Reciprocity

 

Nature replenishes my spirit in so many ways. Clean air and water. The simultaneous serenity and thrill while standing on the edge of millions of acres of public lands. Sunshine warming my face. The sound of rain on my rain jacket. Watching a bee fly; toads, deserts, murmuration.

Trees are an organism for which I am supremely grateful. I have always loved them, even before I could understand the depth of what that means.

On a grand scale, trees have sustained cultures for millennia. Closer to home and more personally, trees provide life-saving shelter, shade from the powerful sun, bone- and muscle-warming heat, magnificent beauty, the sound of wind moving through the leaves.

So I've been pondering lately, what do I give back to them? Indeed, what is the exchange between all of nature and myself? It did not take me long to make the connection.

A spotlight. Through my art and writing I shine a spotlight on the beauty, magnificence, importance, and cultural community that trees and forests provide; the very reasons we should be protecting, respecting and thanking them.

My hope is that my work will inspire others to broaden their interest in trees, to the point of finding themselves caring about trees in their own environment, maybe even becoming stewards of the land.

In the spirit of paying it forward, for the trees, click here for a beautifully made documentary created by a young Alaskan woman about the clear cutting of old growth forests in the Tongass National Forest of southeast Alaska.

Reciprocity.

Grizzly Bear at Denali National Park, Alaska

Grizzly bears were one of my 'must see' wildlife species on my recent visit to Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska.  What surprised me--the beauty of their blonde shaggy hair in contrast to the darker, thicker layers of fur underneath.  

A species that we most hear about as a fierce predator, the grizzly bear is actually an omnivore, eating a great deal of berries, leaves and roots to supplement its diet and fatten up for the winter months of hibernation.  I sampled a couple of their favorites while hiking, blueberries and crow berries.  

The tundra was in its prime fall colors, beautiful reds, gold, yellow and orange, a vastly different experience of the autumn season and equally beautiful to the changing of trees.  I visited Denali during the first week of September.  All I had heard about the brevity of fall in Denali was true.  In a matter of six days, the park's landscape changed from vibrant colors to a four-inch blanket of snow.  There was no doubt that the fall is a rapidly changing season in this northern climate.  

To see this bear having a good scratch visit my blog post:  Good Scratch!  Click this link to view all my posts on Denali National Park and Preserve.

Links and resources:
Denali National Park and Preserve
Grizzly Bear
Bear behavior
Bear Safety