Nature and Travel Photography Matt Gragg —Field Notes

  Nestled on the slopes of Hawaii's tallest mountain , the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve stretches vast and serene, a sanctuary woven with ancient whispers. The native trees stand tall like silent sentinels, their moss-draped branches cradling the songs of endemic birdsthe flitting like jeweled notes against emerald canopies. Long ago, the reserve was guarded by spirit keepers . Among them, Keahi , a young guardian, possessed the rare ability to commune with the forest. One dawn, as mists curled around the ancient trees , Keahi sensed a disturbancethe land's heartbeat faltering under the shadow of an approaching threat: a logging expedition set to carve roads through the revered grounds. Determined to protect the sacred land, Keahi embarked on a journey deep into the heart of the reserve. Along the way, he sought counsel from the ancestral spirits dwelling within the volcanic stone and crystalline streams. The spirits revealed the forest's pulse was tied to an ancient koa tre...