall.
I’ve found that interactions with wildlife soothe my nervous system. When I am connected to the wild world I have chosen to focus my artistic voice on the therapeutic power of wildlife because of the connection to the wild world it supports. It is also soothing to make wildlife-based art. Viewing wildlife murals has a similar mood-enhancing effect. Large scale public art and colors also provide similar benefits, making large colorful wildlife murals a uniquely potent mood-booster .
Wildlife encounters are becoming increasingly precious as biodiversity declines. Community efforts to celebrate wildlife help inspire conservation by fostering appreciation for local species and giving people meaningful ways to protect them. This creates a sense of agency, and research shows that engaging in meaningful, collective action can reduce feelings of helplessness and improve mental wellbeing.
Wildlife Walls is a grassroots initiative that celebrates local wildlife by creating large-scale murals on prominent structures in towns and communities across the state. This project -in fiscal sponsorship with Utah Arts Alliance- is made possible through key partnerships with everyday Utahns, wildlife agencies, local governments, nonprofits, and local business community.
Since 2022, we’ve completed more than a dozen murals telling the stories of Utah’s iconic species—grizzly bears in Heber, the endangered Razorback Sucker in Moab, and the desert tortoise in St. George, for example—while providing opportunities for partnership development and community engagement, AND beautifying downtowns and Main Streets throughout Utah
We’ve gathered data from each of our projects and are producing a best-practices guide for artists, wildlife advocates, local governments and organizations to apply what we’ve learned to engage humans in wildlife conservation stories across the planet.
In 2025, to expand the influence wildlife has on Utahns, we created the Wildlife Walls Mural Trail, an interactive map of each existing mural location across the state. In addition, we’ve included over 100 wildlife viewing areas, encouraging visitors to plan their own wildlife encounter.
Wildlife Walls is entering its next phase. We're expanding our map to feature existing wildlife murals across Utah and beyond, shining a light on the incredible artwork that's already out there. To make it happen, we're asking for your help so we can continue building the map together.
Use this link to upload photographs/location of wildlife murals (additional info appreciated, but not necessary). This collective effort of the Wildlife Walls Mural Trail will help rural communities promote local attractions, give artists a way to highlight their murals, and provide a unique record of our generation’s relationship to wildlife.
in addition to wildlife murals, we've created map layers for wildlife viewing areas and organizations that offer conservation and volunteer opportunities. If you know of a location or organization that belongs on the map, we'd love for you to add it.
Viewing wildlife art has a similar mood-enhancing effect. Large scale public art and colors also provide similar benefits making large colorful wildlife murals a uniquely potent mood-booster.
Wildlife Walls is a grassroots initiative to celebrate local wildlife through large-scale wildlife murals. We create partnerships to install prominent large-scale wildlife murals in communities where wildlife species are important. Th key partnerships with wildlife-loving Utahns, wildlife agencies, local governments, nonprofits, and local businesses.
Since 2022, we’ve completed more than a dozen murals telling the stories of Utah’s iconic species—grizzly bears in Heber, the endangered Razorback Sucker in Moab, and the desert tortoise in St. George, for example—while providing opportunities for partnership development and community engagement, AND beautifying downtown and Main Streets throughout Utah
We’ve gathered data from each of our projects and are producing a best-practices guide for artists, wildlife advocates, local governments and organizations to apply what we’ve learned to engage humans in wildlife conservation stories across the planet.
In 2025, to expand the influence wildlife has on Utahns, we created the Wildlife Walls Mural Trail, an interactive google map of each of our existing mural location across the state. In addition, we’ve included over 100 wildlife viewing areas, encouraging visitors to plan their own wildlife encounter.
Wildlife Walls is entering its next phase. We're expanding our map to feature a layer of ALL EXISTING WILDLIFE MURALS across Utah and beyond, shining a light on the incredible artwork that's already out there celebrating local wildlife. To make it happen, we're asking for your help so we can continue building the map together.
Use this link to upload photographs/location of wildlife murals (additional info appreciated, but not necessary). This collective effort of the Wildlife Walls Mural Trail will help rural communities promote local attractions, give artists a way to highlight their murals, and provide a unique record of our generation’s relationship to wildlife.
in addition to wildlife murals, we've created map layers for wildlife viewing areas and organizations that offer conservation and volunteer opportunities. If you know of a location or organization that belongs on the map, we'd love for you to add it.
Wildlife encounters are becoming increasingly precious as biodiversity declines. Community efforts to celebrate wildlife help inspire conservation by fostering appreciation for local species and giving people meaningful ways to protect them. This creates a sense of agency, and research shows that engaging in meaningful, collective action can reduce feelings of helplessness and improve mental wellbeing.
What is citizen science?
I’ve found that interactions with wildlife soothe my nervous system. I have chosen to focus my artistic voice on the therapeutic power of wildlife encounters because these encounters are powerful. They have profoundly affected my well-being and are a fount of inspiration. It is also soothing to make wildlife-based art. Viewing wildlife art has a similar mood-enhancing effect. Large scale public art and colors also provide similar benefits making large colorful wildlife murals a uniquely potent mood-booster. I enjoy all these benefits across the artmaking process.
Observe wildlife with a "naturalist" approach
Download our new Utah wildlife edition of the Neighborhood Nature Journal, with activities for learning about and experiences some local wildlife in your neighborhood.
Photo by Lynn Chamberlain courtesy of Utah DWR
Help wildlife researchers:
Sign up for I-Naturalist
Download the iNaturalist app to make observations of the plants, animals, and insects you find in the foothills, mountains, deserts and canyons of Utah!