Earth Day Reflections

Humans have spent the entirety of our existence working to insulate ourselves from the outdoors.  Nearly every evolutionary development, every invention, every technological advancement, has been driven by a shared goal: to protect ourselves from the dangerous, unpredictable, uncomfortable, and inconvenient forces of nature.  We  figured out how to shelter ourselves from the weather.  We discovered how to create light in the absence of the sun.  Advancements in medical science seek to combat the diseases that exist in nature, and prevent the natural decay of our bodies.  With every step forward in the advancement of civilization, we take a step further away from the natural world with which we were once so intimately intertwined.  Somewhere around the Industrial Revolution, a few  philosophically-minded individuals began to realize the deepening chasm between humanity and nature.  

Transcendentalists like Emerson and Thoreau began to explore ideas around the importance of intimacy with nature in discovering one’s true self, and the true essence of God.  Thoreau lamented commercialism and the heedless advancement of civilization, claiming that “Most of the luxuries and many of the so-called comforts of life are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind.”  He promoted a simplistic life in nature,  and gloried in finding any semblance of it, referring to “little oases of wildness in the desert of our civilization.” Their writings influenced a generation of people like John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt, individuals who had perhaps the most profound effect on our modern perspective of humanity’s connection to nature.  Muir famously wrote “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.”   These ideas led to a shift toward a greater appreciation for nature, the need to protect it, and an awareness of the benefits of a nature based life.   The conservation movement, environmentalism, and outdoor recreation were all born out of this realization that nature is essential to human flourishing.

Ever since this shift in the mid 19th century, those of us who feel this need have been striving to restore our connection to the natural world.  Although civilization has marched on and technology has continued to advance beyond Thoreau’s imagination, we likewise have continued to seek ways to create balance between our modern lives and our need for nature.  We have come up with an astounding number of ways to enjoy the outdoors, from the most immersive experiences to simply spectating.  Bushcrafters strip away all modern conveniences and seek to experience the simplicity and challenge of surviving in the wilderness.  Some modern birdwatchers use bird feeders with cameras so that they can catch the show from indoors or on the go.  Both ends of this spectrum, and everything in between, are simply attempts to find the healing and restorative benefits nature can provide.

As a company, we understand the necessity for nature on the deepest level.  It is this understanding that drives our work to help conserve and restore wildlife habitat and wild places.  Our connection with nature, and our desire to share that connection with as many people as possible, motivates us to create places where people can have transformative experiences in the outdoors. It nourishes us, and we, in turn, work to nourish it.   As humanity continues to make leaps in technology that diminish our connections to the natural world and each other, spaces for outdoor recreation are more critical than ever.  Our team is working towards finding more ways to connect with people who enjoy the outdoors on every level.   We want to help make the outdoors a more inclusive space, and encourage anyone in any pursuit that brings them closer to a nature based life.  Whether you hunt and fish, or hike and canoe, or birdwatch and garden,  you’re our people.  We hope our work will continue to inspire others to help protect the wild places that are meaningful to them, and we hope to provide content that will help people learn how to be better stewards of the land.