University of Calgary, Dept of Biol. Sci.
Today’s Date: 13 January 2009
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
TOUGH ONE TO ANSWER. PROBABLY WORKING WITH SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS FOR MY MSC. MINE WAS THE FIRST PROJECT TO STUDY THEIR URBAN ECOLOGY, I EXAMINED THEIR USE OF NESTING HABITAT, EXPOSURE TO ORGANOCHLORINES AND BREEDING SUCCESS.
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
NOT EXACTLY, BUT I PLAYED OUTSIDE A LOT, IN PARTICULAR, LOVED MAKING SNOW FORTS, AND GOING TOBOGANNING.
Now? NOW THAT I'VE TRAVELED, I LOVE SO MANY PLACES, BUT CURRENTLY I'M REALLY INTO BEING IN THE ROCKIES, GOING SKIING, HIKING, AND ANYWHERE IN THE BOW RIVER VALLEY, WHICH IS WHERE I AM CONDUCTING MY CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECT
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is and why?
TOUGH ONE TO ANSWER TOO - I SUPPOSE CURRENTLY, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE HOARY BAT, WHICH IS ONE OF THE SPECIES I'M WORKING WITH. BUT I REALLY LOVE ALL WILDLIFE, AND IT'S HARD TO CHOOSE.
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?
DECREASING OUR RELIANCE ON FOSSIL FUELS.
5. If you could give one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
THE EXACT SAME PIECE OF ADVICE THAT IS MY EMAIL SIGNATURE, AND WHICH APPEARS VERY SIMILAR TO YOURS AS WELL. AN OLD FIRST NATIONS PROVERB SAYS: TREAT THE EARTH WELL, IT WAS NOT GIVEN TO YOU BY YOUR PARENTS - IT WAS LOANED TO YOU BY YOUR CHILDREN.
Thanks to my sister Michelle McIlroy for designing the logo!
January 14, 2009
LadySapphire22
from www.wildlifegardeners.org
Retired Dr, Master Gardener
Today's Date: 14 January 2009
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
As an adult gardener I watch bees pollinating plants as well as chatting with an older neighbor who raised bees and had an epiphany. I sudden realized just how important these marvelous insects are to our entire food chain.
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
Reading books in the rain in my tree house.
Now? I especially like visiting the National Arboretum in Washington, DC
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
I like bears.
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?
Helping improve the environment and helping to educate people on using more earth and people friendly ways to do so.
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
What is your carbon footprint? What can you do to make it smaller?
Retired Dr, Master Gardener
Today's Date: 14 January 2009
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
As an adult gardener I watch bees pollinating plants as well as chatting with an older neighbor who raised bees and had an epiphany. I sudden realized just how important these marvelous insects are to our entire food chain.
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
Reading books in the rain in my tree house.
Now? I especially like visiting the National Arboretum in Washington, DC
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
I like bears.
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?
Helping improve the environment and helping to educate people on using more earth and people friendly ways to do so.
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
What is your carbon footprint? What can you do to make it smaller?
~Sage~
from www.wildlifegardeners.org
Today's Date: 14 January 2009
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
I was also a passenger in a car which hit a deer that jumped out of the wooded area along the dirt road and onto the car hood. I was shaking and inconsolable for days. The deer are so vulnerable to the effects of people and development.
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
During my childhood I spent from spring to fall out in the county, exploring the woods and creeks with my cousins. My grandfather studied wildflowers, trees, fungi, etc., and gave us standing assignments to learn three new ones daily, including the Latin names and have examples of bark, leaves, flowers. He provided us with ID books and taught us photography too.
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
Pandas because they are irresistible.
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?
Development, chemicals and plastics.
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
RESPECT NATURE
Today's Date: 14 January 2009
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
I was also a passenger in a car which hit a deer that jumped out of the wooded area along the dirt road and onto the car hood. I was shaking and inconsolable for days. The deer are so vulnerable to the effects of people and development.
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
During my childhood I spent from spring to fall out in the county, exploring the woods and creeks with my cousins. My grandfather studied wildflowers, trees, fungi, etc., and gave us standing assignments to learn three new ones daily, including the Latin names and have examples of bark, leaves, flowers. He provided us with ID books and taught us photography too.
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
Pandas because they are irresistible.
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?
Development, chemicals and plastics.
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
RESPECT NATURE
Michelle Clay
Game Artist and Designer, Turbine Inc.
Today's Date: 1/14/09
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
See below
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
My favorite childhood place and the encounter with nature that had the biggest impact on me are one and the same: I used to live in a house with a wooded back yard that backed up to a large power easement. The power easement was a meadow that offered a place for everyone on our side of the street to have gardens, play sports, dig holes, investigate plants and animals, and go sledding. It offered access to the woods, creeks, and a stand of bamboo. In retrospect, I see now that the space unified our community and gave us a wide swath of nature, while also filling the function of delivering electricity. It exemplifies the permaculture value that everything must have multiple functions.
Though, to answer the first question further, I had an encounter with an elephant while visiting Ahmadabad, India. At the end of a long and uncomfortable day, I found myself in an empty lot helping to decorate floats for a religious procession. In a corner of the lot, largely ignored, was an elephant, who was to be featured in the procession. The elephant’s keeper was asleep nearby, and nothing was there to prevent people from walking right up to the animal, so I carefully approached and handed her some grass from her feed pile. Standing in front of, and touching, an animal who loomed above me and who could have easily killed me, I was overwhelmed with emotion. There she stood, majestic, and at complete odds with her surroundings. There in that dark and grubby lot, it was as if a god had been forgotten by humanity. How could we treat something so profound as if it were ordinary?
Now? Now, my favorite place in the outdoors is my own yard. In the front, it is a standard suburban lot; in the back, it is a wooded wetland backing up to an estuary of the Charles river. I love that it is both a wild and undeveloped place, in which I can observe native flora and fauna, and that it is a standard boring suburban plot that I can work at turning into something better.
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
I had to stop and think about this question – and it turns out that I don’t have a favorite animal. I tend to be enthralled by whatever living thing is in front of me at the 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?
The greatest challenge facing us now is the same challenge that will continue to face us for as long as humanity dominates the planet: how can we as a species prosper sustainably in harmony with the natural systems around us?
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
The one piece of advice that I would like to share with everyone is to think about the things that come into your area of influence. Where did it come from? How much energy was used to make it, and where did that energy come from? What will happen to it when you are done with it? How and when will it decompose, and what will it decompose into? Will this leave behind a mess for someone else to deal with?
Today's Date: 1/14/09
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
See below
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
My favorite childhood place and the encounter with nature that had the biggest impact on me are one and the same: I used to live in a house with a wooded back yard that backed up to a large power easement. The power easement was a meadow that offered a place for everyone on our side of the street to have gardens, play sports, dig holes, investigate plants and animals, and go sledding. It offered access to the woods, creeks, and a stand of bamboo. In retrospect, I see now that the space unified our community and gave us a wide swath of nature, while also filling the function of delivering electricity. It exemplifies the permaculture value that everything must have multiple functions.
Though, to answer the first question further, I had an encounter with an elephant while visiting Ahmadabad, India. At the end of a long and uncomfortable day, I found myself in an empty lot helping to decorate floats for a religious procession. In a corner of the lot, largely ignored, was an elephant, who was to be featured in the procession. The elephant’s keeper was asleep nearby, and nothing was there to prevent people from walking right up to the animal, so I carefully approached and handed her some grass from her feed pile. Standing in front of, and touching, an animal who loomed above me and who could have easily killed me, I was overwhelmed with emotion. There she stood, majestic, and at complete odds with her surroundings. There in that dark and grubby lot, it was as if a god had been forgotten by humanity. How could we treat something so profound as if it were ordinary?
Now? Now, my favorite place in the outdoors is my own yard. In the front, it is a standard suburban lot; in the back, it is a wooded wetland backing up to an estuary of the Charles river. I love that it is both a wild and undeveloped place, in which I can observe native flora and fauna, and that it is a standard boring suburban plot that I can work at turning into something better.
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
I had to stop and think about this question – and it turns out that I don’t have a favorite animal. I tend to be enthralled by whatever living thing is in front of me at the 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?
The greatest challenge facing us now is the same challenge that will continue to face us for as long as humanity dominates the planet: how can we as a species prosper sustainably in harmony with the natural systems around us?
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
The one piece of advice that I would like to share with everyone is to think about the things that come into your area of influence. Where did it come from? How much energy was used to make it, and where did that energy come from? What will happen to it when you are done with it? How and when will it decompose, and what will it decompose into? Will this leave behind a mess for someone else to deal with?
doccat5
Retired/Federal Worker
Today's Date: 13 January 2009
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
DH and I have use organic growing methods on fruit/nut trees and vegetables for over 20 years. Until recently we've had little problem with "pests". However, this last season both deer and squirrels were a bit of a problem. There has been some major development in the surrounding area and much of their habitat has been disturbed. I forsee having to install a deer fence at least if we are going to have a decent vegetable garden. So far using scents and bitter tasting sprays have keep the damage to a minimum.
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
I grew up in Nebraska. I think my cousin's 1000 acre dairy farm was one of my favorite places to go. I use to spend at least a month in the summer there with my other cousins, just roaming about and exploring the area. We would go pheasant and squirrel hunting in the cottonwoods he had planted in the fall. Lots of good memories there.
Now? Normally my own yard. But we do make an annual trip to the Blue Ridge to see the fall colors.
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
Siberian Tigers...I saw one at the zone in Minneapolis when I was in college. Huge male, he was so beautiful and so impressive.
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?
Sensible use of our available resources, cleaning up the messes we've made to our water supplies, educating ourselves on how each one of us impacts our environment. I see our biggest challenge as trying to stay on track by encouraging our best and brightest to come up with best use of alternative resources, making the affordable for everyone.
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
Educate yourself, be you're own advocate and take responsibility for understanding how to protect yourself and others from making bad decisions.
Don't be afraid to "rock" the bureaucratic boat! Organize your friends and neighbor and fight back on bad policy and use of dangerous insecticides, pesticides in your area.
Today's Date: 13 January 2009
1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
DH and I have use organic growing methods on fruit/nut trees and vegetables for over 20 years. Until recently we've had little problem with "pests". However, this last season both deer and squirrels were a bit of a problem. There has been some major development in the surrounding area and much of their habitat has been disturbed. I forsee having to install a deer fence at least if we are going to have a decent vegetable garden. So far using scents and bitter tasting sprays have keep the damage to a minimum.
2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?
I grew up in Nebraska. I think my cousin's 1000 acre dairy farm was one of my favorite places to go. I use to spend at least a month in the summer there with my other cousins, just roaming about and exploring the area. We would go pheasant and squirrel hunting in the cottonwoods he had planted in the fall. Lots of good memories there.
Now? Normally my own yard. But we do make an annual trip to the Blue Ridge to see the fall colors.
3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?
Siberian Tigers...I saw one at the zone in Minneapolis when I was in college. Huge male, he was so beautiful and so impressive.
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?
Sensible use of our available resources, cleaning up the messes we've made to our water supplies, educating ourselves on how each one of us impacts our environment. I see our biggest challenge as trying to stay on track by encouraging our best and brightest to come up with best use of alternative resources, making the affordable for everyone.
5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?
Educate yourself, be you're own advocate and take responsibility for understanding how to protect yourself and others from making bad decisions.
Don't be afraid to "rock" the bureaucratic boat! Organize your friends and neighbor and fight back on bad policy and use of dangerous insecticides, pesticides in your area.
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