public lands

#NatureWritingChallenge - Dear Public Lands, I love you! - Me

“I had no idea what to write about, but here it goes...”
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A moment of love witnessed, experienced, or shared on public lands…

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I thought long and hard about this topic, but I wasn’t getting anywhere at all. I have never witnessed a proposal or even much affection between two people on any public lands. But, then it clicked! I have witnessed one act that truly warms my heart, countless times… When someone picks up trash, regardless of who’s it is, and throws it in the proper receptacle. There is nothing more wonderful than people who LOVE public lands and this is one example of a simple way to show it.

Other great acts of love I’ve witnessed, firsthand, are people who stay on the designated path or trail on our public lands. In all honesty, I have wandered off in the past but have learned so much and do my best nowadays. A vital way to show love for the plants and soils is by leaving them undisturbed! I’d have to say the people who stay on the path outweigh the ones who disregard it altogether, and there is always room to grow and learn!

Have you ever witnessed a trail building outing or participated in one? Until you’ve watched people sweat it out by removing invasive species or done something similar yourself, you won’t know what love for public lands truly is. Have you called or sent a letter to your government representative? Yet another act of love for public lands that has inspired real change!

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It’s heartbreaking to see people who supposedly love public lands deface them or break the rules designed to protect them. I see far more people follow the rules and love the land than those who don’t and to me that is love. Spreading the values of Leave No Trace as well as restating the rules to people who may be a little off course is true love.

The current administration has typically pushed forward legislation to minimize or physically degrade public lands but a recent bill to expand and protect was an act of love, if not with ulterior motives, but love nonetheless. The fact that the tone of this administration and 45 is generally negative in regards to public lands has a silver lining and that is people coming together to share their love for them on a grand scale. True love is putting differences aside to come together to preserve culture, flora, fauna, and other treasures that should and do belong to everyone.

Today, I raise my glass to those who love public lands and show it every single chance they get. Here’s to every time you picked up that trash or contacted your rep. Here’s to all the times you’ll/we’ll have to do this in the future. Here’s to the future of these glorious places. Here’s to working through the heartbreak of the shortcomings and pushing forward for the greater good. Here’s to you, public land lovers!

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#NatureWritingChallenge - History Schmistory...

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“What is your favorite National Park history? Any cool stories to share, buildings you enjoy, or historical wonders you enjoy?”

2019 - Topic 4

January 31, 2019

Join us on Twitter with the hashtag #NatureWritingChallenge to discuss and share the topic Thursday at 8:30 CST. This post was created in one hour specifically for this challenge.

History isn’t my jam.

I’m not a big history fan, generally speaking, but I am not closed off to learning about specific topics if they come about. What I really mean to say is that I do not seek out historical texts or books, but will read through something quick and easy to digest. I do enjoy learning about culture, archaeology, and geology which all explore history in different interesting ways.

Big trees are old.

One group of historical figures I couldn’t live without are the big trees of the west coast. The redwoods, giant sequoias, and various other large and old trees are some of my favorite living organisms in the world. I first saw these big trees back in 2008 and have been in love with them since then. These trees age gracefully and are a vital part of the ecosystem and region as a whole. What would life be like without big trees? These specific types of trees aside, I grew up with very old maples in the front yard and super old apple trees in the orchard. Trees can teach us how to adapt and thrive, even in the worst conditions over 2000 years.

That arch didn’t form overnight.

I’m not sure how many years it took Delicate Arch to come to the present state, but thank goodness it did. Have you been to Delicate Arch, up close and personal? I have and it was insane. To think erosion did that, over so many years is crazy. This iconic rock formation is a piece of history to me. When I went to Arches, I learned about the history of the park, the history tied to the geology, and the history of the people who inhabited the land.

Speechless at the Grand Canyon.

The first time I saw the Grand Canyon was October 12, 2011. I was driving back with a friend from Las Vegas and we stopped at the North Rim and I was awestruck. When my dear friend Ashley and I visited the South Rim in 2013, I was awestruck again. When I visited with my other half and dear friend Nikki in 2015, it was amazing in a new way as it was dusted with snow in places. The Grand Canyon is old. Think of the years it took for the Colorado River to cut through the earth and form that giant hole. Think of the people who live and lived there long before we stand on the paved path at the edge admiring. What a place, rich in history and culture.

History may not be my “thing” but I am willing to embrace it on a case by case basis. Learning about these great trees or geologic formations is a form of history appreciation in my book.

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#NatureWritingChallenge - Stranger danger! (just kidding)

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“A Memorable encounter with a stranger on public lands”

SEASON 2, WEEK 9

November 8, 2018

Join us on Twitter with the hashtag #NatureWritingChallenge to discuss and share the topic Thursday at 8:30 CST. This post was created in one hour specifically for this challenge.

I can’t pinpoint one conversation with a stranger. I’m not always so good at reaching out to fellow public land users and being my normal outgoing self. I’m always friendly in that I say hello to people along the trails and will definitely engage in conversation if someone else starts one. If I’m headed a National Park, odds are I’m with someone and become even less outgoing because we’re focused on our time together. All in all, I think this topic of discussion has inspired to me to make it a point, or objective, to be more outgoing and take the time to have the random chat with other public land lovers.

I have a series of moments I do remember, that were brief, that I’ll share.

Arches - After hiking up to Delicate Arch, we were making our way back to the car and had a chat with a family from Michigan that noticed my friend’s shirt that had our alma mater displayed. I’ve had many conversations with people in Arches, actually, but nothing too lengthy overall. Always brief, but always friendly. I talked to a guy about taking morning photos, talked to an old couple about all of the places they’ve visited, and talked to people who saw my shirt (usually something about Michigan) and made an initial comment.

Clothing related - I have had more interactions based on the hat, shirt, or jacket I am wearing. I wear a LOT of Michigan gear, in fact it’s probably annoying to many at this point, but I love being from there and it is certainly one of the most recognizable states. I LOVE meeting people from Michigan, learning about their experiences there, and ultimately if they love it or not. I’ve been called out to from across a parking lot and stopped on a busy sidewalk. I love it.

Time related - I love being asked “what time did you start today?” when I’m coming back from an in/out trail as swarms of people are headed out. I’m an early starter, and I LOVE watching all of the people head in as I head out because I not-so-secretly love being asked how the trail was. I always love to give an opinion and try to read what type of hiker the person is, without being judgmental in a negative light. I love to give little tidbits to look for and point out great spots to take it all in. I love to share about any animals I’ve seen or flowery meadows. I love it.

I’ve had excellent chats with rangers at the various parks and monuments in the US, but I don’t count those because that’s more their job. I have had endless chats with hotel and campground staff, but again, it’s their job to engage. I generally don’t mind taking time to chat, and I would love to do it more often. So, if you see me out here, ask how the trail was!

#NatureWritingChallenge - Public Lands Wish List

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“YOUR PUBLIC LANDS WISH LIST”

SEASON 2, WEEK 8

November 1, 2018

Join us on Twitter with the hashtag #NatureWritingChallenge to discuss and share the topic Thursday at 8:30 CST. This post was created in one hour specifically for this challenge.

Public lands are funded by the people which is why we all are entitled to enjoy them. Funded by the people is a broad concept but really just means taxes, private donations, and fees come together to pay the bills.

I’m going to address the things I’d love to see in public lands but may not make sense to everyone or may not be financially feasible.

Streamlined Management

I’d like to see all of our public lands managed in a more efficient manner. I envision one agency, under the Department of Interior, with various branches. Have a branch for the National Parks & Monuments, have a branch for the grazing lands, and have a branch for the forests. I know don’t know enough about it all, but I just imagine a more harmonious and streamlined management of all the lands we know and love. With streamlined management could come a streamlined leadership and staff. Not a reduction in number, but people all on the same team able to work together even easier.

Proper Funding

Simply put, we need to have our public lands made a priority and a budget fulfilled to address all of the back and future maintenance necessary for modern crowds. We need to pay our park rangers, park workers, and all people who manage/work the lands a fair wage. We need to invest in science and research and fully fund studies involving our public lands.

Transportation/Accessibility

Public lands are becoming popular, and really have always been popular. When I was at Mount Rainier a couple of weekends ago I was reading about the first car that came into the park and how modern cars flooded in and it was chaos. So many parks are overrun by the visitors that parking lots are full early on in the morning. Shuttles have popped up at a few locations, and seem to be alright, but more could be done.

More shuttles at more parks, more transportation from major (or nearby) cities with direct routes to public lands. More options for people that may have few options to get out to public lands. More urban public lands would be a great way to introduce even more people to how great they are and what they have to offer. More people that respect and know them means more future stewards.

Public lands need funding but they also need specific funding to be more ADA friendly. While it’s clear not every location can be accessed by everyone, many main places can be modified to allow more people of all abilities to see some of the best vistas on our public lands.

Education/Appreciation

My wish list focuses on inclusion, funding, and streamlining. There are endless other needs, but these are the stepping stones for so much more. With more funding and more accessibility, more education can happen and people can become more aware of how important these places are to our nation and the tribes of humans that hold them sacred to this day. We must teach the history of the land to ensure people respect where it came from and how important it is to so many to this day.

We can’t have it all, right now anyway, so we need to keep fighting the good fight. We need to keep visiting, keep buying annual passes, keep respecting the land, and keep voting for people who make public lands a priority.

#NatureWritingChallenge - Badwater Basin: 282 Feet Below Sea Level

"A memorable sign on Public Lands" - This post was created for the #naturewritingchallenge in one hour.

I was thinking back to all the signs on public lands - there have been a lot and I'm kind of obsessed with documenting my travels with them.  I started to look through my archives, trying to find that most memorable sign.  Then, I thought, maybe it's not a photo of a sign but maybe one of those many epiphanies I've had in my life.  I've had many moments on Public Lands that have brought great clarity to my brain, but not really any major signs in life.  So, I'm going to stick to the physical and share one of my most memorable and favorite signs.  The year was 2008, my two good buddies and I had just visited the Redwoods and were moving on through California to Death Valley National Park.  I had researched the Redwoods, as mentioned in the post from last week, but I really knew NOTHING about Death Valley prior to visiting.  We arrived midday, sun shining, wind blasting, and the desert blooming.  We were in shock, coming from moss covered redwoods to giant sequoias to the desert - the hottest, lowest place in the USA.

I can remember the start of our drive through the park - we were truly obsessed with the signs because we were in love with the road trip.  Signs were the way we navigated - old school, before smartphones and navigation systems in the dash.  We were in our rented car, driving through the desert and we see the sign to turn right in a mile for Death Valley.  Eventually, we get to to the Death Valley welcome sign and enter the park, feeling accomplished.  We were using Microsoft Streets and Trips, but signs were our guiding visual element.  If I went out there right now and reenacted this scenario, with my Google Maps built in to my device, I'm not sure I'd have been as observant of the signs and markers.  As I write this I'm having an "ah-ah" moment about how I've become so much less observant in current times and maybe I need to slow it down when I'm out and about.  I still notice signs, but I don't obsess over them the way we did before Google Maps and that fresh road trip spirit of the late 2000s.

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As we meandered through the park, we stopped at various tourist stops to take it in and take pictures.  We stopped to take a photo of the sign proclaiming we were at sea level and moved on to see the how borax was mined and transformed and then on to see the desert in bloom.  We made our way to the Devil’s Golf Course, to the Furnace Creek Visitors Center, and then to Badwater Basin.  When I think of my first trip to Death Valley, I think of Badwater Basin and posing with the sign that says I was 282 feet below sea level.  Of all the places we saw, other than maybe the desert in bloom which only seems significant now that I know people flock to see it, Badwater stands out.  The white salt flats, the salty pools of water, the view through the valley, and the sign that said I was there.  Death Valley and Redwoods were the first two big parks I experienced in my life - and they were a day a part.  Sure the trees are unforgettable, in fact I daydream about them often, but being in the hottest and lowest place in the USA is also quite memorable and I have a photo with a sign to prove it.

Two years after this visit, I was able to get back.  This time, I knew a little about what to expect when visiting Death Valley.  We entered from the east this time, made our way to places I didn't even know existed the first time, I didn't see any bloom in the desert, and I sure did go back to Badwater and stand next to that sign again.  Going back, I was genuinely excited to see this place again and to take a photo in front of the sign.  Sure, I got to see the valley from Dante's View, hike through one of the side canyons, and see the painted desert hills of the Artist's Drive, but that sign at Badwater was a constant and will be any time I visit in the future.  Signs come and go, they change, and they can be metaphorical.  Maybe this one sign is just a physical sign, but it's representative of my first desert adventure, inspired me to check out more desert destinations, and beckons me to return to see it and the ever changing Badwater Basin.

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#NatureWritingChallenge - West Coast or Bust

"A moment when you felt small compared to the grandeur of our public lands"

The year was 2008.  Two of my best friends and I had set out on a spring break road trip based on the success of our first one in 2007.  We were almost done with college and wanting to see a little bit more of the country before it was too late and we had full-time jobs.  Road trips in 2008 involved using a laptop in the backseat to navigate with a Microsoft Streets & Trips GPS attachment stuck to the window.  Road trips in 2008 were in a rental car because none of our cars would make it more than six hours before blowing something.  We set out, headed from Grand Rapids, MI to the west coast, with a few minor stops along the way.  This trip was designed and planned to maximize our stops along the route; the previous year we unintentionally avoided too many natural wonders and tourist stops because we just didn't have a plan.

The trip had many "first experiences" such as the first time seeing the Pacific Ocean, a city as big as Seattle, the Redwood trees, San Francisco, sequoia trees, Death Valley, Las Vegas, and St. Louis.  Pike Place Market was an enriching experience, the Oregon coast was breathtaking, Las Vegas glittered, but the redwoods were shockingly beautiful.  I had seen photos, read books, and researched them, but I had absolutely no idea the emotional impact they would have on me when I wrapped my arms around one and stared up the trunk.

As cliche as it may sound, the Redwoods made me feel small in the best way.  I can vividly remember leaping out of the car and running over to a redwood along the road and just standing there in shock as I tried to wrap my head around the size of that tree.  The trees of the Oregon Coast were gorgeous, wild, and large in scale to some we had in Michigan but fell out of memory once I saw the vast beauty of a mighty redwood.

We walked to the "Big Tree" and took photos, as tourists do, and stood in awe.  We drove through the Avenue of the Giants, stopped at a few trails and shops, and were on our way in just a few hours.  We did the classic "drive through a tree" Redwoods activity and posed in front of a 1000 year old log.  For those few hours, I forgot about the spats we had in the car for days prior, forgot my responsibilities, forgot where I was from, and I became fully present.  For the first time in my life, I felt small but so alive at the same time.  These trees are some of the largest living organisms on the planet and we get the luxury of walking through their forest home and breathing their fresh air.  I've had the privilege to visit the Redwoods several times since 2008 and every time feels a bit like the first time.  I still feel small and alive, I'm still swept away from reality, and I'm still in shock of how these trees can exist.

This was created in 1hr for the #naturewritingchallenge

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