Raven Rant Part II

After being flown at the third time by ravens (and two of them at that) today, I started realizing something. As a species on earth (Homo sapiens) we are governed by our tend toward natural selection. That is, just like any other species, we will protect our territory, fend for our young, and do just about anything to increase the numbers of our species. This is what natural selection is all about: survival of the fittest so that the fit can reproduce for the ultimate survival of the species.

As humans, however, we have super-species capabilities. We have the ability to reason about the state of our species in concert with the state of all other species and our biosphere: Earth. Whether you believe in some interpretations of the Bible that we are "stewards of the Earth," or in natural selection and evolution, at some point, we have to consider the consequences of our wasteful actions as a species. Such actions mean both that we are bad stewards and that we are not acting in the best interests of our species.

Say we go the natural selection route. If we acted in the best interests of our species, we would understand that the small things we do today that harm the environment are not worth the ultimate consequences we will reap in the future. We would realize that sustainable living is the only solution to the survival of our species.

Something to ponder: What is “sustainability?” Living in balance and interacting with our communities and our planet in ways that will sustain all forms of life now and in the future. (from Yes! magazine's FAQ page on their website, www.yesmagazine.org)

In other related musings, how ironic is it to create 1,000 (disposable) stickers for the Kids for Conservation program at the Coconino Community Fair coming up this September? Ah, the clash of the office place and personal beliefs.

"Quoth the Raven, Nevermore"

Walking to school this morning I came up to the Forestry building through the closed down fire lane between the old business building and the city bus barn, like I do every day I come to work. Suddenly I felt a slight brush on my head and a second later I saw a large black raven fly upward and land on a nearby pine bough. The raven hunched over, bristling its feathers at me, silently inquiring about my presence.

A few weeks earlier I had a similar encounter with a much noisier relative of today's raven. The raven a few weeks earlier flew at me several times, squawking in protest of my invasion of its territory, but never touched me like today's raven.

My first thoughts about these ravens were ones of protest. Crazy birds... what's their problem? Then I realized, their problem is plainly me. So often I think we take an anthropocentric approach to living. We'll say "when's it going to rain? We really need it by now," instead of "the earth could really do with some fresh moisture right about now."

Bryan and I watched a show on the National Geographic channel a few days ago, "Mega Structures." The show chronicled the story of the Chinese struggle in building bridges to "span the rivers that divide the country." This is clearly not a chicken and the egg scenario. The rivers came first and then the Chinese. It is people who have settled themselves along the banks of life-giving rivers and then turn their backs on the continually giving Earth and state that it is "dividing the people."

Even though the School of Forestry building at NAU is one of the most remote buildings, set more within the pines than any other building on campus, it is still intruding on the earth and the life processes of many species. Until the end of the ravens' nesting season at least, I will keep my distance from the footpaths that wind through the forest to my work.