Ansel Adams, the late American photographer and conservationist, was born 110 years ago Monday. His sweeping images of U.S. landscapes helped galvanize the country's nascent conservation movement last century, part of a decades-long effort to expand the national park system and popularize the idea of preserving wilderness.

 

This legacy warrants some reflection today — and since a picture is worth a thousand words, here are 10,000 words to honor Adams' historic contributions to conservation:

 

Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

 

Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona

 

Jackson Lake, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

 

Leaves in Glacier National Park, Montana

 

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

 

Crystal Spring, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico

 

Castle Geyser Coye, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

 

McDonald Lake, Glacier National Park, Montana

 

Saguaro National Monument, Arizona

 

Unnamed peak, Kings Canyon National Park, California

 

To see more of Adams' indelible imagery from U.S. national parks and monuments — mainly from 1941 to 1942, when he was working under a federal contract — check out these collections kept by the National Archives and the Interior Department.

 

Also on MNN:

• Ansel Adams trust sues over garage sale negatives
• Yosemite National Park: A user's guide
• Yellowstone National Park: A user's guide
• The best environmental photos of 2011

 

All photos courtesy U.S. National Archives