Connecting with nature for S-M-R-T

[LadyShea]

I am unsure what you mean about native peoples. The email only had the following mention

Many native cultures around the world have used animal-inspired dance, storytelling and other forms of art to symbolize lessons they've received, and to keep them alive in the culture of their people.

Seems an anthropological reference that is relevant.

[thedoc]

Originally Posted by wildernesse

And, I do agree that practicing silence is something that I have to work on. When I first started birding, I used to wonder where the birds were. Then I realized that if I just stood still for a little bit, I saw more. Being still and alert is not something that I get to practice in other areas of my life.

When we first moved here my one neighbor was building his house, and was clearing some trees with his chainsaw. We were talking about once and he mentioned that he would stop working and was disapointed that he didn't hear all the "Tweety Birds" singing in the woods. I didn't say anything but I thought 'what does he expect with him running a chain saw making all that noise?' Did he really think that the noise wouldn't disturb nature, and it didn't seem very sophisticated to refer to woodland 'song birds' as 'tweety birds'.

[thedoc]

Originally Posted by wildernesse

Also, I am a bit icked out by the inclusion of native people in the nature study. I understand that it is aimed at "What can indigenous people teach us about our area?", but still.

It would seem to me that the 'Native Americans' tended to live 'IN' nature as opposed to against it, and this attitude could stem from certain religious teachings that teach that nature is corupt and infested with evil, and that man is a seperate creation and therefore exempt from the laws of nature. Perhaps the 'Native Americans' can teach us that we are indeed part of nature and need to understand how to live 'IN' nature.

[wildernesse]

Originally Posted by LadyShea

I am unsure what you mean about native peoples. The email only had the following mention

Seems an anthropological reference that is relevant.

Sorry, I was thinking more about the Nature Tourist test that has more questions about local native people, what they ate, whether they migrated, how they managed their environment. The only question about settlers is about what major change they made to their environment.

I think that thedoc is right, that that is where they are coming from, but I just don't agree with that thinking personally. People change their environments to promote their survival, just like other animals.

[LadyShea]

Ah, I didn't take the test

[thedoc]

Originally Posted by wildernesse

I think that thedoc is right, that that is where they are coming from, but I just don't agree with that thinking personally. People change their environments to promote their survival, just like other animals.

I agree with this, if the test is an indicator of the course, they are way more in depth than they need to be. You don't need to live in the wild to appreciate it.

Ladyshea, I would recomend just reading the test, to get an idea where they are going.

[wildernesse]

Still reading along? I thought that the point about finding a wild place and getting to know it well was very good advice. I always envy my dad's knowledge, because he knows so much about where I grew up. Of course, he's spent 50+ years there and outdoors nearly every day of that.

Unfortunately, it isn't all that workable for us. The closest "wild" place is a very domesticated park across the street, which is better than nothing, but not wild. Everything is pretty well developed here.

I think of the different resources in these emails, I appreciate the Nature Tourist Test the most. I am probably going to print it out and try to answer the questions. I am also going to see if I can get this book or one like it at the library. Just to read for ideas.

Did the email series what you expected? What do you think it did well? What do you think it could have done differently?

[thedoc]

I looked at the last e-mail and did it seem to anyone else that this was a promo. to entice people to sign up for a paying course? No, I didn't click on the links for the other courses, if they were free OK, but if there was a fee then this was 'spam'.

[wildernesse]

Originally Posted by thedoc

I looked at the last e-mail and did it seem to anyone else that this was a promo. to entice people to sign up for a paying course? No, I didn't click on the links for the other courses, if they were free OK, but if there was a fee then this was 'spam'.

It was definitely to whet your appetite for the other course. I didn't look into the other course, so I don't know if it is for a fee.

[thedoc]

Originally Posted by wildernesse

It was definitely to whet your appetite for the other course. I didn't look into the other course, so I don't know if it is for a fee.

To be fair I just looked at the links and they are pay-for courses and the second was an almost year long course at the school. So while technically it is spam, if the courses are what they say they are it is worthwhile spam.

[Angakuk]

Originally Posted by wildernesse

Unfortunately, it isn't all that workable for us. The closest "wild" place is a very domesticated park across the street, which is better than nothing, but not wild. Everything is pretty well developed here.

For a metropolitan area Phoenix actually has quite a variety of accessible "wild" areas. Piestewa Peak (formerly known as Squaw Peak), South Mountain, Sonoron Desert Preserve, Rio Salado, etc. While none of them provide a true wilderness experience they are certainly worth your consideration.

Phoenix Mountain and Desert Preserves

If you are willing to get out of the metro area there are loads of opportunities for experiencing Arizona wildlife. Powers Butte, Arlington & Robbins Butte are all easy day trips from the metro area.

Arizona Fish and Game Watchable Wildlife Program

Don't even get me started on the State and National Parks and National Forests.

For the true wilderness experience check out one the 49 BLM Wilderness Areas. The North Maricopa Mountains , South Maricopa Mountains , Sierra Estrella & Table Top Wilderness Areas are all within a 2 hour drive of the metro area. A four wheel drive vehicle is highly recommended as access roads are pretty primitive.

In short, the Phoenix Metro area is rich in opportunities for experiencing the wild, at every level.

[Angakuk]

Wildy,
If you are interested in combining a short nature hike with a little anthropology you might want to consider the Deer Valley Rock Art Center. I hiked that site nearly 50 years ago with my father, long before it became a protected area. It was one of my dad's old stomping grounds and played a large part in my uncle's decsion to major in anthropology at the University of Arizona. He is a published author on the subject of Native American pictographs in the Southwest.

[LadyShea]

You have easy access to some of the most amazing wild places in the country (my opinion, of course). Go to Sedona. Srsly I was tempted to go all mystical there myself.

Also, Tonto National Forest looks wild. I've never been there. Check it out for me .

[LadyShea]

I have gotten to know our river really well. Have to sit on a boat, but still. I know there are baby dolphins in it this time of year, they bring them up to teach them to hunt mullet where it is safe and quiet...but the river is too shallow for the pods to hang out year round.

Also, we walk the same stretch of beach at the state park weekly, every year, for sea turtle nest patrol.

[LadyShea]

Did the email series what you expected? What do you think it did well? What do you think it could have done differently?

I think it gave some hints to get started (some of which I do intuitively), I kinda knew it was a lead in for their fee courses...but for free they're not gonna offer in depth stuff, so yeah it was about what I expected.

I will be a bit more formal with Kiddo now, and use some of this to help formulate the plan, as it doesn't seem to come as naturally to him as it did to me.

[wildernesse]

Thanks for the tips! I know there are tons of great places nearby, but I was thinking of walk-out-my-door wild where you could be there everyday and hang out at different times. I'm still getting used to the idea that my child will not have that. I'm just glad that we see children out unsupervised frequently in our neighborhood, even after dark and fairly early in the morning.

[thedoc]

Wildernesse, If you have some room on your lot you could get some plants going in a sort of 'wild' ares. You just need to be careful of city ordinances but there may be loopholes that allow wild growth. In my township, as codes officer, I got a complaint about a neighbor having a pile of brush in his backyard. When I investigated he explained that it was intentional shelter for small animals like rabbits. I sided with the neighbor with the brush pile and later found out that the person who complained was a trouble maker who had had some trouble with the law. If you get a variety of plant types and sizes going you will be surprised how many 'wild' animals it will attract, especially if you don't see them as pests, or pets.

[LadyShea]

There are pros and cons to city living, and no Froguar won't have the walk out the back door easy access to nature that you had, but you can make it work.

Don't be sad, it's not necessarily worse or better than what you had, just different.

[livius drusus]

I loved growing up in the big city. There are so many different kinds of people, so many opportunities to do new things, and, depending on the city, public transport that gives a kid a modicum of independence long before they can drive. The first time I took a subway on my own I was 12 and it was a very important, very happy day for me.

[LadyShea]

My first 10 years were spent in So. Cal and I loved riding my bike to the library...it felt very grown up to me. Also we would walk or bike to the convenience store to buy a drink or candy or Popsicle or whatever, and we could hit 100 houses in 3 blocks trick or treating (or on a scavenger hunt, or Christmas caroling on roller skates).

[Angakuk]

Originally Posted by LadyShea

Christmas caroling on roller skates.

That is just sooo wrong!

However, this is sooo right!

Melanie - Brand New Key ('71) - YouTube

&feature=related

[thedoc]

Originally Posted by Angakuk

That is just sooo wrong!

However, this is sooo right!

&feature=related

Thanks, I really like that song, especially if you listen to the words and what they could mean.

[wildernesse]

Originally Posted by LadyShea

My first 10 years were spent in So. Cal and I loved riding my bike to the library...it felt very grown up to me. Also we would walk or bike to the convenience store to buy a drink or candy or Popsicle or whatever, and we could hit 100 houses in 3 blocks trick or treating (or on a scavenger hunt, or Christmas caroling on roller skates).

and

Originally Posted by livius drusus

I loved growing up in the big city. There are so many different kinds of people, so many opportunities to do new things, and, depending on the city, public transport that gives a kid a modicum of independence long before they can drive. The first time I took a subway on my own I was 12 and it was a very important, very happy day for me.

Y'all are going to make me retell that story about how when I was a little kid I thought it was awesome that kids got to walk to the corner store and pick up snacks, etc. that I saw on tv and read about in books. So I begged my mom to let me walk to the store to buy a snack. And one day she did.

I was like 5.

And the nearest store was over a mile away. No sidewalks. Half the way there aren't even any houses. I was SO proud. Although I don't remember walking all the way back home, so I must have just walked back to my grandparents'.

[LadyShea]

The email today told the story of a person who had been visiting a nature spot for two years and gotten to know the place very well (a sit spot), and after returning from a week-long absence found that the vegetation had been cleared and a bike ramp installed. He expresses his grief over the loss of this special place and I thought this part was particularly pertinent to my interests.

Losing one's special place in nature seems to be it's
own unique category of grief. It's the risk we take
of reconnecting to nature -- that we rebuild bonds so
strong that we are pained and outraged when they are
threatened.

And, as it has been voiced many times:

We cannot protect something we do not love, we
cannot love what we do not know, and we cannot
know what we do not sense.

People who have never experienced nature in any profound way, never gotten to know it, are less likely to want to protect it. I told someone this once, but it seems to me that people that hike and camp and sit in the wild are less likely to want to tear the wild up. We see cleaned campsites upon leaving every time we stay in a State or National park, we see hikers and bikers put trash in their packs. We do those things too.

Every Saturday we walk a stretch of beach looking for turtle nests, and every year we do the Coastal Cleanup on that same stretch, and every time we are on that beach there is tourist trash. WTF? You spend a day on our sugar sand enjoying the water and just leave your drink and food containers and amusement items laying right there? You think there are bussers or beach maids at a state park?

There kind of are, us. Those of us who know and love that stretch of beach and call it ours.

Kiddo has that sense of ownership already, that was my hope for him and he has started to get it.