Sand County Almanac Pt. 1

This essay was about nature, and how if we let it run its course freely, it would be better off. The beginning made me feel as though I was there with the author, standing on the mountainside, looking at a pack of wolves. It was very descriptive and enticing. It definitely hit home for me. One line read, "Only the mountain has lived long enough to listen objectively to the howl of a wolf". To me, this means that the mountain (nature) knows best. Humans may think they know what's best to help nature thrive, but in the end, we only do what is best for us. We cannot think objectively. We think and act so we can survive. The essay talked about our urgent desire to rid the woods of wolves, because we think this is what is best for us, our livestock, and our well being. In reality, however, the wolves are here to keep a natural balance. Without wolves, deer populations would exponentially rise, and plant life would then die. We need the wolves, and we need to stop being "trigger happy". We need to think objectively, without emotion and selfishness, take a step back, and admire the beauty and benefits wolves (and other "harmful" things in nature) give us. We need to think like a mountain, because the mountain knows best. In the Marquette region, I think we are good at thinking objectively. There are a lot of activists in the area promoting the good of the nature that surrounds us. I think it is a well established idea (here and around the U.P.) that nature is an extremely important part of our lives, and we all do really well at protecting it. It seems strange that there is now a wolf hunt. I can understand that there are times when populations of species can get out of control, but I think we should let nature run its course. In starting a wolf hunt, we are looking out for the well being of deer hunters and the safety of our own pets. As for pets, it is pet owners own faults if their pet is attacked by a wolf. This most likely happens when they are left outside in rural areas, unchained. Wolves see these pets as a threat to their dominance, and attack. If you don't want your pet to be at risk, don't let it roam freely in the woods. This is no reason to hunt wolves. We need to be more careful about our decisions to take populations into our own hands. We must be sure it is for the good of all nature, and not just ourselves.

"Howlsnow" by Retron - self-made now. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons