This month I have been exploring the relationship between modern man and the natural world.
Native American Land Management
I spent much of my time learning about Native American land management techniques. In addition to my own research, I had the good fortune to attend a workshop featuring Rick Flores and Dr. Kat Anderson (Tending the Wild). I learned how traditional techniques actually improve biodiversity and the health of ecosystems.
Technology in the Wild
I also posted an article about the growing use of mobile technology in the wilderness. Technology is a double-edged sword.
Negatively, it affects us through the loss of wilderness. This can happen in two ways:
- Technology permeates the woods and we lose the “wildness.”
- People become so disconnected from nature they see no need to respect/protect it.
Our wilderness disappears either way.
Mobile technology can also enhance our outdoor experience. It can take the form of the digital camera that records our trip, the GPS that helps us navigate, the electronic field guide, or the PLB that gets us rescued.
As bushcrafters, it is worth thinking about how these technologies impact us and the wild places we love.
A Modern Relationship with Nature
Calero Bat Inn
… A place to hang out
The PBS Series, Earth – A New Wild premiered this month. The program explores the possibility that modern man can forge a new kind of relationship with nature. This new relationship is reciprocal – one that benefits both humans and natural ecosystems.
I watched a few episodes and don’t really know what to think. There were some terrific stories of people helping to preserve nature for altruistic reasons. But many times it was a last-ditch act of self-preservation. Man destroys the natural ecosystem and is forced to restore it to save himself. A less dramatic example occurs near where I live. People built the Calero Bat Hotel as a home for bats threatened by habitat destruction… caused by people.
Where Does that Leave Bushcraft?
Bushcraft is the practical knowledge of our natural world. Bushcraft skills provide shelter, water, fire and food from materials found in our natural environment. It allows us to view wildlife, visit beautiful places, and commune with nature. But few of us rely on these skills for our livelihoods. For most of us it is a hobby.
Among backpackers, there is a Leave No Trace ethic that exhorts:
Take only pictures, leave only footprints.
Bushcraft activities do have an impact on our environment. Making campfires, gathering wild edibles, and fishing are examples of bushcraft activities that violate the LNT philosophy. But the cumulative impact of these activities is small compared to housing developments that level entire forests.
So what role can bushcraft play in the larger world? Can bushcraft have a positive effect on modern man’s relationship with nature?
The key is bushcraft’s experiential approach to understanding nature. Bushcraft creates insight and appreciation for the world around us. We value nature and its resources. And we gain an insider’s view of both its magnificence and its fragility.
We can leverage this understanding to benefit society as a whole – by acting as guardians for the wild places we enjoy. We can use our “bushcraft perspective” to foster a healthy partnership between man and nature. There are many ways to do this:
- We can volunteer to bring children into nature and share our experiences
- We can speak out to encourage environmental stewardship
- We can volunteer our time to help maintain open space and wilderness areas
- We can participate in citizen science
- We can volunteer in nonprofits that protect the environment
I hope you will forge your own reciprocal relationship with nature. And I hope you will act as an ambassador for the wild places of the world. Just use your insider’s view of nature to promote “Eco” over “Ego” so that both nature and humanity prosper.
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