“There is new life in the soil for every man. There is healing in the trees for tired minds and for our overburdened spirits, there is strength in the hills, if only we will lift up our eyes. Remember that nature is your great restorer.”
President Calvin Coolidge, July 25, 1924
Did you know that wetlands give us drinking water? The groundwater humans depend on for drinking and other uses is cleaned and purified by wetlands. Bogs, marshes, swamps, and other wetland areas actually make our water drinkable. Check out the World Water Day website to learn more about the importance of water. (Photo: George Lamson, Creative Commons)
One way to open your eyes is to ask yourself, ‘What if I had never seen this before? What if I knew I would never see it again?’ -Rachel Carson (Photo: Erin Clark/USFWS)
“There may be people who feel no need for nature. They are fortunate perhaps. But for those of us who feel otherwise, who feel something is missing unless we can hike across land disturbed only by our footsteps or see creatures roaming freely as they have always done, we are sure there should be wilderness.” Mardy Murie, 1998
“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.”
― Rachel CarsonPhoto Credit: Ken Sturm/USFWS
From americasgreatoutdoors:
An American bald eagle, once an endangered species, soars in majestic flight. Eagle-watching tours are popular with National Wildlife Refuge System visitors in January and February. Click on the link above for more information.
Photo: George Gentry/USFWS
Anyone up for some puddle stomping? Photo: USFWS
“The farther one gets into the wilderness, the greater is the attraction of its lonely freedom.” - Theodore Roosevelt
Have you ever heard of the ‘i‘iwi? If you’re from Hawai’i, chances are you have.
It’s a bright, scarlet bird with black wings, and has a sickle-shaped bill that helps it sip nectar from long, tubular flowers.
After reviewing a petition to list the bird as threatened or endangered under the ESA, filed in 2010 by the Center for Biological Diversity, the Service has decided to initiate a 12-month review of the ‘i‘iwi’s status. The 12-month finding will determine if listing would be warranted.
According to the petition there are several factors that have contributed to the decline, like encroachment and invasion by nonnative plants, its susceptibility to avian diseases, and urbanization.
If you’re interested in more information about the species or information on how you can make official comments you can check out the full press release here.
Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land. - Aldo Leopold
Photo: Phil Knudsen/USFWS