This hits. My heart aches with every threat to our wild places, here and everywhere. To have the natural world referred to as and seen as a budget sheet crushes something deep inside… frankly, I can’t comprehend it. I struggle to understand how some (most?) are so disconnected from our deep innate interconnection with the land and instead continue to use, abuse, and desecrate what to me is absolutely sacred. And thats why your writing and photography matters. It helps remind those who have forgotten and may invite pause to reconsider the relationships were invited to have with the water, the land and all the beings.
I have two thoughts. First, our democracy is so degraded we may not even be able to have a voice in what happens. In my younger days, we had ample opportunity to go to public hearings over major bills, public lands or otherwise, and ample opportunity to see and talk to our U.S. representatives. Now, most things are slipped into an omnibus funding bill and we find out about it much later.
The second thought is that, perhaps cynically, I hope Gov. Burgum stays true to his word. Many uses on our public lands aren't profitable to the country. Out in my homeland of the West, my friends graze cattle and pay a few calculated to guarantee them a profit. The same argument can be made for logging, mining and other uses. (Including the water I use on my family farm). Apply a pure cost-benefit analysis to those activities and they'd be shut down.
The counter-argument is that those businesses support rural communities and provide a value to the country large enough to justify the subsidy. So let's take all the other benefits, such as peace of mind, beauty, all the other beings we share this planet with, into account, too.
Yes, the first step in dismantling a democracy is dismantling the mechanisms for public input. The watering down of NEPA has certainly done that. I used to teach an entire class on how to use NEPA and FLPMA as vehicles to make a difference in environmental policy. Now, those days are behind us. But like water behind a dam, we will flow around and find another way eventually. As to the economics, I too believe that the subsidy system for ranching, logging, mining, and more should be looked at again on public lands. Subsidies certainly have a place in the system but like so many other things, it seems to be out of whack. The danger is that "peace of mind, beauty, all the other beings we share this planet with" can never compete with oil and timber on ledger lines. Part of it is lack of imagination. Part of it is just the inability to put a decimal point in beauty and peace of mind. If WILDERNESS become WILDERNE$$ the wild will always lose. I appreciate you reading and commenting. Hope to get some time around a campfire or on the water with you sometime soon. -- Jeff
Very thoughtful and subtle awakening to our current unpleasant reality. It’s clear, the beauty on our planet far outweighs the dismissive rule of the new self appointed king. Unfortunately, it appears 50 % of our nation feel this is grand and haven’t taken ownership of their deed. May the powers of Mother Nature understand our pain and teach us once again who’s really in charge here. Evil deeds are imprinted and perhaps this man along with these hateful acts on nature and humanity will be repaid in an especially meaningful way.
Thank you Susan. This will be a difficult time and there will be losses. I only hope that perhaps it will also be a time of reawakening, of opening our eyes once again to so many things that we have for too long taken for granted. No more. No longer. Thank you for reading, commenting, and making your voice heard. -- Jeff
Thank you for this thoughtful inspiring article. It brought me to tears just thinking about our country, our world and the future. I couldn't watch the Inauguration, just caught snippets of it while watching the news. We, along with so many others in our community, are heartbroken.
We appreciate your work. Thanks for your wonderful photos and thoughts...
Thanks for reading a commenting. And mostly, for loving this country. Ironically, some times it takes an outside threat to reawaken us to what we have. Perhaps in the end, while there may be some losses, we will all open our eyes to the gifts in front of us. -- Jeff
I too could not watch the inaugural...spent the time editing my mother's photos of her favorite wild place, Thunder Lake Marsh. We so need those areas of solace and respite that Nature offers. It is going to be a rough four years, and probably another for or more to undo the damage. We must be watchful, but careful to maintain our own sanity and peace within. Thank you for your 'moments'.
Thanks for your comment. I always enjoy hearing a different perspective. Of all the things I believe strongly in, free speech is high on the list. I may not always agree with what you say but I will always defend your right to speak your mind and hope that you will as well. That is one of the cornerstones of democracy — Jeff
This hits. My heart aches with every threat to our wild places, here and everywhere. To have the natural world referred to as and seen as a budget sheet crushes something deep inside… frankly, I can’t comprehend it. I struggle to understand how some (most?) are so disconnected from our deep innate interconnection with the land and instead continue to use, abuse, and desecrate what to me is absolutely sacred. And thats why your writing and photography matters. It helps remind those who have forgotten and may invite pause to reconsider the relationships were invited to have with the water, the land and all the beings.
It will take all of us, everything we've got, to get through this next four years and years after that for the fall-out but...we...will.
I have two thoughts. First, our democracy is so degraded we may not even be able to have a voice in what happens. In my younger days, we had ample opportunity to go to public hearings over major bills, public lands or otherwise, and ample opportunity to see and talk to our U.S. representatives. Now, most things are slipped into an omnibus funding bill and we find out about it much later.
The second thought is that, perhaps cynically, I hope Gov. Burgum stays true to his word. Many uses on our public lands aren't profitable to the country. Out in my homeland of the West, my friends graze cattle and pay a few calculated to guarantee them a profit. The same argument can be made for logging, mining and other uses. (Including the water I use on my family farm). Apply a pure cost-benefit analysis to those activities and they'd be shut down.
The counter-argument is that those businesses support rural communities and provide a value to the country large enough to justify the subsidy. So let's take all the other benefits, such as peace of mind, beauty, all the other beings we share this planet with, into account, too.
Yes, the first step in dismantling a democracy is dismantling the mechanisms for public input. The watering down of NEPA has certainly done that. I used to teach an entire class on how to use NEPA and FLPMA as vehicles to make a difference in environmental policy. Now, those days are behind us. But like water behind a dam, we will flow around and find another way eventually. As to the economics, I too believe that the subsidy system for ranching, logging, mining, and more should be looked at again on public lands. Subsidies certainly have a place in the system but like so many other things, it seems to be out of whack. The danger is that "peace of mind, beauty, all the other beings we share this planet with" can never compete with oil and timber on ledger lines. Part of it is lack of imagination. Part of it is just the inability to put a decimal point in beauty and peace of mind. If WILDERNESS become WILDERNE$$ the wild will always lose. I appreciate you reading and commenting. Hope to get some time around a campfire or on the water with you sometime soon. -- Jeff
Very thoughtful and subtle awakening to our current unpleasant reality. It’s clear, the beauty on our planet far outweighs the dismissive rule of the new self appointed king. Unfortunately, it appears 50 % of our nation feel this is grand and haven’t taken ownership of their deed. May the powers of Mother Nature understand our pain and teach us once again who’s really in charge here. Evil deeds are imprinted and perhaps this man along with these hateful acts on nature and humanity will be repaid in an especially meaningful way.
Thank you Susan. This will be a difficult time and there will be losses. I only hope that perhaps it will also be a time of reawakening, of opening our eyes once again to so many things that we have for too long taken for granted. No more. No longer. Thank you for reading, commenting, and making your voice heard. -- Jeff
Thank you for this thoughtful inspiring article. It brought me to tears just thinking about our country, our world and the future. I couldn't watch the Inauguration, just caught snippets of it while watching the news. We, along with so many others in our community, are heartbroken.
We appreciate your work. Thanks for your wonderful photos and thoughts...
Thanks for reading a commenting. And mostly, for loving this country. Ironically, some times it takes an outside threat to reawaken us to what we have. Perhaps in the end, while there may be some losses, we will all open our eyes to the gifts in front of us. -- Jeff
Beautiful.
I feel the depth of your sentiments as do many in 🇨🇦. Inspiring!
I too could not watch the inaugural...spent the time editing my mother's photos of her favorite wild place, Thunder Lake Marsh. We so need those areas of solace and respite that Nature offers. It is going to be a rough four years, and probably another for or more to undo the damage. We must be watchful, but careful to maintain our own sanity and peace within. Thank you for your 'moments'.
Thanks for your comment. I always enjoy hearing a different perspective. Of all the things I believe strongly in, free speech is high on the list. I may not always agree with what you say but I will always defend your right to speak your mind and hope that you will as well. That is one of the cornerstones of democracy — Jeff