The Shenandoah River has been a place that I have been drawn to since I grew up near its banks as a child. On a hot summer day during my youth, the river would be the place to cool off and enjoy nature. Today, the beauty of the Shenandoah is still there but its health has worsened. Fish kills in the last few years have shown that its purity has been compromised and recent tests have found dozens of chemicals. Pollution, consumption, development and drought have made the Shenandoah one of the most endangered rivers in the nation. Because of this, I have decided to take on a project of photographing the Shenandoah and its tributaries to show its beauty during the seasons and its wildlife. I will also go on a journey in April of 2009 in which I will hike and canoe the entire length of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, 180+ miles, from the spring where it begins in the mountains to where it meets the Potomac River. I hope to promote awareness and action to help protect and preserve the River and the Valley.