A filmmaker has launched a cinematic timelapse film series capturing the raw beauty and quiet resilience of America’s national parks in the hope that his work might support the NPS.
Gavin Heffernan says national parks are “particularly vulnerable during government shutdowns” and wants to “showcase breathtaking celestial and landscape imagery while raising awareness about the chronic underfunding and understaffing threatening these treasured spaces.”
The photographer announced the launch of Parklight by releasing two timelapse videos, one from Yosemite in California and one from Zion National Park in Utah. There is more to follow.
“Parklight is about showing that even when our systems pause, nature doesn’t,” says Heffernan. “These parks remain alive — still glowing, still breathing — but they need us to protect them. I want the series to remind people that the wild endures only if we care enough to preserve it.”
According to the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), staffing across the National Park Service has dropped by nearly 20% since 2010, even as visitation exceeds 325 million visitors annually.
Meanwhile, the deferred maintenance backlog across the park system has ballooned to over $22 billion, impacting trails, roads, and infrastructure nationwide.
During shutdowns, these strains deepen: visitor centers close, rangers are furloughed, and essential conservation work halts — leaving delicate ecosystems unguarded.
Through Parklight, Heffernan combines advocacy and artistry, using the immersive power of timelapse to inspire viewers to take action and support the preservation of these vital landscapes.
Heffernan is encouraging viewers to donate to the National Park Service if at all possible.
The recent government shutdown emboldened rule-breakers and thrill-seekers to get away with illegally flying drones, among other restricted activities.
It was particularly apparent at Yosemite, which remained open but with a greatly reduced staff, many of whom were furloughed.
Guides and visitors were reporting multiple drone sightings per day, despite it being illegal to fly a drone in Yosemite since 2014. Many people believe that drone laws are too heavy-handed and dismiss any outrage, but there were ugly instances of irresponsible pilots purposely harassing wildlife.
Last year, Heffernan took 35,000 photos of Japan and turned them into a stunning timelapse. More of his work can be found on his website, Instagram, and YouTube.
