Executive Director, Utah Department of Natural Resources
Today’s Date: August 8, 2006
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
My narrow escape from a mature buffalo (bison) bull left an impression.
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
Fishing from the bank of the Sevier River listening to the blackbirds and watching dragonflies.
Now? The solitude of ice fishing.
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
Moose - I've observed them and hunted them. They don't fear man. I think they're goofy and majestic all at the same time.
4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?
Getting environmental clearance to physically rehabilitate damaged watershed.
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
It is renewable! Trust land mangers to use the science available to improve through active management of the watersheds.
Thanks to my sister Michelle McIlroy for designing the logo!
August 08, 2006
Lars Berg
Secretary, Swedish National Scientific Council on Biological Diversity
Today's Date: 8 August 2006
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
When I was a child my family used to spend summer vacations in the mountains, living off fish caught from the lakes and streams. This was as scary as it was inspiring, experiencing that we were ultimately subjected to the forces of nature. I remember the silence and the joy of catching fish in the same water body that you drink from.
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
I used to live close to a small forest on the outskirts of town. All the kids in the area used to play there all day throughout the summer. Later I passed through the forest for years on my way to the university. I guess in a certain way it is still my favourite place. Otherwise I am very fond of the traditional cultural landscape found in southern Sweden, especially the island Gotland in the Baltic.
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
Cows are fantastic. They perform tremendous tasks and I find their rhythm of life and patience very inspiring.
4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?
Most challenges are intricately interrelated. If you count unsustainable consumption as an environmental challenge, I would suggest that this is what threatens most people right now. In the future, the main challenge will be to manage nature in a way that makes it resilient to stresses that cannot be avoided, such as those resulting from overpopulation, or those that cannot be predicted.
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
Act according to principles that you would like to see generally applied (that is: Kant's famous imperative). And it's good of course if you base your principles on critical, rational thought.
Today's Date: 8 August 2006
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
When I was a child my family used to spend summer vacations in the mountains, living off fish caught from the lakes and streams. This was as scary as it was inspiring, experiencing that we were ultimately subjected to the forces of nature. I remember the silence and the joy of catching fish in the same water body that you drink from.
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
I used to live close to a small forest on the outskirts of town. All the kids in the area used to play there all day throughout the summer. Later I passed through the forest for years on my way to the university. I guess in a certain way it is still my favourite place. Otherwise I am very fond of the traditional cultural landscape found in southern Sweden, especially the island Gotland in the Baltic.
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
Cows are fantastic. They perform tremendous tasks and I find their rhythm of life and patience very inspiring.
4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?
Most challenges are intricately interrelated. If you count unsustainable consumption as an environmental challenge, I would suggest that this is what threatens most people right now. In the future, the main challenge will be to manage nature in a way that makes it resilient to stresses that cannot be avoided, such as those resulting from overpopulation, or those that cannot be predicted.
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
Act according to principles that you would like to see generally applied (that is: Kant's famous imperative). And it's good of course if you base your principles on critical, rational thought.
Daniel M Turner
Analyst/programmer- British Airways; amateur ornithologist
Today's Date: 07 August 2006
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
I suppose it is an accumulation of experience with birds and other wildlife over a long period rather than just one experience. Over time such things strengthen your interest. Having experiences with animals / birds close-up is extremely rewarding, as is seeing flocks of birds in the wild.
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
A couple of favourite places: The local Northeast England coast and the Northumberland countryside. My parents had a caravan near Hexham in Northumberland next to a wood, open countryside and a stream. We spent many great holidays there and I explored the locality and got to know some of the wildlife.
Now? Still the Northeast England coast, river Tyne and North Shields Fish Quay.
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
I particularly like sea and wading birds – probably due to my proximity to the coast. There are always interesting things to see and record with the changing seasons as the birds come and go.
4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?
Now: Habitat destruction (marine, coastal, wetland, forest, etc) and plundering of resources. Unnecessary killing of wildlife: inadvertently (for example albatrosses during long-line fishing, rat introduction to islands – the rats go on to compete with and kill the local wildlife) or on purpose (for example: seal pups in the north, whales, capture of bears for bile, killing of migrating birds in the Mediterranean Sea, over fishing, etc).
In future: Global warming is going to have a major impact if things do not change so that it is brought under some sort of control – is it too late already?
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
Join a nature / wildlife / countryside/ bird protection organization and take note of what is going on in our natural world – do something to help to preserve the environment.
Today's Date: 07 August 2006
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
I suppose it is an accumulation of experience with birds and other wildlife over a long period rather than just one experience. Over time such things strengthen your interest. Having experiences with animals / birds close-up is extremely rewarding, as is seeing flocks of birds in the wild.
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
A couple of favourite places: The local Northeast England coast and the Northumberland countryside. My parents had a caravan near Hexham in Northumberland next to a wood, open countryside and a stream. We spent many great holidays there and I explored the locality and got to know some of the wildlife.
Now? Still the Northeast England coast, river Tyne and North Shields Fish Quay.
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
I particularly like sea and wading birds – probably due to my proximity to the coast. There are always interesting things to see and record with the changing seasons as the birds come and go.
4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?
Now: Habitat destruction (marine, coastal, wetland, forest, etc) and plundering of resources. Unnecessary killing of wildlife: inadvertently (for example albatrosses during long-line fishing, rat introduction to islands – the rats go on to compete with and kill the local wildlife) or on purpose (for example: seal pups in the north, whales, capture of bears for bile, killing of migrating birds in the Mediterranean Sea, over fishing, etc).
In future: Global warming is going to have a major impact if things do not change so that it is brought under some sort of control – is it too late already?
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
Join a nature / wildlife / countryside/ bird protection organization and take note of what is going on in our natural world – do something to help to preserve the environment.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)