Place and places fascinate me.  Perhaps this is why I pursued an academic education in geography and a professional career as a city planner. I know it is why I am an environmentalist. How do we define place? And how do we as people relate to a place? That is, how and why do we … Continue reading Conservation and Indigenous Perspectives: a review of “As Long as Grass Grows”

Bruce Springsteen, conservationist? That thought moves through my mind as I continue to think, and read, about the television commercial that the icon of American music made for the Superbowl. In the beginning of 2021, where are we as a nation? What defines us? Whose country is this? Is there anything we hold in common? … Continue reading Bruce Springsteen, conservationist?

This opinion column first appeared in Bridge Michigan on December 20, 2020 Too often I worry that E pluribus unum will be replaced with E pluribus duo.  We have become so divided in our country that at each election cycle it seems our national motto should be “out of many, two.”  I react at first … Continue reading E pluribus duo

As you know, I turn 61 next week.  Perhaps you will send a present, but talking with you will be gift enough for me.  Paradoxically, I have been thinking what to give you, or more precisely, what my generation will leave to yours.  The last few times we talked, you expressed dismay over the issue … Continue reading Climate Hope: A letter to my daughter

The book "Where the Crawdad Sings" has been a tremendous literary hit, but why? It's a "great read" as everyone says, and the wonderful audio version engaged me on a long two-day drive. But its rise did not follow the usual path of the books you can find at Target. The initial printing was only … Continue reading Nature on the Bestseller List: “Where the Crawdad Sings”

North Bay on Lake Huron, Presque Isle County, Michigan I worry about the future of our country, and our continent. I have been spending a fair amount of time in northeast Michigan this year. Its rural, wild landscape, and the human decorations on it, remind me of the two great threads of American history that … Continue reading Sunrise or Sunset?

“Although it’s hard to maintain the perspective, the whole world is a watershed” – Gary Snyder Wonder. It is May in northern Michigan and I awake in the lake house Anna and I purchased at the end of last year. During the winter we prepared it for a summer’s use and now we are here. … Continue reading The Wonder of Place

This post has been updated on September 30, 2020. What do a Nature Conservancy (TNC) Preserve in Michigan's Upper Peninsula (the UP), a Pennsylvania Congressman, flash bulbs, and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) all have in common? The story may surprise you, but it really shouldn't. Fortunately, I hiked right into it a few … Continue reading Protecting Migratory Birds: the UP connection

The Outer Banks, North Carolina - Cape Hatteras is the small triangular island in the middle of the photo Over 30 years ago, a ribbon of sand caught me up, and over many encounters that ribbon has wound its away around my heart. The Outer Banks in North Carolina are a narrow strip of stranded … Continue reading Coastal Loss, Climate Grief

Thanks for joining me again. For several years, I was on a quest to visit all preserves of The Nature Conservancy in Michigan. I did pretty well, and I still am taking time to explore special places in the Great Lakes, but I came to realize that nature is not contained in areas set-aside for … Continue reading The Journey Continues