An Ode to Nature Lovers Everywhere

Sylvia Berger

Alt-text: Bob Ross pictured sitting in the forest holding and petting a baby deer

Since I was young, one of my life goals has always been to visit all of the national parks. This lofty goal was instilled from years of experience hiking and trailblazing in the summers. Before I could even remember, the promise of a really good hike was instilled in me by my grandparents and my mom. To them, the definition of a good day is a rewarding hike in the mountains. I was fortunate growing up that my grandparents had a home they adored in Colorado, and got to experience first-hand the difference between being in nature, and really experiencing it. While I glorified this perspective my whole life, I still feel equally as strong about it now, and I feel that it is especially important to have that rose-colored view of our environment, as views about climate change and the value of our preserved lands are actively being questioned by political figures. When I was of the age to be a backseat passenger, I can remember looking out onto the snowy mountain overpasses in the summertime, where even in the bright and sunny times of year, there was plenty of snow at the mountain peaks, sometimes even enough to catch spring skiers out in July. Now, in comparison, there is still snow, but never an abundance of it, as I remember from when I was young. What used to be plenty of snow transformed into less and less every year, and the effects of this can really be seen when the snow is isolated between patches of green in the summer. 

I have had the rare opportunity to experience every single summer of my life in Colorado, and in observation have come to recognize the importance of all that nature has to offer us. Where most went on trips to Florida or Hawaii for vacation, my yearly vacation was always to hike, and get the most out of our trip. Because self-motivation is one of the main reasons to hike, I have learned a lot about discipline and respect for nature. As many hikers live by this rule, “leave no trace” has become the motto of people who like to spend a lot of time outdoors. This “honor system” rule is often displayed along trailheads and in parking lots, to encourage people to demonstrate a good example, and putting your little role within this big cause into perspective. With this, many of these hiking culture rules have been adapted and used by national parks as well, who use slogans to encourage people to pick up trash, capture a photo, or anything else. 

The national parks, places of eternally preserved beauty and grandeur, have been the influence of huge federal projects, protections, and inspiration. Not only are these places revered by generations of Americans, but serve as a symbol of national pride and demonstration of our respect for nature. I personally feel that the National Parks and the National Preservation of Land Act of 1966 are the greatest additions to our nation, as it conserves lands and protects these holy spaces from being infiltrated by construction or upset. As someone who can always be seen advocating for the ability to enjoy untouched nature, I have always felt strongly about this environmental topic. With that, the people who pride themselves on working in the parks serve not one, but several roles as environmental activists, guides of the land, and servants to the public. As we enter an unprecedented time in history, thousands of federal employees are losing their jobs, and National Parks are getting hit hard.

When I visited the Garden of the Gods this past summer, a national preservation of land in Colorado Springs, I was awestruck by the sheer beauty and grandeur of the land. While it sits adjacent to the town and many roads, it remains a free place for anybody to come and walk around and explore. Inside, you can find people of all ages climbing, exploring, and admiring the beauty of the park. As my group and I ventured deeper into the parks, we were encouraged to try and spot wildlife hiding in plain sight, and stopped multiple times to interact with wild deer and elk that had become accustomed to human activity, and walked within feet of us without any barrier to the trails. When we had hiked further up, we encountered a park ranger, who told us we should turn around and look. At first, we saw nothing, but when he offered us his binoculars to look through, we could see a bighorn sheep sitting on one of the highest peaks of the rock formations, practically the same color as the rocks. The park ranger continued to educate us on the best places to see these animals and his wildest experiences with these sightings. I was so invested in what this ranger had to say, and remember thinking how cool of a job that must be, and how much you get to learn and share every day.

Currently, thousands of park rangers are being fired and dismissed from jobs, because the current president feels that it is necessary to reduce the amount of federal workers and shrink the federal government. We are losing necessary workers and people who are underpaid already for a job with unlimited importance for the communities surrounding these lands. Without people like this to encourage us to see the things that we may never have seen, like I was, we risk losing one of the best parts about life, learning. While this may appear to be a dramatization of the risk at stake, the climate crisis and the risks we face otherwise are without question important topics to consider. When Roosevelt originally established our national lands, he said, "It was here that the romance of my life began.", and I feel strongly that these words remain true, the lands that I was raised loving should be protected because without people to demonstrate public good and preservation, our image of freedom, life, and liberty will be at a huge loss.