The Out of Eden Walk is a 21,000-mile journalistic endeavor to create a global record of human life at the start of a new millennium as told by villagers, nomads, traders, farmers, soldiers, and artists who rarely make the news. Sponsored and hosted by National Geographic Society, the project is led by Pulitzer Prize winning writer Paul Salopek who is walking the path of human migration across the globe, and recording what he encounters in the form of writing, photographs, video, and audio.
As a partner in this project the CGA’s role includes mapping Paul’s walking route from his GPS data, custom thematic map creation, essay writing and cartographic education by the CGA’s Jeff Blossom. A sample of maps created are shown below. To see the full collection, visit the Map Room. Toward the project’s educational focus, Jeff has provided hands on cartographic education centered around the Walk to the following K-12 classrooms:
2016:
22 High school students, Baltimore, MD.
125 High school seniors, New York City Labs School.
82 7th Graders, Lincoln Middle School, Portland, Maine.
94 6th Graders, Meriam Elementary School, Acton, MA.
80 6th Graders, Robert Adams Middle School, Holliston, MA.
2017:
115 High school seniors, New York City Labs School.
70 6th Graders, Meriam Elementary School, Acton, MA.
80 6th Graders, Robert Adams Middle School, Holliston, MA.
2018:
122 High school seniors, New York City Labs School.
90 High school freshman, Lewiston High School, Lewistin, Maine.
For more on The Walk visit the National Geographic Out of Eden Walk website.
Map 1 below: Shows exposed sea beds at the human migration started, and the rough path humans took.
Map 2: uses Fuller projection and spectral coloring scheme to illustrate distance traveled and time required for humans to travel this path.
Map 3: Thematic map of elevation to illustrate the undulating nature of the first leg of the walk.
Map 4: Ancient Islamic pilgrimage routes to Mecca overlaid with Paul’s walking route and Lawrence of Arabia’s travels .
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