History
The trees remember: Sheepherders’ carvings preserved in the San Juan Mountains
As Hispanic sheepherders roamed the mountains, often alone for months at a time, they carved names, dates and drawings into the soft bark of aspen trees.
Ziyi Xu
Multimedia Journalist
Ziyi Xu is a multimedia journalist for Rocky Mountain PBS, covering Southwest Colorado and the Four Corners Region. She is based in Durango.
Her latest project is a short documentary about a Navajo young woman breaking barriers in the male-dominated world of bull riding. When she's not exploring stories and making films, Ziyi can be found playing or watching soccer.
Languages spoken: English, Mandarin
Topic expertise: Rural and Indigenous communities, business, education
Local expertise: Based in Durango, I focus on stories about Indigenous and rural communities, such as rodeo culture, Native language preservation, small-town businesses and rural education. My work is driven by people's stories that captures the resilience and richness of their communities.
Recent posts
Government & Politics
Government shutdown impacts recreation in the San Juan Mountains
When the federal government shut down Oct. 1, the impact quickly rippled through southwest Colorado’s public lands.
History
Exploring Hillside cemetery, a living record of Silverton
For the past 45 years, the San Juan County Historical Society has maintained Hillside Cemetery, cleaning headstones and restoring deteriorating grave sites.