When I was a kid, I grew up in Weaverville, California. It was about 5 hours from San Francisco, and it consisted of a wonderful mix of people ranging from P.h.D.s who couldn’t handle the rat race to mountaineers that were descendants of the gold miners. I grew up fishing, and camping, and riding horses way up into the mountains to learn about botany and appreciate the beauty of my surroundings. Looking back, it was a magic time, and one I hope to someday share with my kids.One of the things that was incredibly clear to me, even at an early age, was the tremendous respect for the animals with which we shared the landscape. It was not uncommon to have wild animals wander onto your property – sometimes mistakenly, and sometimes in search of food and drink. By the time I was old enough to remember, I had seen mountain lions, rattle snakes, mountain goats, lynx, bears, and so on. They were just a part of life, and an integral factor in the delicate balance of the ecosystem.
River in the Trinity AlpsI guess I have always carried this with me somewhere deep inside. Granted, I am much more of a city wuss now – I would cry like a school girl if I ran into a rattlesnake in our yard today – but I still have a deep respect for the “wild kingdom“. Nature is the closest example I have seen of perfection – when left alone by man, it is in harmony with itself and truly sustainable.Unfortunately today, our undeveloped areas are shrinking rapidly. Urban sprawl and population explosion are pushing people further and further out into areas where the wild things are. This presents both sides with a very interesting problem, and one where the humans usually win out. I would encourage you to read more about some of the most vexing problems between wildlife and humans here and here.If you think about it, nearly every modern human activity interferes with how nature was designed to remain balanced. We build roads, cross oceans, fly through the air, dam rivers, etc – all in the name of progress and modernization. Usually this process leaves the wild animals more pressed for habitat, and more susceptible to problems.Let me be clear: I am not saying humans should just disappear so that the wild could return to its original state. But I do think a more sustainable future is one where we consider the impact we have upon nature. In my not-so-distant past, I can remember seeing this happen. Weaverville may not have been perfect, but in general, the majority of the population lived in much better balance with nature. I believe we have to consider this going forward not just in the US, but all around the globe.”One is constantly reminded of the infinite lavishness and fertility of Nature’s inexhaustible abundance amid what seem enormous waste. And yet when we look into any of her operations that lie within reach of our minds, we learn that no particle of her material is wasted or worn out. It is eternally flowing from use to use, beauty to yet higher beauty: and we soon cease to lament waste and death, and rather rejoice and exult in the imperishable, unspendable wealth of the universe, and faithfully watch and wait the reappearance of everything that melts and fades and dies about us, feeling sure that its next appearance will be better and more beautiful than the last.” - John Muir
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