500 BCE - 2016 CE
“Cranes are among the most severely threatened of all bird families. Virtually all 15 species have suffered significant reductions in their geographic distributions and population numbers. Whooping, red-crowned and Siberian cranes are currently listed as endangered. Six other species are considered vulnerable to extinction, and another is near threatened... They have been exploited for trade and commerce, and they have conflicted with humans for agricultural resources. Many species are reliant on the world's edangered wetlands for food and nest sites. Moreover, most cranes are migratory and thus, have requirements for survival that often span thousands of miles... Their world understands no political boundaries yet they are subject to the whims of local, regional and national governments in times of both decline and recovery.”
Learn about Maya Lin’s fifth and final memorial: a multi-platform science based artwork that presents an ecological history of our world - past, present, and future.
Discover ecological histories and stories of former abundance, loss, and recovery on the map of memory.
Learn how we can reduce our emissions and protect and restore species and habitats – around the world.
See how art can help us rethink the problems we face, and give us hope that each one of us can make a difference.
Help make a global memorial something personal and close to home. Share your stories of the natural world.