Preserving Nature

I so enjoy visiting any kind of nature preserve, a state or national forest or park, or even a local park that preserves natural spaces. Forests, wetlands, seashores, lakes, mountains, deserts . . . all are places to marvel at the beauty and delicate balances in the natural world. I'm always amazed by God's creativity and workmanship in the variety of landscapes, plant life and wildlife. And sometimes I also remember to be grateful that someone had the foresight to preserve a natural area and protect the wild spaces in some way from being trampled in our efforts to build and to tame.

I think I appreciate the parklands more now that I live in a city. I'm not an outdoorsy person really, but I like a good walk in the woods, a hiking trail that's not too difficult, watching birds, and stargazing. I wonder if I took for granted our country location before we moved here, and now that my home is surrounded by parking lots and other buildings rather than my own unmowed lawn and neighboring farmland, I realize that I need those walks in the woods.

I watched an interview Tucker Carlson did with Robert F. Kennedy Jr not long ago, and towards the end of the interview, RFKJr expounded on why he got involved in environmental causes and his beliefs about the value of nature. He believes nature is where we meet with God, and that there is a deep connection our souls have to nature. Of course, I don't know exactly what his theological beliefs are, and at a guess I'd say there are likely many differences between his ideologies and mine, but I loved what he said about nature.

I don't call myself an environmentalist in any way, and I definitely don't agree with what I would call extremists, because we don't and shouldn't worship the earth or its creatures. But I also believe that since humans are meant to steward the earth, we do need to manage its resources wisely and make sure to not do harm to God's creation. God gave Adam and Eve a beautiful world to care for, to populate, and to bless; and it's because of sin that God's world began to experience death and ruin. So it's really our responsibility to partner with God to care for his world as best we can.

The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.

~Genesis 2:15~

The earth suffers for the sins of its people,

for they have twisted God's instructions,

violated his laws,

and broken his everlasting covenant.

~Isaiah 24:5~

Preserving and enjoying the beauty of the natural world is our part of our mandate, and should be something we do with a heart of gratitude and worship to the Creator. Because I do think that God has put something in our hearts that is drawn to nature and therefore to God. We were meant to be in the Garden.

When I originally wrote this piece, I wanted to add some quotes and a brief bit of research into the people who led the way in establishing our system of national parks and nature conservancies. The first name that came to mind at that point was John Muir.

John Muir was passionate about nature, and his advocacy was instrumental in establishing the National Park Service, and the modern conservation movement. He believed wild spaces should be accessible for everyone, not just the elites. He was a relentless traveler, explorer and naturalist, and a prolific writer about these adventures. His articles and books inspired interest in the natural world, and in 1890 led to Yosemite being set aside as a national park. He was also influential in establishing Sequoia, Mount Rainier, and Grand Canyon as national parks. And of course, there's the John Muir National Historic Site dedicated to him and his work. 

Quotes from John Muir:

Wilderness is a necessity . . . there must be places for human beings to satisfy their souls.

Look! Nature is overflowing with the grandeur of God!

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.

Hiking - I don't like either the word or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains - not hike! Do you know the origin of that word 'saunter?' It's a beautiful word. Away back in the Middle Ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going, they would reply, "A la sainte terre,' 'To the Holy Land.' And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not 'hike' through them."

I love that, and I didn't know that was the origin of the word 'saunter'. I'm going to try to use that word whenever suitable from now on!

God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools.

Well, I'd say that God CAN save the trees, but the point is that it's kind of our job to look after them, isn't it?

President Theodore Roosevelt, who worked with John Muir to make the first National Parks a reality, was also known for his love of nature. He was known as the 'conservation president' and used his authority to protect wildlife and public land. Under his leadership the United States Forest Service was established, along with 150 national forests, 51 federal bird reserves, four national game preserves. The federal bird reserves have since become national wildlife refuges and today are managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Park Service wasn't created until after Roosevelt left office, but his administration had helped create 23 of the 35 sites that the new Service would manage. 

Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children's children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance. ~Theodore Roosevelt

Conservation means development as much as it does protection. I recognize the right and duty of this generation to develop and use the natural resources of our land; but I do not recognize the right to waste them, or to rob, by wasteful use, the generations that come after us. ~Theodore Roosevelt

John James Audubon was best known for his contributions to ornithology, as his collection of over four hundred life size prints of birds was, and still is, a standard when it comes to depicting and describing birds. His personal life is a much more complicated grab bag of what we'd call good and bad, but his name was chosen for the Audubon Society by its founder, George Bird Grinnell after being tutored by Audubon's widow, in recognition of Audubon's contributions to wildlife art and natural history.

Never give up listening to the sounds of birds. ~John James Audubon

A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children. ~John James Audubon

Nature is full of genius, full of the divinity; so that not a snowflake escapes its fashioning hand. ~Henry David Thoreau

Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you. ~Frank Lloyd Wright

And I wanted to include this clever, but very sad, bit by George Carlin. We don't want America to be known this way, and that's why conservation and preservation of natural spaces and resources is so important.

Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,

your justice like the great deep.

You, LORD, preserve both people and animals.

~Psalm 36:6~

This post is adapted from the original Five Minute Friday - Preserve, which first appeared on A Fresh Cup of Coffee in September 2024

See my related post: A Wildlife Refuge PhotoJournal

Sources for this section include: NPS John Muir National Historic Site; Audubon Society; NPS Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Don't miss a coffee break! Subscribe to HS Coffee Break by email 

 ©2006-2024 HS Coffee Break. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://kympossibleblog.blogspot.com/ 

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from HS Coffee Break helps fuel this blog. 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.