As I read the local news, it makes me wonder about people who live here: What do you really know about this place that you now call home? Do you grasp that we are in an area of private land, surrounded by miles of forest? Do you understand our place in the river system that enables people to live here at all?
All these questions relate to what is known as “sense of place.” One of the best definitions I have seen is that “A sense of place is a unique collection of qualities and characteristics – visual, cultural, social and environmental – that provide meaning to a location. Sense of place is what makes one city or town different from another, but sense of place is also what makes our physical surroundings worth caring about.”
Living in this area surrounded by land that is home to an abundance of wildlife presents opportunity and challenges. We have the opportunity here to get out into nature and enjoy it. We can use it to de-stress and refresh ourselves. Watching wildlife in its natural setting, including the plants and trees, is a fascinating way to spend some time. At the same time, as more people head into the woods, wildlife becomes stressed. Bootleg trails appear that can cause erosion and cut into the space that the animals need to thrive.
There have been several articles lately about interactions with bears. Even more on social media. One article noted that more bears have been relocated or euthanized this year than any time in the recent past. Despite the good work of Bryan Peterson and the district rangers of Colorado Parks and Wildlife trying to educate people, far too many still put their trash out the night before pickup and/or leave out birdfeeders and pet food. Once bears get used to the food near humans, it will eventually lead to a bad outcome for the bears.
Water is of critical importance here in the semi-arid Southwest, especially as drought years are more common than before. The water we need to live on comes from the precipitation in the mountains, particularly snowpack. The water we don’t use flows downstream to even more arid areas. Yet we use water as if there is an infinite source that will go on forever, even as our population grows year after year. Some areas of the county are drier than others. Some of our rivers and streams will run year-round while others will barely flow after spring runoff or dry up completely.
Do you really need that little patch of green grass that you mow, fertilize, and water but don’t really use for anything but to look at? The fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides you use don’t just stay right there. They eventually get taken into the water flow and affect those downstream. There are many native, drought-tolerant plants that can be used instead. You may also have noticed that there are a growing number of car washes being built. At least one seems to have a water capture system, but how many car washes do we really need?
These are just some things that I feel people should think about as part of environmental awareness as they settle into their lives here. This is a special place to live and we need to remember that we all depend on the natural systems and each other to survive and thrive here. Do some research. Ask questions. We can all work at doing what is best for nature and all of us here.
Scott Perez is a Durango area-based former working cowboy, guide and occasional actor. He has a master’s degree in Natural Resource Management from Cornell University.
