'Flowers in a Thorn Tree', is the story of wildlife conservation in Northern Kenya.
Over four years, Steven Thackston made several trips to Kenya, whereupon he would imbed with ranger units of the Northern Rangelands Trust. Thackston would patrol, eat and sleep with the rangers, photographing them as they chased poachers and murderers, rescued hurt and orphaned animals and as they worked within the pastoral communities where endangered animals still live alongside people. Rangers are the essential workers of wildlife conservation. Traveling through the pastoral communities in troop carriers, they have contacts who tell them about the movements of animal herds and potential poaching rings. They also work as peacekeepers within these communities with the idea that a happy and stable community is less likely to feel the need to poach an endangered animal. The mission to change the hearts and minds of the pastoral people regarding the treatment of endangered animals, is instilled within the ranks of the ranger
