Chaparral Wisdom
To celebrate the magic and beauty of Nature & the chaparral
Bobcat Days of Summer
Taking Time to Let Nature Surprise
This morning, Baldy came by to visit.
He’s just one of the many new friends we’ve met this summer while spending the morning coffee hour at the Chaparral Institute’s bird deck. Alternating between reading the morning paper* and looking up to observe the surrounding activity, Nature never fails to surprise.
Poor Baldy. He was fine all spring. Then the kids came. We’re not sure if the stress of fatherhood was the cause, but our boy eventually started losing his head feathers. However, sporting his new Turkey Vulture persona, Baldy is just as frisky as Spotted Towhees always are. As far as we can tell, his mate and the two kids haven’t said a word about his dearth of plumage.
Speaking of speaking, although communication is mostly an intraspecific thing, sometimes two different species have words with each other when tempers flare. While enjoying breakfast, Jumpin’ Fun, our brush rabbit, finally had enough of Caracalla, our pushy Mourning Dove. We don’t speak rabbit, but clearly the conversation was intense.
Having been reprimanded enough, Caracalla retreated to what he thinks is his feeding platform, occasionally glaring back down in a huff at his furry competitor. The House Finches? He tolerated them most likely because they apparently know their place in the avian pecking order.
Read MoreWildness – A Crucible for Independence
Stay cool this week by relaxing with some enjoyable reading.
An interesting, new paper we just released examines the powerfully positive influence of wildness – being out in Nature for an extended period of time. It tells the story of three inspiring, independent spirits who refused to go along to get along, finding Nature as their ally.
You can download the paper here:
Iconoclastic thinkers in the mountains: How divergent spirits help us connect and preserve wildness in the eastern Peninsular Range of Southern California. Volcan Mountain Symposium. Importance and Conservation Status of the Eastern Peninsular Ranges.
Below are a few sections from the paper.
Looking south from Garnet Peak at the blue hour, along the Laguna Crest to Monument Peak, California. Photo by Alexander Kunz.
Reconnecting to Nature
Once one has been in nature three days or more… We begin to enjoy the flow of life as it is happening as Marshal South noted when he wrote, “Further, our “unnatural turning aside” has brought us peace and contentment. It has brought us to the state of consciousness where each day is a separate jewel to be lived and enjoyed for itself. Where each hour is a living thing, filled with the singing joy of fundamental life.” And we allow nature do what it does best, surprise.
Marshal South and his son, Rider at Yaquitepec, Ghost Mountain. Photo courtesy of Sunbelt Publications.
Read MoreNew Study Finds Increase in California Forest Fires Over the Past Half-century is Attributable to Human-caused Climate Change
Drying landscapes = More landscapes burn
Past fire suppression activities
or lack of “cultural burning” are not a factor
Four new observations should change the current narrative about wildfires.
- A newly released study by an international group of scientists shows that human-caused climate change is responsible for the increase in California summer forest fires. Will the new research put a halt to claims that too many trees and shrubs are the responsible parties?
- There is a direct relationship between the recent massive fires in Canada and the historic presence of a drying “heat dome” over the normally cool, wet region. Will this fact convince the public that weather and climate, not what’s burning, are the primary drivers of large wildfires?
- The mostly untouched, wild landscape of Siberia has experienced huge wildfires over the past few years, burning both peat lands and forests, due to historically high temperatures and dry conditions. Will this raise questions over the belief that large fires wouldn’t occur if we had been following Indigenous burning practices?
- The world’s oceans are suddenly experiencing a spike in temperature that has never been recorded before (see graph below). Increasing ocean temperatures are directly linked to increasing area burned during wildfires. Will this observation give pause to those who promote logging and habitat clearance as effective measures to prevent wildfires?
Will these new facts change the wildfire narrative? In the short run, we are doubtful.
Why?
Read More