Ross Mielke
Theodore Roosevelt once stated to congress, “Optimism is a good characteristic, but if carried to an excess, it becomes foolishness. We are prone to speak of the resources of this country as inexhaustible; this is not so.” Roosevelt knew the implications our natural resources bestow on our great country, the traditions they represent and the everyday occurrences many of us have revolving around the natural world. But more importantly he acted upon securing natural parks and historic landmarks by implementing the Antiquities Act. Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir, one of our nations greatest lived naturalists, and many other individuals that first started in the United States Forest Service have secured us the right and pleasure to utilize our natural areas. I thank them for their extraordinary perseverance in the fight for securing natural areas for our generations today. I only hope I can honor their legacy by protecting and developing more natural areas for the enjoyment of our future generations, like that they so kindly did for us.
All of my life I have lived outdoors. I have grown up fishing, hunting, and learning the processes of our ecological surroundings by observing the land and its vast social interactions one can view on a daily basis. To be honest, I cherish each and every moment I spend outdoors. It is what makes me who I am. It is my tradition, it is my culture, and it is my passion. I’m positive many of you feel the same way as well. The question is; how can we secure the resources we have presently for future generations?
One of my fondest memories dealing with nature is from an opening morning deer hunt back in 1997. This was my first rifle hunt with my father and some of his friends. Running a little late from the night before, we noticed the biggest buck I have ever seen in a field 300 yards away. This buck was on a full out run, but thankfully one of my father’s friends was quick to imitate a doe bleat immediately stopping the buck in its tracks. I was in disbelief; this to me was the coolest thing ever. Although this man did nothing extraordinary in terms of deer hunting, this is my oldest memory of observing deer behavior.
Hunting keeps me sane; it is my escape from reality. But like most of you, this is not my only enjoyment from nature, visiting national parks and seeing wildlife in natural settings is also a pleasure in my life. In the winter of 2011 I was fortunate enough to take a trip to Yellowstone studying winter ecology. Yellowstone is a naturalist’s paradise. The animal diversity and pure numbers of animals visible are incredible. While touring Pelican Valley, we were privileged enough to encounter a fresh bison kill from Mollie’s wolf pack. Just twelve hours after the kill, the animal was nearly picked clean. What was left, the coyote’s, ravens and eagles were already scavenging. Not only did we view multiple species of wildlife while viewing this carcass, Mollie’s pack decided to bless us with multiple individuals howling not far in the distance. Thank you Teddy, Yellowstone is a naturalist’s heaven.
Thanks to the passion and perseverance conservationists had in our past, I have been able to enjoy much of our natural world. I fish, hunt, and watch wildlife for pleasure, sustenance, and learning. It’s highly unlikely I will set aside a national park for future generations, but volunteering part of my time for river clean up, taking youth hunting or a friendly donation to certain habitat programs such as Pheasants forever makes a difference. If you enjoy nature, if you want to see our natural resources persist for generations to come, I challenge you to join a program, take a kid hunting or just pick up an extra piece of trash in a natural setting. Our ancestors did this for us, let’s learn from their practices and incorporate them into our lives. Some organizations nationally recognized are: Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, North American Hunting Club, The Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Wildlife Conservation Society. Get involved, and let’s secure our natural resources for future generations.
4 comments:
I completely agree with you Ross. Our natural areas need to be preserved for future generations, but I believe that is easier said than done. We are an ever expanding nation, and those natural wonders will continue to decrease. Hopefully with the help of more great people, we can come up with a solution. I love hunting, fishing, canoeing, and every other recreational activity you can do outdoors, so I truly hope those activities last for generations to come.
I completely agree with you Ross. Our natural areas need to be preserved for future generations, but I believe that is easier said than done. We are an ever expanding nation, and those natural wonders will continue to decrease. Hopefully with the help of more great people, we can come up with a solution. I love hunting, fishing, canoeing, and every other recreational activity you can do outdoors, so I truly hope those activities last for generations to come.
Nicely written, Ross! Take a look at the Natural Resources Foundation website, we have numerous state natural areas in Wisconsin. We can be very proud that many of these sites are protected because people like you care about a special spot in Wis.
Ross, I additionally believe that preservation of the natural landscape is as vital to the strength of the nation as the daily events that occur in Washington D.C, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Along with yourself and many others experiencing the natural world is what keeps my crazy sane and cannot wait to share that experience with my future kids. I think many many people don't consider what precious treasures we possess in this nation in nature until they are taken away from us. Unfortunately, most of the times when they are taken away they can never be put back to what they once were.
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