WILD has worked for almost 40 years to protect and sustain wilderness and wild places around the world. An important aspect of our work has always been a commitment to partnerships with native peoples. Over many years, we’ve worked in numerous countries and situations to strengthen the links between indigenous and non-indigenous partners in order to create a network of people working to protect and sustain the global treasure we call wilderness–it is both our collective heritage and the key to a healthy and prosperous future for all people.

The NLWC began at the 8th World Wilderness Council (2005, Anchorage Alaska – 8WWC) and since that time has provided a critical platform for the meeting of indigenous and conservation agendas, highlighting conservation approaches and providing opportunities for dialogue and information exchanges.  Following 8WWC, WILD published and distributed the first-ever volume of indigenous authored case studies on native approaches to stewarding wild nature: Protecting Wild Nature on Native Lands: Case Studies by Native Peoples from around the World (Volume I).

>>View the E-book

>>Download the PDF

>>Purchase the hard copy

Where 24 hours ago had been a swaying green sea of tall grass and rough-edged fishponds now lies a raw, muddy pit. This land has gone to the shrimp farm. It’s hard to believe that just a few days ago, we used a machete to break a line through the wetlands of Sam Roi Yod.

Above the pit we look to what was once a shaded tree-lined ridge where Morgan captured our first glimpse of the fishing cat with her camera trap.  His cameo took only four days to appear. In the photo, he pauses, large-pupiled and paw-raised, staring down the camera as if he owns the joint. A small pink tongue licks the end of his nose.

Now, the ridge lies bared to the sun.  The trees chopped and tall grasses plowed, then burned away. Everything is caked in a rotten-smelling muck.

But that is not all that has changed.

The sound is all of a sudden deafening to the point that you feel the earth shaking. It is the rumble of a tractor widening a road, the putter of a pump sucking the pond dry . . . the fishing cat surely hears all these noises and runs … but we wonder to where? When change happens in days, it’s got to be hard to pick a new home, and there are only so many homes to choose from.

Namfon, our friend, biologist and number one fishing cat crusader, tells us that this land sells for cheap. Just U.S. $80 can rent one pond for a year, and $1,700 could rent all known fishing cat hotspots in the area for the same amount of time.

How frustrating and inspiring to know that such a small sum of money can potentially help “buy time” for the fishing cat as we endeavor for more sustainable solutions.

Seeing new tracks in the area, even as a land of fish changes to a land of shrimp, makes us hope that the fishing cat can make it. We hear fishing cats even like the freshly-drained ponds and the fish they leave behind, but we know this is a temporary advantage.

We need your help to save the elusive fishing cat! Just $80 USD can rent one pond for a year, and $1,700 could rent all known fishing cat hotspots in the area for the same amount of time!! Imagine what one whole year of research could do for this species…

>>Donate to CAT in WATER today! (specify in the note field that you’d like your donation to go to the fishing cat ponds)

>>Learn more about the CAT project

“CAT in WATER” – our multimedia initiative focused on the shy and threatened fishing cat — is literally coping with too much water!  The CAT team, Morgan and Joanna,  arrived in Thailand last week in the midst of the worst flooding in a century.  A simple two day journey to the field site in Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park —  where they will join field biologist Namfon Cutter and her Fishing Cat Research and Conservation Project – turned into a week of detours around flooded areas, plus a trip to the hospital for Morgan.  Her GI tract is back on track, and they continue tracking the fishing cat!  They receive supernatural  assistance (of course) from Ganesha, the Hindu elephant god that protects travelers, removes obstacles…check out this cool little video!

Join the tracking!  Sign up for their blog by placing your email in the box called Tracking the Fishing Cat …on the left side of the home page you’ll see the box to subscribe.

>>Visit WILD’s project page for CAT in WATER

Yellowstone – Driving from Bozeman (Montana) to West Yellowstone to chair a meeting on the World Heritage Status of Yellowstone National Park, I was a bit early so I took a detour through the Park — I knew I would not be back before winter closed in.  Halfway thru the Park, the not-unusual experience occurred  — traffic slowed to a crawl, so I looked for wildlife. A great cloud of dust enveloped a small hill to my right, and as the sun’s low rays reflected through the cloud of dust, I saw the partial outlines of bison rolling around in a dust bath.  It was early morning, cool, and they were moving quickly, rolling, snorting, and running…a herd of about 30-40.

They slowed as they approached the road and, voilá, my car was stopped and then surrounded  by bison faces,  moist noses, shaggy coats, and steamy breath.  For 10-15 minutes I was tete-a-tete through my window with the iconic, large, North American mammal, and I had time to reflect on a well known but always amazing story.  By the late 19^th century the “American buffalo” was almost extinct, their tens of millions decimated in decades.  In just one period, between 1871 and 1874, four million were killed in the Southern Great Plains alone, and their hides shipped East.  By 1889 the remaining remnant was some 1000 animals total (both plains and wood bison) throughout all of North America!

As is often the case, the “scarcity reaction” thankfully took hold, and people started to respond…just in time.  Through a concerted series of public/private initiatives, in North America today there are some 30,000 wild and free roaming bison, and over 400,000 bison in commercial herds.  This recovery is remarkable and is ongoing.  The American bison, listed today as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, remains at the center of “the most ambitious and complex undertakings in species conservation efforts in North America.”

Haarlem (Netherlands) – Two days later I was in the Netherlands, co-chairing an Executive Committee meeting for WILD10, the 10^th World Wilderness Congress (Spain, 2013).  What a contrast…from the wide open spaces of the American west to the most densely populated nation in Europe.  My meeting in Yellowstone was on the border of the 900,000 ha (2.2 million acre) park, and our meeting in the Netherlands was inside the delightful  Zuid-Kennemerland National Park, of some 3800 ha (9400 acres).  This postage stamp-sized coastal park protects a fabulous area of wild sand dunes.

I discovered with interest that even though this special National Park is less than 1% the size of Yellowstone, it receives almost the same amount of visitors…two million annually! Despite this immense pressure, there is wildness there.  What’s more, there is also dynamic and exciting re-wilding, and a contemporary equivalent to that which started with the American bison over 100 years ago.

Our local partner, Rewilding Europe, arranged for us to go into the private access section of the park, guided by Yvonne Kemp (of ARK Natuurontwikkeling)  that is home to a herd of almost 20 wisent, or European bison.  We walked for 30 minutes or so until we suddenly saw the herd, slowly grazing/browsing its way through a forested dune system…an awesome sight.   We watched for over an hour, gradually coming to within 50 meters, as the diversely-aged herd moved through the brush and sand.

The European bison (the largest European mammal, of which there are two subspecies) was hammered even worse than its American cousin.  By 1923 there were only some 54 survivors, all in zoos and private collections…none in the wild. Today, thanks to the concerted efforts of committed conservation visionaries, there are more than 2,700 free-roaming bison in numerous parks and reserves, the most well-known of which is, of course, Poland’s Białowieża Forest.  Even more, there are captive breeding centers in about 30 countries around Europe, and a united agreement to re-locate animals to parks and other protected areas throughout the continent.

In addition to the wisent, Zuid-Kennemerland has also reintroduced the Konik horses, descendents of the original wild horses that roamed freely over Europe and Asia.  We also watched the Koniks for a long time, where they always had one “sentry” atop a dune while the others grazed below.  The Koniks and wisent were the original mega-grazers and browsers that helped shape the mosaic landscape of the ancient European wilderness…and they are returning.

It is not only possible for wild nature and human society to integrate, interact, and support each other…it is necessary.  We are approaching seven billion people on Planet Earth and on a trajectory to nine billion, at least, until the population curve levels off.  As the vision Nature Needs Half defines for us, it is essential that we maintain large, interconnected wild areas in order to assure that nature can continue to provide the life-support services for humans and all life. In addition, it is also essential that we implement re-wilding, and regenerate wildness through intensive programs that restore flora and fauna into areas that once supported them.

Rewilding is not new, but it is gaining force, expertise, and urgency.  It is a core paradigm and practice of  the 21^st century, one that brings hope, health, sustainability, and sanity to our lives.

We did a bit of research, and decided on the Decalibron Loop, which is located in the Mosquito Range of central Colorado. We left Friday night and arrived at the Kite Lake campground of Alma, CO in complete darkness, with only the light from our headlamps and the phenomenal display of stars in the sky. This was by far one of the clearest nights I have ever seen! We set up camp, got a small fire going, prepared some dinner and called it an evening. It was a frigid night and the cold still lingered on by the time we hit the trail around 6 am.

This 7.25 mile loop hits four different 14ers; Mt. Democrat 14,148 ft, Mt. Cameron 14,238 ft, Mt. Lincoln 14,286 ft and Mt. Bross 14,172 ft (currently closed due to private ownership). You begin by ascending out of the basin, up a rugged slope to Mt. Democrat. Once at the top, you head back down the same path, cross over the connecting saddle, and up to Mt. Cameron. The view of Mt. Lincoln opens up and it’s just a short climb over a rather steep ridge and you’re at the top. To get to Bross, you backtrack the same way and cut left to get to a fork in the trail where a decision must be made…

Now let me just say here that it was a very painful decision to pass up summiting Mt. Bross. The alternate trail literally leads you just below the peak. It was so close! But we decided to respect the rules and follow the proper route. All four of these peaks in the Decalibron loop are actually privately owned; the first three were just recently re-opened to the public in 2009. Continued access to these mountains depended on the hikers’ willingness to stay on the designated trail. The summit of Mt. Bross is still closed, and many organizations such as the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, Colorado Mountain Club and Mosquito Range Heritage Initiative are working with the owners to gain future access.

It’s important to stay on the designated trail due to the copious amounts of abandoned mines; if any hikers were to stray off the path, it is quite possible they could fall through an old tunnel. Another important reason to respect these trails and not wander off is because there are numerous wildlife restoration areas—many great projects have been taken on by Wildlands Restoration Volunteers and Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado. Yes, it was a bit frustrating to not be able to access Mt. Bross’s summit, but we need to look at this in a big picture sort of way! When we think of protected areas, we think of National Forest, Open Space, State/National Parks, etc. But what about private lands?

WILD encourages conversation that would recognize private lands with wilderness and wilderness-like values. Just because these areas are privately owned, does not mean they aren’t protected. According to a preliminary inventory of protected lands taken in 2007 by Great Outdoors Colorado and COMaP, Colorado is estimated to be about 45% protected. This does not necessarily cover private individual owners, like those of the Mosquito Range for example. The owners of these four mountains chose to close access to the public in 2005— not for selfish reasons, but for the safety of the visitors and in hopes of restoring the land back to its natural condition. For four years many organizations worked with these owners to build safe trails and proper signage so that people may still enjoy this gorgeous area, and also put nature first. This past weekend I witnessed it all first-hand and saw how abundant the mines were and that the trails & signs were carefully mapped out. These organizations and land owners are putting nature first and protecting this beautiful area; the kind of plan that falls perfectly into the Nature Needs Half scheme.

So, we respectfully by-passed the summit of Mt. Bross and took the alternate trail; quite possibly the “road less traveled by” as we saw most hikers deciding they would rather check another 14er off the list instead. As we continued onto our final leg of the trail, it began to snow. And then the trail narrowed, became rather steep and rocky, and before we knew it a thunder and lightning storm was right over us. Ok—time to start running! The added snow/sleet mixture did not help us stay on our feet for this last mile, but those lightning bolts were a bit too close for comfort.

We had a little trouble near the end, but we were lucky and hey—it makes for a great story, right? After 6 very eventful hours, we completed the loop and made it back to our campsite. This day provided many new things for me: the opportunity to see some great conservation projects in action, my first up-close sighting of mountain goats, how quick the weather can turn in the mountains (yikes!), and the chance to successfully climb 3 of Colorado’s extraordinary 14ers.

One can only imagine the horror I felt as we pulled our truck down the barely visible entrance to our campsite as the endless amounts of trash previous campers had left came into view. (The pictures do not do it justice!!!) I slowly got out of the truck and saw dirty diapers, socks, underwear, a pit full of more trash and a lawn chair! I felt dazed, angry, and remember feeling a type of personal violation had been inflicted on me. My brain was having a hard time processing what it was seeing. Eventually, the bad words coming from my husband’s mouth penetrated my trance-like state.

I turned to him and asked, “What kind of people would do this!?”

“College students,” he replied, “We are not that far from the University of Wyoming.”

“Yeah right, what kind of college students camp and leave dirty diapers?”

He laughed and I went to the truck and found the shovel and garbage bags.

You have to know my husband to appreciate this, but I was not allowed to participate in the clean up (except to hold the garbage bag). I could tell he had entered “Home Project” mode, classifying this task in the similar manner of installing flooring or climbing a ladder to clean the gutters.  According to him, I would mess up his plan of attack and create more work.

Alas, I can take no credit for the sweat that went into restoring our campsite to its original pristine condition, or for the perfect circular fire pit, where each stone fitted together like a puzzle. I swear he must have had a giant drafting compass, and can easily say that I have never seen a man work so hard to “clean” dirt. God love him!

My message for “National Wilderness Month” to all human wilderness users:

Please, please practice “leave no trace” when enjoying nature, as we share it with other humans and wildlife!

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “The Harvest Moon” poem tells of what the Harvest Moon represents – a celebration of seasons and a marking of the passage of time using nature as a guide:

It is the Harvest Moon! On gilded vanes
And roofs of villages, on woodland crests
And their aerial neighborhoods of nests
Deserted, on the curtained window-panes
Of rooms where children sleep, on country lanes
And harvest-fields, its mystic splendor rests!
Gone are the birds that were our summer guests,
With the last sheaves return the laboring wains!
All things are symbols: the external shows
Of Nature have their image in the mind,
As flowers and fruits and falling of the leaves;
The song-birds leave us at the summer’s close,
Only the empty nests are left behind,
And pipings of the quail among the sheaves.

From the Fourth of July trailhead to Diamond Lake, it’s a pretty moderate 2.6 mile one-way hike. The elevation range is about 10,100-11,400 feet. I read a few reasons of how the trailhead got its name:  the snow doesn’t melt until after July 4^th, the surplus of wildflowers are reminiscent of fireworks, the road is impassible due to mud before July 4^th, etc. The snow had certainly melted off the trails by the time we went and the wildflowers were explosive! I was thrilled to see so many of them shortly after we began hiking, but that was nothing compared to reaching the lake.

It was a cool and brisk morning as we finally ventured out onto the trail, but as the sun grew high we slowly began to warm up. The trail was very pleasant and fairly simple; we crossed over the North Fork of Middle Boulder Creek and numerous waterfalls, big and small. As we were nearing Diamond Lake, the trail began to ascend a bit until it opened up into a vibrant green meadow. The lake was clear and surprisingly not as populated as we had thought. This trail is apparently very popular and can get rather busy on the weekends. A few of the people that we passed along the way had fishing rods, as the lake is stocked with rainbow, brook and cutthroat trout.

Not quite ready to retreat, we decided to follow a beaten path further back beyond Diamond Lake. We walked next to a small stream which eventually split off in to little waterfalls on each side. The wildflowers easily doubled in quantity and variety. From what I could identify, we saw Indian Paintbrush, Yarrow, Columbine, variously colored Aster, Elephant Flower, Alpine Fireweed, Parry’s Bellflower, Alpine Mertensia, and many, many more.

As we kept venturing further back, we discovered many smaller lakes and a very large and unique patch of snow. From a distance, it simply looked like a blanket of snow. When we walked up to it, we could see that it was for the most part hollow and melting underneath, with a cold stream of water flowing through—somewhat of a snow cave. As for wildlife, we didn’t see too much other than little chirping pikas and a family of sunbathing marmots.

The air had cooled off quite a bit on our descent back to the trailhead but it felt quite nice. I always enjoy exploring new areas or choosing a different trail for the way back down, but even going down the same way seems like a new path. There are many different views and things that you may not have noticed the first time around. While I was admiring the breathtaking views of the Indian Peaks Wilderness, I realized we needed to look at this wilderness area, and also Colorado as a whole, in a much larger context. The Indian Peaks Wilderness is only 76,586 acres—certainly not big enough to survive and thrive on its own. We need to have a bigger mindset…the kind of Nature Needs Half outlook. Colorado should be seen as one vast landscape so that all beings are able to move long distances without interruption.  As E.O. Wilson proposed, “Half the world for humanity, half for the rest of life, to create a planet both self-sustaining and pleasant.”

Simphiwe told us to catch some grasshoppers for dinner, but not the colorful ones because they were noxious tasting and poisonous. He explained that he ate the insects since he was a child…very tasty, raw or grilled. Try it, you’ll like it…sort of thing.

He could not keep a straight face for long. With a giggle he said he might fix something else for dinner even though what he said was true, that the non-colorful grasshoppers were very edible, he enjoys them, and they were eaten throughout Africa.

Breakfast was simple – tea/coffee with brownish water boiled over the fragrant iNtombothi fire and, if you preferred, a bit of crunchy, raisin muesli and powdered milk drenched in boiled water…good.

Lunch was an assortment of edibles – -crackers, cheese, fabulous health bread (interestingly marketed as “Low GI” for low glycemic index), some cucumber and tomato, tinned anchovies, dried fruit…excellent.

The normal African safari “sundowner” is a gin, beer, or wine (or two), at a nice lookout place. With the WLS it is tea and biscuits around 5pm, followed by personal time, on your own, reflecting on the landscape, the wildlife, your life, whatever…even better.

And, dinner…..let’s see, first night was Chicken a la King (with fresh chicken strips), another was Beef Stroganoff (made with re-hydrated beef biltong, dried/cured meat that is a South African staple), then vegetable stew, and not to forget a South African, killer version of macaroni and cheese.

Fabulous.

Notes: Our recent wilderness trail experience (30 April – 4 May 2011) included Vance Martin, WILD’s President, Emily Loose, WILD’s Director of Communications, Charlotte Baron, Chair of WILD’s Board of Directors, Magnus and Bettina Sylven, our friends and colleagues from Switzerland and our guides: Mandla and Simphiwe.

Read Part 1 “The Trail >

Read Part 2 “The Wildlife”>

Read Part 3 “The Camp >

I have to admit that I was a little nervous about 5 days of backpacking with no tent. Somehow, a tent give me a (perhaps false) sense of safety in the middle of the wilderness. But, I accepted that my trip to Africa was going to push my boundaries a bit, and so I had to chill out. No tent. Just a backpack. Water from the river. Deep breath.

Our guides said “welcome home” each time we arrived at our campsite. The first night, I think this greeting surprised us. We looked around at our ‘camp’ and noticed nothing different from the rest of the trail.

The Wilderness Leadership School practices some of the best leave no trace principles I’ve ever seen implemented. Everyone in our group commented that they learned some new camping tips to take home with them (the only thing aside from photos and memories that we could take from the iMfolozi). Here’s a little review of the leave no trace principles we practiced on trail…

Plan Ahead & Prepare

The WLS has been taking small groups into the iMfolozi since the early 1960s. They have the preparations down to an exact science. Guides go through rigorous training. Group sizes are small. The support staff knows exactly how much food is needed for a 5, 10 or 15 day trip. And, prior to heading on trail, every participant receives a thorough introduction packet, which includes what to bring and what not bring. I was extremely thankful for this pre-trip booklet and read it many times over!

The night before we started our trail, we stayed at the Wilderness Leadership School headquarters. Simphiwe spent the evening with us – answering questions and helping us pack. We each had a ‘kit’ which included a backpack, sleeping bag and mat, plate, spoon and mug and our share of the group’s supplies. As a group, we had 2 cooking pots, 1 tea kettle and a simple tripod to cook over the fire. We needed very little.

Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces

During the day, we walked only on small paths carved into the landscape by wildlife. At night, we camped in small places, selected by the WLS. Simpewi told us that if a site becomes too rundown, they officially close it and give the area time to restore its natural balance. Nothing is left at these camps – and there is virtually no way to tell if a group had been there even hours before.

Dispose of Waste Properly

Pack in – Pack out is a relatively standard practice. The WLS takes this seriously—we didn’t even pack toilet paper in or out. Instead, we used a nice soft leaf from the ‘toilet paper bush’ anytime we needed it.

Leave What You Find

We took photos, that was all. Everything else remained as it was – no shiny rocks or bottles of sand came home as souvenirs.

Minimize Campfire Impacts

This is perhaps the most intricate campsite practice on trail. Even though our fires were small, there was always a small pile of ashes and a bit of scorched earth. Before leaving camp, the coals were extinguished with a minimal amount of water, then mixed equally with dirt and leaves. The mixture was spread sparsely in the surrounding field or forest. Next, the fire spot was covered with grass, dirt and leaves. Lastly, water was sprinkled over the area. The result….no one could tell where the fire was or even know there was a fire at all!

Respect Wildlife

Vance talked a little about this in his post about wildlife yesterday, I’ll elaborate a bit more. We all commented about how unique it was to experience the African wildlife so personally. We listened to our experienced guides – stopped moving when they told us to, moved quickly at other times. We changed our route if we needed to and stopped to watch only when we weren’t noticed.

We also saw animals respecting each other’s movements. Elephants stay on one side of the river, while buffalo graze on the other side. A wildebeest kept watch for the rhinos. The animals moved slowly and paid attention to what their fellow creatures were doing. We learned by watching.

Be Considerate of Other Visitors

The Wilderness Leadership School is the only organization allowed to take walking guests into the iMfolozi. All other park visitors are required not only to stay on the road but stay in their cars. On the last night, though, we saw the flashlight of another WLS group, scanning their camp during evening watch. We never saw them, but I think that perhaps our guides knew how to be considerate of the other group’s experience and ensure that spent out last day hiking without the distraction of other human visitors.

More than any other camping experience I have had – I felt like I left no trace of my time in the iMfolozi. Perhaps what is even more telling is that when I came back from trail and reunited with my full suitcase, it felt strange to be carrying so much.

Notes: Our recent wilderness trail experience (30 April – 4 May 2011) included Vance Martin, WILD’s President, Emily Loose, WILD’s Director of Communications, Charlotte Baron, Chair of WILD’s Board of Directors, Magnus and Bettina Sylven, our friends and colleagues from Switzerland and our guides: Mandla and Simphiwe.

Read Part 1 “The Trail” >

Read Part 2 “The Wildlife”>

I had just drifted into sleep, breathing the incense smell of iNthomboti smoke from the fire, when I was suddenly awoken by Simphiwe, our “trail officer” — “The elephants are coming…we need to move quickly, now. NOW” As the others in our group scrambled towards the “retreat” location downhill on a rocky ledge, Simphiwe and I headed quietly towards the elephants with a powerful light to see what was up.

Two hours later we joined the others on the ledge, deciding that the three bull elephants were not aggressive, they were just eating. Regardless, we were in their space…so we left.

The 96,000 ha iMfolozi-Hluhluwe “complex” is a legendary chapter in the history of wildlife protection. It was here that Ian Player (WILD’s founder) and his team field-developed all the techniques and procedures – most of which are still used today on many species – that saved the white rhino from extinction (1970s).

I’ve walked the game trails of the iMfolozi numerous times, but this trail was more riveting and insightful than usual.

As we entered the wilderness area, we had not walked more than ten minutes when a white rhino cow snorted nervously in thick cover just 30 meters away, warily protecting her calf as she got wind of our scent.

Five minutes later it was a cape buffalo crashing through the thicket coming towards and then past us – even closer, maybe too close. In the course of the next few days it seemed there were rhino behind every bush.

During a single, reflective sundown session on a rock ledge overlooking a vast landscape with the river running through it, we could at once see 13 rhino, a dozen elephants, a herd of over 200 buffalo, many zebra, a wild dog relaxing on the sandbar, hundreds of antelope such as wildebeest, impala…and more!

This is truly a wild-place and we were constantly reminded of that throughout our 5 day journey.

Notes: Our recent wilderness trail experience (30 April – 4 May 2011) included Vance Martin, WILD’s President, Emily Loose, WILD’s Director of Communications, Charlotte Baron, Chair of WILD’s Board of Directors, Magnus and Bettina Sylven, our friends and colleagues from Switzerland and our guides: Mandla and Simphiwe.

Read Part 1 “The Trail”>

The pin head-sized pepper ticks are a REAL nuisance…..you need to pick them out with a pin and tweezers, grooming yourself and your friends on the trail much like the baboons we see daily groom each other. Welcome to your ancestry! You also get over it…you get into it.

Being “on trail” with our sister organization the Wilderness Leadership School – part of our Wilderness Network — is much the same as it has been since the WLS initiated foot trekking in the African wilderness in the 1960s (in the process pioneering multi-racial environmental education and defying apartheid).

Its low-impact camping trails are one of the highest quality, most simple, and profoundly moving ways to experience wild Africa. Five days, four nights, easy backpacking through the original landscape where our human species lived, learned, mated, and evolved for two million years. The trail is both a walking safari and an inner journey….more on the latter, later.

We were in the 96,000 hectare (240,000 acres) iMfolozi-Hluhluwe Game Reserve that used to be the Zulu royal hunting area, then in 1895 the first game reserve declared in Africa, and in the 1960s the first wilderness area designated in Africa.

We experienced the soul of Africa through the soles of our feet, and by sleeping on the ground in the open, under the stars, around the fire. Never more than 5-6 kms a day, the trail took us along ancient wildlife trails through acacia-studded grasslands along and between the White and Black iMfolozi Rivers, across the low, rolling hills of Zululand, sometimes through dense riverine reeds and other times through forest and thicket.

This is not a tough experience, nor is it for those who want comfort as they have known it. You get dirty, occasionally wet, always sweaty, sometimes cold in the winter nights, and often scratched by thorns. Your bush toilet is, well, natural. The river is a constant presence, providing drinking water murky with the soil of Africa (purified with drops of silver/copper), and a silt-laden but cool and welcomed bath in water shallow enough to avoid the crocodiles.

You also dream as you’ve never dreamed before, really taste each meal and get to know yourself and nature….it’s deep, powerful and transformative. Stay tuned over the next few days for more on our trail experience!

Notes: Our recent wilderness trail experience (30 April – 4 May 2011) included Vance Martin, WILD’s President, Emily Loose, WILD’s Director of Communications, Charlotte Baron, Chair of WILD’s Board of Directors, Magnus and Bettina Sylven, our friends and colleagues from Switzerland and our guides: Mandla and Simphiwe.

India and its wilderness has been on my personal radar since 1972 when (on a “modest” budget), I first walked in its jungles and deserts, rode 3rd class trains, dodged traffic, and wondered at its incredible diversity of nature, cultures, and colors, all bundled in a workable chaos. On the most recent of many working trips since them, I strengthened our numerous partnerships on the subcontinent, especially with our closest Indian collaborator, Sanctuary Asia.

Founded in 1990, inspired, and still guided by the remarkable Bittu Sahgal (a trustee of WILD), Sanctuary Asia is a voice for wild nature. In WHAT we do, WILD and Sanctuary Asia work through distinct yet similar and complementary approaches. In HOW we do it, we share almost identical operating styles and philosophies. We are both committed to getting the conservation work done rather than in following a corporate/institutional model of growth. Our metrics of success are also the same – we use work accomplished, land protected, and people educated instead of number of staff, size of budget, and type of headquarters.

Above all, we see that the only long-term and effective way to create a true partnership between wild nature and people is through enhancing a popular movement and encouraging leadership, rather than in perpetuating yet another institution.

I know of no one in the world who has done this more or better than Bittu. India has had and continues to have many committed and accomplished conservationists, scientists, biologists, and conservation activists, but Bittu has been the essential spark for, and tireless supporter of, the modern conservation movement in India. He works at all levels – -government, corporate and village, established leaders and youth. Watch a recent interview with Bittu on NewsX >

Clearly, one of his most remarkable achievements (among a list!) is in understanding, empowering and engaging youth as THE critical force in nature conservation. The result is Kids for Tigers, in which one million youth throughout India are involved.

India sorely needs legions of new, enthusiastic, and uncorruptable conservation activists. With the largest democracy in the world, the largest and fastest growing middle class, and an economy sizzling along at 9% growth rate, the reality of mindless development is matched only by the opportunity for personal greed and corruption. This creates one of the most complex and challenging conservation arenas in the world.

Over the next few weeks I’ll post another blog or three on some of the conservation issues, work, and people in India

As someone who lives largely in the digital world, I notice how technology influences my brain and body everyday.  I now think in 140 character phrases, which are typically disjointed from one-and-other and, more often that not, refer to something else that I read/saw/did on the internet.

In Outdoors and Out of Reach, Studying the Brain/Your brain on computers (NY Times), a group of scientists head out on a rafting trip to see how time in nature can reverse the impact that technology increasingly has on how we think and act.  Even the skeptics among the group ended the trip with a bit less of a “crackberry” addiction.  Can a Stroll in the Park Replace the Psychiatrist’s Couch? A new generation of psychologists and therapists focus on the relationship between nature and mental health (Scienceline) describes the increasing popularity of “ecotherapy” and its increasing popularity with practitioners and patients.

While empirical studies about the effects of nature/wilderness experiences on our behavior, happiness and brain function are still developing, WILD, our partners and many others around the world have seen the ‘field results’ of nature as a healer.

Going back into our history, WILD and our sister organizations were founded in the wilderness.  Dr. Ian Player and his Zulu mentor Magqubu Ntombela, who during the troubled years of apartheid, lead multi-racial wilderness trails.  They new that in the wilderness, we could truly know ourselves and therefore better understand one-and-other.  These founding footsteps still permeate our work today.  The peace and reconciliation work done by our sister organization in the UK and the Umzi Wethu AIDS orphans program both use wilderness trails to foster leadership, environmental stewardship and personal growth.

One might also think of WILD’s symbol, the Erythrina leaf, which is so closely associated with this quote from Grey Owl, which rings true today as we turn to nature to restore our brain and body: “You are tired with years of civilisation. I come and offer you what? …a single green leaf.”

Reading these two articles and thinking about the importance of time in nature has prompted me to plan a hike in the Colorado mountains tomorrow.  No phone, no computer (no twitter, no facebook)….just me and the trail.

Editor’s Note: This “Farewell” essay was written by George Duffy to fellow wilderness stewards after he learned he had a rare and fatal cancer. This letter reflects how George lived his life: full of verve and passion for wilderness, and always striving to improve wilderness stewardship. George was the steward for several wildernesses in California, pioneering new education programs that reached the hearts and minds of thousands of young people, helping them understand and appreciate their wilderness legacy. George was known for always speaking up for the right decision for wilderness. For his effort and commitment, George received two U.S. national awards: the Bob Marshall Wilderness Award and the Trapper Lake Wilderness Award. Out of respect for such a distinguished career, the chief of the U.S. Forest Service, on learning of George’s illness, took the extraordinary step of writing a personal letter praising him, saying, “You are a leader in every sense of the word, and your ‘Farewell’ essay will be a guiding light to everyone who works for wilderness in the future. I will personally see that it is shared widely across the agency.” Many people will mourn the loss of George, who died July 8, 2010, but he would want us to think of him with his boots on the ground, walking faster than most of us are capable, head held high, and loving every minute of a life dedicated to wilderness! It is tragic to lose George’s passionate reminders to always do the right thing for wilderness, and through this essay George’s memory and his urging to keep our feet close to the wilderness fire will live on in the soul of the wilderness. Editorial note by Peter Landres, Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute, Missoula, Montana.

As my life comes to a close, I feel compelled to express my gratitude to those of you who have journeyed together with me in wilderness and contributed to my understanding of wilderness and subsequently of myself. I hope you will indulge me a few moments while I try to share with you what I have learned on our journey together.

The Wilderness Act of 1964 marked a turning point in America’s attitude toward wild places. It was an acknowledgment that wild places were not only coming under the plow and the paving machines, but that their loss by such means was accelerating and would soon lead to a society impoverished by the loss of the fundamental relationship between humans and the lands which defined them. As Roderick Nash said, “It was time for restraint—restraint in our exploitation of natural resources, and restraint in our attitudes about the place of other creatures and natural forces in our lives.”

The language of the act is like few other laws we have enacted. It reads more like poetry than law and evokes an emotional response that invites introspection and envisioning of a future expressive of our concern for restraint and accommodation of other life-forms. This, in contrast to a precise formulaic law, was the genius of the act’s principle author, Howard Zahnizer. He fixed the concept of wilderness in our minds rather than just in law or on a piece of real estate— and compelled us to look for and understand the characteristics of wilderness in our lives as well as in our landscapes.

The Wilderness Act will challenge and enrich scholars, legal experts, wilderness managers, and wilderness advocates for as long as there is wilderness. We can only hope that the spirit that created this awareness of our place in the natural order prevails in our thinking. For, as Joseph Wood Krutch said, “Wilderness is the permanent home of the human spirit.”

Wilderness Policy Evolves

Although the Forest Service had been administratively managing wild and primitive areas within the national forests since 1924, the passage of the Wilderness Act in 1964 created a National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) within the national forests, and assigned responsibility to the Forest Service for managing 9 million acres of wilderness in accordance with this new law. The Forest Service quickly pulled together a team of staff and line officers who had some experience in managing wild areas, and charged them with writing management policy and direction to administer this new NWPS—Forest Service Manual Section 2320. It consisted of 34 pages. Today it is 55 pages and in the process of being revised.

When you hold that Forest Service Manual Section 2320 in your hands, you hold a precious symbol of the Forest Service’s commitment to America’s wilderness—one which is being challenged by all manner of argument.

Within the agency, there are those who are impatient with the idea of the minimum tool and craft arguments to justify the use of chain saws, trail machines, jackhammers, helicopters, and other expedients for the sake of convenience or economy.

There are those who are wedded to the idea of mitigating the challenges of wilderness by constructing improvements, identifying and removing hazards, writing detailed guidebooks, and publishing detailed maps. There are those who feel that the existing definition of wilderness may be inappropriate to an evolving social conscience rooted in technology, urbanization, and speed, and that management must be modified to reflect those changing social values. There are those who feel that human intervention in natural processes within wilderness is necessary when those processes don’t fit their perceptions of what is natural. There are those who hold an anthropocentric rather than biocentric view of wilderness— and accordingly suggest that accommodation for human use, rather than preserving an untrammeled wilderness resource, be the paramount consideration when shaping wilderness policy.

Outside the agencies, there are those who, in their eagerness to see more public lands gain the protection of wilderness, have agreed to legislative provisions which compromise the wilderness quality of the very lands they wish to preserve as wilderness.

There are those who think of wilderness as beautiful landscapes or wildlife sanctuaries or recreation areas rather than as places that integrate the enduring physical, biological, and spiritual dynamics of an untrammeled part of the Earth.

The authors of the Wilderness Act held no such views. They were keenly aware that there were but few remnants of the landscapes that had shaped the American character, and they wanted to ensure that these were preserved in the condition of wildness which confronted and influenced our early pioneers. They knew that wilderness had to remain a point of reference in both our natural and cultural histories, an enduring benchmark for our journey through time and space, unchanged by human intervention and subject only to natural forces. They knew that wilderness was an indispensable part of our humanness and was critical to our understanding
our place in the universe.

Today, the American public can be grateful that you have been vigilant and stood shoulder to shoulder with the dedicated group of wilderness advocates within the public land management agencies to assure that these challenges to wilderness are being resolved in favor of the constructionist philosophy so well articulated in the manual direction.

Wilderness Stewardship

You are the stewards of America’s wilderness and I want to speak to you of stewardship. Webster’s Dictionary defines a steward as: “One called to exercise responsible care over the possessions entrusted to him [her]; One who manages another’s property.”

I am extremely grateful to you for having chosen to be stewards of these lands. You have assumed a sacred trust, to be executed with reverence, humility, and a profound sense of responsibility. You are not engaged in a business or delivering a product or providing a service or producing a commodity. You are engaged in no less than preserving the nation’s precious remaining repositories of wildness and guarding the permanent home of our human spirit.

Over the years, I have watched as the growth and complexity of the NWPS has presented you with new stewardship challenges. You have met those challenges with care and deliberation and resolved them with uncanny respect for the language and intent of the Wilderness Act.

Today, you can be proud that since the passage of the Wilderness Act in 1964, which designated 9 million acres (3.6 million ha) of Forest Service
land as wilderness, the people of the United States have respected your stewardship and repeatedly petitioned the Congress to entrust to you the care of more wilderness areas. Their efforts have placed more than 109 million acres (44.3 million ha) in your care.

You can be proud that the federal land management agencies have created the Arthur Carhart Wilderness Training Center to provide training in wilderness philosophy and wilderness stewardship for federal employees. You can be proud that the federal land management agencies have created the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute to conduct social and biological research to support and improve wilderness stewardship, and you can be proud of your role in preserving that “enduring resource of wilderness” envisioned by the authors of the Wilderness Act.

As you enter another year of wilderness stewardship, please be as caring of yourselves as you are for wilderness. Take the time to open yourselves fully to the dynamics of wild landscapes and their effects on your mind, body, and spirit. Share your passion with your colleagues and the Earth—become fully alive.

Wilderness Experiences

These days you share with wildness are gifts you will treasure forever.

My fondest memories are of those times when nature’s influences were at the end of my nose: being picked up by a gusty ridgetop wind and pitched through the air like a rag doll; huddled on the lee of a rocky summit during a storm and feeling hypothermia trying to rob me of my abilities; being carried along in the tumbling whiteness of an avalanche; walking out of the snow and ice of high mountains and again smelling the green of the earth; lying in a sunny meadow and sensing that all the spirits there were filling my being with strengths unknown and unknowable; sensing the unseen presence of the others in the landscape; and feeling a timeless wisdom trying to order my thoughts to wholeness.

For most of us, our connection with wilderness is commonly understood to be rooted in the cultural and aesthetic responses that evolved from
the experiences of early explorers and settlers on the new landscapes of America. We have recently discovered, however, that the underlying basis for our responses to wilderness goes deeper—much deeper—going to the wilderness is going home.

Anthropologists and others have been suggesting for a long time that we are still the wild creatures we were in the Pleistocene. We haven’t changed. Only our circumstances have changed. Paul Shepard, perhaps the most insightful scholar of the history and evolution of human ecology wrote: “The discovery of the DNA by Watson and Crick was hailed for its implications for human health and well being. Soon it is expected we will be able to create the perfect banana or the perfect cow and clone it forever. We may soon be able to change the order of genes in our chromosomes to make us taller, thinner, stronger—maybe even less maladapted to our current circumstances.” But more importantly, the mapping of the human genome confirmed that, genetically, we are still wild, Pleistocene creatures. Finally, an answer as to why we feel so at home in wilderness.

Shepard declared: “The home of our wildness is both etymologically and biologically wilderness. Although we may define ourselves in terms of
culture and language and so on, it is evident that the context of our being now, as in the past, is wilderness—an environment lacking domestic plants and animals entirely, and to which, one might say, our genes look expectantly for those circumstances which are their optimal ambience.” “The time is coming,” he said, “to understand the wilderness in its significance, not as adjunct to the affluent traveler, to an educated, esthetic, appreciative class, or to thinking of nature as a Noah’s ark in all of its forms, but as the social and ecological mold of humanity itself, which is fundamental to our species.” To understand the significance of wilderness, we must take the time to separate culture from biology, learning from instinct and to search deep within for those ancient gifts that truly inform our humanness.

I have but one request of you: Go—find yourself in the wilderness— be at home.

Let your genes once again find expression in the world that defined them. Rejoice in your humanness. You are a genetic library of gifts informed
by centuries of life in wilderness, gifts from the experiences of antecedent creatures—ichthyic, reptilian, and mammalian—that lie still in your brain stem. Gifts from the struggles of the naked ape with neither fang nor claw who was able, not only to survive, but to adapt and flourish—simply and elegantly—in wild landscapes.

When we first walk into wilderness, we feel like alien creatures, intruding into the unknown—but if we stay a while, usually about a week, and pay attention to ourselves, those gifts become apparent. We become aware that our eyes see better—we can pick things out in the landscape more keenly; we can measure distance more accurately; and shape, color, and contrast are vividly apparent. Our noses discriminate and identify the odors on the wind, the smell of a bighorn is a lot different than that of a bear, there is a marsh upwind. The sounds we heard on our first day came from a general direction, but now our binaural senses are so keen we can almost pinpoint the source and distance of a sound—and identify it. The awkwardness we first felt when moving over broken ground has been replaced by a fluid economical rhythm of movement that seems almost
effortless. Our spine flexes, gathering and releasing energy; our pelvis tilts, our center of gravity is keenly felt, and we are again those confident primal animals on the landscape.

We sense our relationships with the other creatures with whom we share these landscapes—relationships which reaffirm our humble role as members of the vast community of life. These are not new skills learned, they are ancient abilities— pulled from the shelves of that genetic library deep within our being. As we peer into campfire flames, the comfort of thousands of fires, in thousands of caves, over thousands of years, warm us from the inside as well from the outside.

The diminuendo of the canyon wren and the raucous scolding of the Steller’s jay invite our hearts to sing. The warmth of the sun and the snap of
the cold affirm that we are alive, and vulnerable. The mountains, the deserts, the storms, and the rivers challenge our cunning and demand our respect. The vastness of the landscape humbles and fixes us in scale. As we lie on the Earth in the evening, the march of Orion across the heavens fixes us in time. We are still those Pleistocene creatures, at home and full of the wonder of being. This is the wildness in our genes, found manifest in a simple, bipedal hominid— surrounded by a peace that transcends time, and in a place we shall
always need: Wilderness.

Thanks for the ride.

References
Krutch, J. W. 1958. Grand Canyon: Today and All Its Yesterdays. New York: William Sloane Associates.

Nash, R. 2001. Wilderness and the American Mind, 4th ed. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Shepard, P. 1993. Wilderness is where my genome lives. Presentation at the 5th World Wilderness Congress, Tromso, Norway.

Chris Palmer talks specifically about Shark Week on the Discovery Channel.  He also mentions shows like “Untamed and Uncut,” “Man vs Wild,” and “When Animals Attack.”   While these shows do bring some amount of nature through the TV screen of viewers across America, I tend to agree with Palmer.  These shows appeal to TV viewers’ need for exciting, fast-paced entertainment filled with sex and violence — but they may be doing more harm than good in connecting people with nature and furthering conservation efforts.

In following with our support and close partnership with the International League of Conservation Photographers, the following excerpt from Palmer’s piece seems to nudge at the need for something similar for filmmakers…

“One of the least expensive ways to create content is to send someone…to grab at animals and make them seem menacing and dangerous. These programs not only misrepresent the animals, but also involve the harassment and abuse of animals and suggest that such behavior is acceptable. Responsible filmmakers invest the time and money it takes to film animals over long periods of time without disturbing them. They take pains to keep their distance, to avoid disrupting the environment, and to present a balanced, accurate view of the animals.”

1. Leave No Trace

This is the golden rule of responsible backpacking. There should be no sign that you and your group passed through. You should tread as lightly as possible on your hikes. Do not cut down trees to use as firewood. In fact, many public lands forbid the lighting of fires. Even if you just burn dead wood, you could still be causing damage to the local ecosystem. Many small animals and insects live in rotting timber. Burn dead wood, and you could destroy their home.

2. Pack It Out

If something came with you into the woods, it needs to leave with you. This includes personal items such as toilet paper and tissues. Leaving bits of paper and garbage behind will only spoil the view for the group that hikes through after you.

3. Camp Strategically

When you pick your camp site, you should stay at a designated, predetermined site if possible. If you are hiking in an area where people just pitch their tents as they see fit, you should try to camp on a piece of pristine land. Although this might seem counter-intuitive, it is actually better for the site. As long as you are careful and clean up after yourself, your campsite will quickly recover from your overnight stay. If you stay at a site that shows some signs of use, you will be further damaging that site. Others will see the used site and camp there are well. Grasses will die, and erosion due to heavy use can occur. It is better to camp on an unspoiled piece of land that will quickly recover than to add to the deterioration of a heavily-used campsite.

4. Stay On The Trail

Keep the wilderness as pristine as possible by staying on the trail. If the trail is impassable at a certain point, cut around the damaged section but stay as close to the original trail as possible. When you return to civilization, report the damaged trail to the park ranger or other authority.

5. Avoid Overused Parks

Some parks are so overcrowded that when you hike their trails you have quite a bit of company. If a park is used too much, significant damage can occur. To prevent this, some parks require permits and reservations to keep foot traffic down to a responsible level. Other lands, despite unsustainable use, do not follow this practice. If you visit an area and believe that it is being used irresponsibly, go somewhere else for your next hiking trip.

When she’s not enjoying the great outdoors on land or sea, Louise Baker is a freelance writer and blogger. She most recently has written for the Zen College Life directory of online colleges. Her most recent article dealt with ranking the best colleges online.

WED (World Environment Day) builds worldwide environmental awareness and encourages action by activating individuals, governments, organizations and business/corporations around the world to take positive action to improve, care-for or appreciate the environment and the necessary services nature provides.  Rwanda is the global host of WED for 2010, and the UNEP has a neat interactive site created to encourage people to take action and inspire people to register their action.  My favorite part of their website is the interactive map, showing the many registered actions around the world.  ** Many thanks to Cool People Care for reminding me it was World Environment Day! **

While National Trails Day is more about getting folks onto the trail — the baseline principle is the same.  Encourage and inspire action and appreciation for the environment.  There a many events throughout the US to celebrate National Trails Day – such as planned group hikes, trail clean-up and maintenance, trail openings or dedications, educational workshops and demonstrations and more!   Similar to WED, you can register your event and search an online map for events in your area.

So, whether you’re passionate about your local mountain and watershed or the forests in Peru and reefs in Australia – today is the day to get outside, enjoy all that nature offers to you and give a little back by spreading the word, taking action and supporting these great awareness and action events!

News from our sister organization The Wilderness Foundation UK — In conjunction with Tellus Mater, a grant giving trust, The Wilderness Foundation UK will be offering environmental leadership scholarships to young people from organisations across the UK for a third consecutive year.

This year they will be working with a selection of 18-30 year old young professionals from the corporate and charity sectors who are already committed to positive change for the environment and low carbon solutions.

“If I had to summarize my experience I would call it a beautiful enlightenment. I feel so lucky to have gone on this trip because I was able to share these experiences and thoughts with such amazing people; my wilderness family.” – Mita – Participant 2009

Scholarship winners will be invited to join a six day environmental leadership programme located in a remote, wild part of Scotland where together with seven other participants and two wilderness guides we will work to:

• Develop leaders for the future who truly understand the crucial need for balance between humans and nature to ensure a sustainable future;
• Deepen understanding of issues such as low carbon living, sustainability and conservation, as a result of a direct experience of wild nature;
• Understand and develop the needs of the individual and the group;
• Encourage personal growth through reflection and challenge;
• Give time to busy people to focus on what they are truly passionate about;
• Support participants to develop project ideas and future action;
• Give the opportunity to explore radical and new thinking with other like minded people; and,
• Encourage graduates to think, feel and act about the things that are important to them.

View the application information >

In our yearning to connect with nature, understand and be kind to animals, save the natural world, and retain our sanity, one of the enduring divides is that between the animal welfare and conservation movements. It is a damaging dialectic, and one not necessary…but humans too often seem to be drawn to polarity, and to defining what is different and opposed, rather than what may be different but complimentary and/or mutually important and enhancing.

Sanctuary is one of the first publications that consciously addresses that divide, and through concept, words, and images communicate a core quality and metaphor that is the same within environmental science, compassion, animal welfare, and field conservation – be it domestic or wild.

The divide that Sanctuary quietly and indirectly addresses is neither minimal nor facile. It is substantive and conceptually challenging…but not insurmountable. Therefore this book could only have been produced by a person who “has been there”– in the field, in the ashram, in the lab, and behind the camera. The depth of the book’s discourse amply demonstrates that Michael Tobias and Jane Gray Morrison have been there and back.

Sanctuary is more than a good metaphor. It is also a practical condition. Its message is about strength in unity, in all ways. We need it.

More About Sanctuary

Written and Photographed by Michael Tobias and Jane Gray Morrison

Foreword by The Queen of Bhutan, Her Majesty Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck

A Dancing Star Foundation Book; Council Oak Books

This stunning photographic odyssey spanning two-dozen extraordinary animal and habitat sanctuaries throughout the world is a celebration of the worldwide Sanctuary Movement.

SANCTUARY embraces the rescue of endangered and urban species, as well as the rehabilitation of abused “farm animals” in the United States, of brown bears, Iberian wolves and the last great old forests in Europe, of Asian and Southeast Asian forests and swamps and the exquisite indigenous peoples dependent upon them; of rare plant species, reptiles, avians, ungulates, big cats, and other elusive mammals and invertebrates from Yemen to Namibia, from Suriname to Brunei. Orangutans in Borneo, butterflies in Malaysia, cheetahs in South Africa, and the remarkable people working to save them.

Featuring over twenty sanctuaries in twenty countries, this museum-quality book celebrates the sheltering of innocence in all its forms, with stunning photography and intimate, lyrical prose. From Alaska, Rajasthan, Poland, and rarely revealed eastern Bhutan, to the very heartlands of France and New York City, these pockets of Eden preserve and protect what is most precious to us all, and to the Earth.  To purchase >