Public Lands

Very interesting book that sparked this blog, even though I've only read 1/3 of it so far.

 I am reading a book about John Muir and Gifford Pinchot, and their work to begin the creation of America’s Public Lands.  I am a firm believer in public lands. I understand the desire for private property, and how that can allow people to have control of their lives, and I believe in that as well. Just like parts of the country are used for farm land, or city infrastructure, roads and water reservoirs, we need places set aside for nature, for enjoyment, and for recreation. Not everyone can own large sections of land, not everyone can live in a place surrounded by wilderness, but all of us can own the National Parks, National Forests and other sections of public land. We are all land owners, even if we live in a high rise apartment in New York City or a small trailer on another persons land. We all can wander in the forests, climb the mountains, and explore places that are mostly untouched. I understand not everyone can drive to these places or have the mobility to explore, but even so the possibility is there. If all beautiful landscapes were privately owned, only the rich or the friends of those would be able to enjoy nature. Imagine wanting to go out and wander in the woods, but being unable to find a legal spot for you to explore. Imagine having to pay or trespass just to see tall trees and wild lands. People are healed by nature. Many studies have shown that nature is necessary for good mental health. Children grow well in wild spaces and need time to climb trees and wander dusty footpaths. We need to protect these trees and footpaths.  The thing about public lands is that they are owned by - the public. 

                              My dog enjoys my time reading outside

That is us, you and me. We are the owners of public lands. Not only do these public lands serve the people, they serve wildlife. Diversity of life is the key to our survival, as a species and as a planet. Ecology is a ladder, a pyramid of survival and life, and all of the steps or rungs of the ladder are important for the whole. We may not like insects, but birds do, and we like a sky full of song birds. We may not like buzzards, but we like the work they do cleaning up by eating bodies of dead animals. It is all necessary. Invasive species of plants and animals do harm, but natives are needed to keep the balance right. There is so much riding on keeping public lands healthy and balanced. Sometimes we need to correct the wrongs, when one species of introduced trout destroys native species, and other times we need to leave things alone. My next post will be about native and invasive species, right now I am just championing the idea of protecting natural spaces.

          My daughter's photo of an elk, my grandson said, "I saw a reindeer."

Recently my family met at a park on Lake Huron, and we enjoyed a long needed vacation. We fought bugs, we watched a snake eat a fish, we enjoyed swans swimming right beside our wild cabin. We walked along the shore every day, and also explored the local towns. We chatted by a campfire, and sipped coffee surrounded by trees. Public land enjoyed by the public.  Last week my daughter and her family hiked up and around Clingmans Dome, or Kuwohi, as it is now called.  They walked some on the AT, and again enjoyed a wonderful day. My grandson saw an Elk, and walked on what he called, a “secret path.” What a rich childhood, playing in woods and exploring wilderness. I spent an entire summer as a child in and around Yellowstone when my dad worked as a park ranger. I showed off Old Faithful to my grandparents as if I owned the geyser, saying, “Would you look at that!” 

                            Me on July 4th at Old Faithful, Yellowstone NP.

So, who owns the Appalachian Trail? I looked up on the National Park Service website and found this quote, “ Conceived in 1921, built by private citizens, and completed in 1937, today the trail is managed by the National Park Service, US Forest Service, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, numerous state agencies and thousands of volunteers.” This sounds like a Public Land Ownership that has worked, that has functioned as it should for the benefit of everyone. Hiking and backpacking is free, no fee is needed. We can spend a day on the trail, or spend a few nights, or take however long we want to hike the entire thing. The experiences we have on the trail, or any trails, are valuable beyond the ability to pay, seeing black bears, or elk or deer, or wild mountain vistas are free for anyone able and interested in making the treks. Wilderness is the ultimate richness of experiences, and the wilderness belongs to you and to me. We need to fight to keep it so.

On my virtual hike I am nearest Niday Shelter in VA. This is a typical wood plank shelter in a Forest Service Camp, maintained by the local trail club.Much of the AT is maintained by local clubs and hikers. I am at mile marker 694. 

Simple Things in Life - vacation time

                                                         Lake Huron 

Our family enjoyed a much needed vacation last week in Michigan. I had never vacationed in Michigan, and was looking forward to enjoying the cooler weather. Our cabin was north of Toronto Canada, on Lake Huron. Driving away from Alabama and the heat wave they were experiencing, we passed through flooding in Kentucky and storms in Ohio. The heat wave followed us and our weather was in the 80’s the entire week. The camp was beautiful, right on the lake. Two swans floated right out our window every day, tempting our dog to swim out and try to catch them. The bugs were in full force, but when the wind blew they stayed down.

 In my mind I had all these plans for various activities; bird watching, kayaking, exploring Mackinac Island, visiting a dark sky park, and so on. As it turned out the ferry to the island was extremely expensive, the sky was cloudy every evening and the sun sets very late anyway, the park didn’t have their kayaks out for rental this year, and the only birds I saw were the swans and a quick bald eagle flyby.  It was a wonderful vacation. My joy wasn’t dependent on those activities, but came from the company. I played with my grandsons, walked on the beach with my kids, explored the town with my husband, and laughed with the entire family. Watching my kids, son in law, grands, husband, and myself getting along, joking and chatting, this was what makes life good. 

My daughter was reading a book, Tom Lake, and the book talks about the play My Town. In the play the main character reflects on what is really important in life, and the answer is simply- life. The little things in life. The day to day joys, people and sunsets and blueberries and laughter. I don’t know if those were the specific things she picked in the play, but those would be my things. Sitting by a campfire and listening to a conversation about video games I didn’t understand, walking on the beach with a 4 year old who wanted to pick up every stick he saw, watching a snake carry a fish in his mouth while floating on the surf, watching the swans float and feed, these are the moments of life. The other day I was mowing my yard, and I drove the mower over to blueberry bushes to eat a few berries. When I did that I realized I was living my dream life. It really is that simple. 

In my hiking I would be sleeping at Laurel Creek Shelter near Newport or Blacksburg Virginia. I look at my map and am amazed at how much of the trail is left ahead of me. I wonder if through hikers ever feel the same way. I’m sure they do. I hope the people out hiking the trail remember to enjoy the small things, the day to day life of trail hiking, in the same way I am trying to enjoy and remember the small and day to day joys of life. 

July 10  22.78   675.78  Laurel Creek Shelter in VA