The Pacolet Area Conservancy (PAC) and Walnut Creek Preserve (WCP) invite the public to an informative photo presentation on “Traveling to Protected Places” on Saturday, Jan. 12 at 10 a.m. to be held at the Anne Elizabeth Suratt Nature Center at Walnut Creek Preserve.

Authors and photographers Mara and Ford Smith will present the program. This past summer and fall, the Smiths traveled approximately 15,000 miles across North America to research Native American archeological sites for their second novel. In the process, they took thousands of photos. The couple will share many of their best images, showing the influence of conservation efforts across the United States. In addition, the Smiths will provide tips on “Traveling to Protected Places” during this PAC/WCP program.  Children and adults are welcome and there is no charge for the event.

In photography, the couple has been drawn to nature — landscapes, flowers, trees and animals. They’ve amassed a wide collection of images from their 10 years of travel across North America. Nearly 500 of those photos can be viewed in the Serene Gallery portion of their website at www.livesimplywithstyle.com.