Earth Survey: Jan 21, 2009

Welcome!

Ever since I was a child, I have been very interested in nature and the environment. I have a B.S. degree in wildlife biology, and have worked as a zookeeper, wildlife biologist, and ecologist. I am conducting a brief survey of world leaders, government officials, religious leaders, corporate CEOs, environmental groups, wildlife experts, and others regarding nature and the environment. I am also very interested in religious views, customs, and beliefs from around the world, and the interactions between religion, culture, society, and the environment. This is something I am doing out of personal interest, and is not connected to any group or organization. I have been working on this project since the summer of 2006, and hope to eventually turn it into a book and/or documentary. I am hoping to make this into a global project, with responses from all segments of society. Feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions or comments. If you have not already done so, I hope that you will consider taking part in my project, and please spread the word to anyone you think might be interested! Thanks for stopping by!

TAKE THE SURVEY ONLINE HERE http://tinyurl.com/nx4ng7

January 21, 2009

Erik Hirschfeld

Private citizen

Today’s Date: 17 January 2009

1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?

Catching freshwater turtles in Wisconsin as a kid, sneaking up on them as they were sunning on logs with water up to my neck.

2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?

The lake near the arboretum in Madison.

Now? A disused lime stone mine of 100ha size on prime property in Malmö, as no one has access and several wilderness birds such as Raven and Peregrine breed in it (subject of my coming book).

3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is and why?

Curlew Sandpiper Calidirs ferruginea , beautiful bird, migrates long distances and finds its way so it appears in the same place at the same date on its migration, ecologically interesting. Of non-birds, gorillas.

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?

Maintaining a chain of good habitats for those migratory birds that use different habitats depending on their life phase and making sure that those animals that are dependant on one type of habitat will not see it fragmented and preventing exchange between populations. This incorporates the big problem, the imbalance between conservation of nature and human survival in developing countries.

5. If you could give one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?

No answer given