By Way of Conservation
On the far edge of golden pond
the sun drops beneath the mountains
and the wind stirs the leaves beneath my feet.
A cold, biting wind
that chaps lips
and makes teeth chatter.
Winter is nearly here and with it will come
snow falling in blankets.
More than I have ever seen.
A visitor.
That’s what I am.
Come to the region by way of conservation.
I do not own any land
nor property
nor can I reasonably claim
authority over any being
except
maybe
a cat.
But I am a protector
of land
and water
and all the creatures they sustain.
And for that,
Squam you are mine.
By virtue of being ours.
By virtue of being someplace
I can go
to find peace.
Something I have thought about a lot since I began working in the conservation field, both at my previous job and during this first month serving at the Squam Lakes Association, is how taking care of a place gives you a unique connection with it. Trails aren’t just dirt footpaths anymore- they have become our trails. All the hours we spend nailing blazes and cutting blowdowns changes the way that I look at a place. What’s special about this sort of connection is that it isn’t exclusive in the way that private property is. They may have become my trails in my mind, but nothing makes me happier than to see people hiking on the paths we have worked so hard to maintain. This sort of ownership by conservation inspired me to write the preceding poem. Perhaps more verses will be added in the coming 9 months!
Kaela is a full-year member serving at the Squam Lakes Association. She obtained her degree in Environmental Science, with a concentration in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, from Rice University. Learn more about Kaela here!