Dear Naturalists - An Open Letter

Dear (Fellow) Naturalists,

Kyle here.  You may not remember, but we have met before.  I ran into you in Algonquin, chatted birds with you at Pelee, and paddled alongside you on Georgian Bay.  We are actually old friends, you and I, and I have enjoyed getting to know you.

I must be frank though, if this fruitful relationship is to continue.  Sometimes I find you just a little frustrating.  It's not your lack of fashion sense or social couth that bothers me (usually).  No, my concern is that sometimes, just sometimes, you can be a bit elitist.

Now I know you may find this hard to hear and believe, but try to think about it objectively.  I saw you  turn your nose up at the cyclists who disrupted your morning trail-walk.  I heard you mutter under your breath when a band of dog-walkers frightened away the bird you were eyeing.  And I watched you scorn with derision when the new guy at the office confided that he was a hunter.

You talk a good game about wanting others to enjoy and appreciate nature, but I'm beginning to learn that you have a very narrow idea of what that means.  What you mean to say is that you want others to enjoy nature, but only as long as they enjoy nature like you do.  Cyclists, dog-walkers, rock-climbers, hunters, fishermen and other 'users' of the outdoors need not apply.

You believe, I think, that all of these other forms of outdoor recreation do more harm to nature than good.  You view them all too often as the enemies of conservation, and even think of them as less worthy than yourselves.  You feel that only you truly understand nature, and that others just don't get it.

Well naturalists, I think you are in desperate need of a reality check.  The fight for conservation is a perennially uphill battle, and one that deserves a united front.  If nature-lovers are set on squabbling amongst themselves, what kind of image will we present to the policy-makers and dollar-holders?  Here we truly must take advantage of strength in numbers.

There is much more to this equation than simple math though.  What you often fail to recognize is that the key to conserving nature is assigning it value.  Certainly nature has value to you, but that value is something unquantifiable, and governments and businesses work in dollars and cents not sentiment and emotion.  This is where outdoor recreation shows its worth.

These nature 'users' bring about a measurable, quantifiable value for nature.  Hunting, fishing and other outdoor sports are profitable, so governments find them worthy of attention.  The government of Ontario, for example, administers hunting and fishing permits and levies fines against violators.  The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources claims to have sold 766000 Outdoors Cards in 2011 alone.  At about $10 each, it doesn't take an economist to understand we're dealing with big bucks.

The beauty of this system is that outdoor sports only have value if their practice remains possible, and it remains possible only if nature is intact.  Any hunter, fisherman or mountain biker worth his salt recognizes that the deterioration of nature means the disappearance of his favourite passtime.  Therefore nature use breeds conservation, and lo the naturalists and hunters share a common goal.  Granted there are certainly irresponsible outdoor enthusiasts, but if we're going to judge a group by only its most objectionable members, you naturalists are certainly not all peaches and cream.

Because most nature users recognize the need for conservation, they are not hesitant to commit money to the cause.  Non-profits like Ducks Unlimited and Trout Unlimited receive this money via donations, membership fees and fundraising activities, then invest it in initiatives like wetland conservation and stream restoration.  Ducks Unlimited protects over 940000 acres of habitat in Ontario alone, while the Nature Conservancy of Canada - supported more by naturalists than hunters - protects 405260 acres nationwide*.  And do you know where those Outdoors Card fees go?  You guessed it: wildlife and fisheries management.

I should clarify at this point that I am not a hunter or fisherman, a mountain biker or even a dog-walker.  I won't claim that I always agree 100% with those who are, or that I think the above-mentioned non-profits are perfect.  But I know and have known sportsmen (and women), and I know that their love and appreciation for nature is as genuine as mine, even if their relationship with it is a little different.  I also know (as does anyone who works with children or animals) that working with is much more productive than working against, and that fostering cooperative relationships is a better way to affect change than infighting and head-butting.  

So I implore you, naturalists, to open your hearts and minds to all those who appreciate nature.  Allow yourself to consider the notion that anyone who has motivation to conserve nature should be your friend, and that together we present a stronger voice than we could apart.  Be prepared to talk through differences and contribute to productive discussion without becoming confrontational, overprotective or entitled.  Don't allow elitism to take precedence over what is truly important.

It seems this has become a lengthy letter and I hope, my dear fellow naturalists, that it has caused no offense.  I hope to run into you for many years to come, in Algonquin, at Pelee and on the Bay (and to continue taking gentle jabs at your choice of attire).  Keep fighting the good fight, look for opportunities to make new friends from old enemies, and don't let the small things sway your focus from what really matters.

Your Friend,
Kyle

*I by no means intend to imply that NCC is inferior or unworthy - they are a fantastic organization that does excellent work.  I include the numbers here only as a useful and thought-provoking comparison.

Dragonfly Study

Dragonfly season is fast approaching!  Are you as excited as I am?  You should be!

I was getting caught up on some photos from last year, and came upon this series taken of a single animal.  It was my first crack at Black Saddlebags, and some patience and excellent lighting produced some favourable results (I think, anyway).  They may be one of my favourite species because of their instant recognizability (made-up word), striking patterns and migratory behaviour.  The latter means you are often chasing them in cool places, like a beach on the Lake Erie shore (where these photos were taken).

Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)

Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)

Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)

Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)

Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)

Wildflowers Continued

As promised, here are a few more wildflower images from the other day.  Still only halfway through them, so one more installment to come!

Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides)

Round-lobed Hepatica (Anemone americana)

Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum)

Off to work!
Kyle

Spring Wildflowers

I've been out taking pictures, I swear!  Here's a Red Trillium to prove it:

I added a whole bunch of photos to the sort pile today, so hopefully there will be more coming down the pipe shortly!

Kyle

Long Lost Photos

Sorting and editing photos is perhaps the most tedious task there is, and as I photographer I find that unfortunate.  I have been having some difficulty getting motivated on that front recently, and really haven't touched a photo all winter.  The "to sort" pile has been building as always (albeit slowly because of the winter season) and finally I got so tired of it that I actually did some work!

Rather than start with photos from last fall, I figured I'd start recent and work back.  I didn't take a lot of photos on my recent trip to Florida (it was dominated by conference activities) but I did manage a few.  Here are 3 randoms:

Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)

Willet (Tringa semipalmata)

Mangrove Skipper (Phocides pigmalion)

That's all for now, hopefully my momentum keeps up!

Kyle

Spring is on the way! Slowly...

Hello!

I have once again been blog-absent for a long time...It has been a busy little while, and late winter is definitely my least favourite time for photography.  But I'm back now, and the photography (and blogging) season is on the way!

First some good news - I had a photo published in the spring issue of ON Nature Magazine!  Check out the Spring Peeper on page 11, and be sure to read the article (James is an awesome guy and great herper).

This article got me thinking about spring, as amphibian breeding will be starting up in the next couple of weeks.  This is often my first pursuit of the year, and I'm excited to head out after dark for a wade around in the swamp!  Keep a keen ear for those peeping Spring Peepers, croaking Northern Leopard Frogs and quacking Wood Frogs, and head down to the local pond or ditch to check them out (watch where you step!).  If you're feeling sciencey, be sure to participate in the Backyard Frog Survey like James suggests!

In the meantime, here are some photos to tide you over and get you excited for spring!

Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)

Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates pipiens)

Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus)

Grey Treefrog (Hyla versicolor)

Blatant re-use of old photos because I have no new material?  Yes please!

Think frogs!

Kyle

Happy Year of the Snake!

Well it is officially the first day of the Chinese new year, and the beginning of the Year of the Snake!  Although they don't always get the respect they so deserve, these misunderstood and oft-maligned creatures are impossible to hate if you take the time to get to know them.  I have been fascinated with them since I was a child, and continue to love them in adulthood.  Learn a bit about snakes in this new year, you won't be sorry!