Nature, How Important Is It To You? (rabbits, birds, coyote)

[BECLAZONE]

How much value do you put on the natural world?

Is it just something that you assume will always be there?

How far do you need to travel from your home to get to untouched, or at least unspoiled countryside, ( that is, without manmade junk ), and do you make this distance a requirement of the place you live in?

How important is it to you to have wildlife?

The reason I ask these questions is that I live in the UK, and I can’t think of anywhere locally to me, ( that is, within 300 miles ), that has not been ruined by the hand of man.
we even have supposed environmental organisations that maintain countryside, or at least allow it to be maintained, in what can only be classed as a vandalised state.

Have people got too far from nature? I think so!

[formercalifornian]

Hmmm. Well, I live in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, so it's not all that far for me to get away from it all. But, even so, I enjoy quite a bit of nature and wildlife even in the middle of my suburban neighborhood. Right now, I can hear a variety of songbirds outside the window as I type, and when I finish, you'll find me outside puttering around tending the garden. Maybe what you're bemoaning is not a lack of nature, but a lack of connection with nature?

I'm not one to dream wistfully about moving to the mountains where the neighbors are miles away, because that would require me to own a car, and I don't care for automotive transport. I like living in the suburbs, where I have plenty of human companionship and a little patch of green, but I can still ride my bike to the market, school, and work.

[BECLAZONE]

Originally Posted by formercalifornian

Hmmm. Well, I live in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, so it's not all that far for me to get away from it all. But, even so, I enjoy quite a bit of nature and wildlife even in the middle of my suburban neighborhood. Right now, I can hear a variety of songbirds outside the window as I type, and when I finish, you'll find me outside puttering around tending the garden. Maybe what you're bemoaning is not a lack of nature, but a lack of connection with nature?

I'm not one to dream wistfully about moving to the mountains where the neighbors are miles away, because that would require me to own a car, and I don't care for automotive transport. I like living in the suburbs, where I have plenty of human companionship and a little patch of green, but I can still ride my bike to the market, school, and work.

You’re probably right about the lack of connection to nature.

There is probably more wildlife in a suburban neighbourhood than in some areas of countryside, though.

It would be nice not to need a car.

I live in what would be classed as countryside by many, but normally the closest you get to wildlife is road kill or maybe an injured or ill animal that has wandered into the garden. We do have a few birds, but they don’t last long, thanks mainly to cats residing at almost every second house.

[arctichomesteader]

A few miles from my door and I'm in the Green Mountains, lots of nature...the backyard here often has rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, birds, deer, foxes, coyotes and other critters. On my walks I've even come across catamounts (mountain lions, a critter you want to be very careful with). Vermont is not as densely populated as the UK of course...but one thing to keep in mind is how most of the wildlife is nocturnal...you wander the woods here in the daytime and you may not see much, but in the evening things come to life, and early morning while still a bit dark is another good time to be out...you might find there's more than you think around you....

[mistyriver]

About a hundred yards, give or take.

[BECLAZONE]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

A few miles from my door and I'm in the Green Mountains, lots of nature...the backyard here often has rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, birds, deer, foxes, coyotes and other critters. On my walks I've even come across catamounts (mountain lions, a critter you want to be very careful with). Vermont is not as densely populated as the UK of course...but one thing to keep in mind is how most of the wildlife is nocturnal...you wander the woods here in the daytime and you may not see much, but in the evening things come to life, and early morning while still a bit dark is another good time to be out...you might find there's more than you think around you....

I know what you mean about the Crepuscular or Nocturnal animals, we have foxes, rabbits, badgers, hedge hogs and deer. The deer and rabbits are everywhere, not that most people would know though. But walking around at night, not in this area, I’ve nearly been shot in broad daylight, you would be surprised how inconsiderately some aim their shotguns, and at night there are too many poachers around with crossbows and guns. You may think I am joking, but this is the case.

You’re right about the density of population, I can’t think of anywhere locally that is not within sight of houses.

On the importance of wildlife, the UK has already lost many species, these include: The Brown Bear, Lynx, Wolf, Beaver, and Wild Cat, and that’s just the mammals. There are many more, and the habitat that they needed to survive has long since gone. We do have a few small forests left, but the majority of land is taken by towns, cities and agriculture. There are moor lands and heath lands, but they are not natural, in that they were originally forests, and this seems to have largely been forgotten.

[BECLAZONE]

Originally Posted by mistyriverranch

About a hundred yards, give or take.

That may be truer than you think.
Many a true word is spoken in jest.

[mistyriver]

Originally Posted by BECLAZONE

That may be truer than you think.
Many a true word is spoken in jest.

I wasn't kidding and it is very true.
View from my porch:

[Stubblejumper]

Definitely don't assume it will always be there. In fact, it's my job to make sure we don't wreck it (or to try to fix it, depending on the day).

Growing up, we had native grass range within sight of the house. Full of prairie onions, sarsparilla, wild licorice among other things. Lots of Mule Deer and antelope and coyotes too. Now I'm stuck in the city, though at least it's only 80,000 people, so it's not much of a drive to get out of town.

I think we have gotten too far away from nature as a society. I remember reading a study from somewhere in the UK, where more kids could identify Darth Vader than could identify a barn owl.

by the way, mistyriverranch, that's pretty country. Whereabouts is that?

[mistyriver]

Originally Posted by Stubblejumper

Definitely don't assume it will always be there. In fact, it's my job to make sure we don't wreck it (or to try to fix it, depending on the day).

Growing up, we had native grass range within sight of the house. Full of prairie onions, sarsparilla, wild licorice among other things. Lots of Mule Deer and antelope and coyotes too. Now I'm stuck in the city, though at least it's only 80,000 people, so it's not much of a drive to get out of town.

I think we have gotten too far away from nature as a society. I remember reading a study from somewhere in the UK, where more kids could identify Darth Vader than could identify a barn owl.

by the way, mistyriverranch, that's pretty country. Whereabouts is that?

Northern Idaho, not very far from the BC border. Luckily, all the land around us is National Forest and state land. I agree that people ahve gotten too far away from the natural world. My sisters in the suburbs think it's disgusting to eat eggs that our hens lay or the lamb that we raise. They know it's crazy but they still have a hard time with it not coming from the grocery store.