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.