we will understand only what we are taught.”-- Senegalese proverb
Another year, more resolutions, more wrinkles, more waistline, less hair … you know.They’re all just markers of age, signs of time.I’ve even begun to feel it in my working life as an environmental planner.I don’t make those graceful leaps over fallen logs in the woods or those effortless stream crossings as in days of yore.My mind must be better though, I haven’t done anything to hurt myself (at least too badly) this year.
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about my office.Not the desk and computer, bricks and mortar office, but my field office … ‘the great outdoors,’ Southeastern Massachusetts.
We’re blessed with an abundance of unique natural resources.Our coastlines, forests, rivers, fisheries, and wildlife all add to the appeal of our region.All too often we take our environmental assets for granted, assuming that nature can withstand anything that we throw at it, in it, or on it.But if we neglect or ignore our environment, we risk losing part of what defines both the region and the South Coast in particular.
How can we help to promote public awareness, and sound stewardship of our resources?
“Never doubt that a handful of committed people can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”-- Margaret Mead
Well, over the course of my two plus decades here, scores of people and organizations have worked extremely hard to Save the Bay, Save the Taunton River, Save the Farm, Save the Pasky (the Paskamansett River in Dartmouth), Daylight the Quequechan (Fall River), and many other of our special resources; great work, great causes, and often, great bumper stickers.
Problem is, lots of folks, both locally and regionally, don’t know (and if you follow the Senegalese proverb above), don’t understand, or love these gems of the South Coast because they don’t know when they cross paths in the landscape.A bumper sticker may lead me to the internet (maybe), or just a parking lot somewhere. The beloved resource has to become part of the daily landscape, part of the family, part of the geography of one’s life.
The Taunton River Stewardship Council, locally appointed (by their cities and towns) guardians of the federally designated Wild and Scenic Taunton River, had been wrestling with this recognition issue for the past couple of years.
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