Knowing Nature, and Keeping it Worth Knowing

When I was in Victoria in February I heard a talk by James Sacamano, a psychiatrist connected with UVic, who spoke of what he calls the "heart-mind" moment. A heart-mind moment is one that inspires us, gives us joy. It can be small, a simple observation of somebody doing a kindness from their heart, or of an experience in nature or in art that gives us joy.

James suggested that we take the time to share such moments with another person. The other person in turn gives us feedback about how our telling them about our "moment" affects them.

This process, James suggested, helps build our resilience.  Paying attention to when we feel inspired helps strengthen our mental health. It is a practice which could become a daily one.

Yesterday Ken and I visited friends on their property along the Sunnybrae-Canoe Point Road. Two things stopped me, and gave me one of James' "heart-mind" moments. One I was able to capture - clusters of yellow avalanche lilies growing in moss.

Yellow Avalanche Lilies

The other was impossible to capture: the sun-warmed aroma of Douglas fir sap, in an open glade, with the sun streaming, and songbirds calling. The fragrance took me to dozens of summers past, hiking in montane forests, and captured the fleeting essence of time. Yes, paying attention to the moment is so important, and I was grateful for the land my friends were sharing with me, for their company, and for being able to share it with Ken.

The avalanche lily is part of the logo of the Shuswap Naturalist Club.

The club has recently partnered with SABNES (Salmon Arm Bay Nature Enhancement Society) and through the gargantuan efforts of two members installed fifty new bird boxes for swallows in the marsh area of Salmon Arm. Here's a recent story about this project. https://www.saobserver.net/community/residents-dig-into-birdhouse-replacement-project/

The mission of the club is twofold: "to know nature, and keep it worth knowing".

"Knowing nature" means learning about it, and understanding it. One of the strengths of naturalists is their ability to carry out citizen science, observing nature and recording it.

The Christmas bird counts are one example of this kind of scientific observation. These records are valuable for monitoring changing landscapes, as a result of natural or human-caused disturbance. The Shuswap Naturalists have decades of records of Christmas bird counts.

Many members document nature through their excellent photography, and their work is featured locally in publications and promotional material for the area.

The project "Save Shuswap Songbirds" is a joint effort of club members and members of SABNES. This month at the Salmon Arm Art Gallery the Songbird project has partnered with artists of the area, to feature the plight of disappearing songbirds. From now until June 1, 2019 the art gallery hosts a multi-media exhibition of photography, painting, and other visual artists.

Bohemian waxwing in flight. Photo used on the program of
the gallery exhibition "Flight". Photo by naturalist Roger Beardmore.

"To keep nature worth knowing" speaks to conservation action. Some of the actions that the Shuswap Naturalist Club is involved in includes weed pulls of invasive plants like Woody Nightshade and Yellow Flag Iris.

The club provides input to Salmon Arm City Council on matters such as use of Salmon Arm bay. Recently it suggested a policy for drones on the wharf area, and provided advice on the impact of dogs on the foreshore trail during nesting season.

The club is a member of BC Nature, which represents naturalist groups across the province.

BC Nature frequently provides the perspective of naturalists in provincial policy consultations.

To know nature and to keep it worth knowing - this is the mission of my life. I am constantly learning, and I am becoming increasingly passionate about doing whatever I can, to keep it worth knowing.

As I write this, there are two weeks of protests taking place in London, England as part of the "Extinction Rebellion" movement to move our global governments to action on climate change. Here are two images, from a Guardian newspaper story:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/20/battle-of-waterloo-bridge-a-week-of-extinction-rebellion-protest

Extinction Rebellion climate change protesters occupy Waterloo Bridge in London.
Source: Guardian Newspaper April 20, 2019.  Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

Extinction Rebellion protesters block Oxford Circus.
Photograph: Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA Source: Guardian Newspaper April 20, 2019

It is easy to despair at the global environmental news. Paying attention to heart-mind moments can help transform our despair, and involvement in action - whether it is building bird boxes, or protesting in the streets - can counter the feelings of being powerless and overwhelmed.

I applaud the Extinction Rebellion movement. There are folks in Salmon Arm who are aware of it. Here's a poster that I found in the westerly tunnel under the TCH about ten days ago.

It may be that it is going to require people taking to the streets in non-violent protest to get our governments to listen and seriously act on climate change, recognizing it as the global emergency that it represents.