It is no secret I am a nature lover. I feel connected to the trees. The birds are the soundtrack of my life. The babbling waters of creeks and rivers my companions. When a tree is cut down I feel it in my bones. I know it has to happen sometimes, but it hurts me. Progress feels like the enemy of the forest. I worry about my friends who live there. They don’t have voices like mine. They cannot cry out against the destruction of their homes the way I can put it into words.

Yet, they do have a say when their homes are destroyed. They move out. They wander in search of safety. Sometimes they encroach upon our homes like ghosts of the land that once was theirs. As humans, we are mostly oblivious to these changes, thinking they won’t affect us. But we are wrong in that respect. There numerous results from the loss of the forest that will directly impact our ways of life. The ecologists, biologists, botanists, geologists, forest rangers, and conservationists can speak to the science of forest destruction and the long-term impacts.

However, the most important one for our time is the benefits of nature to our mental health.  I am not an expert of any kind; just a regular human, so I can only address the way nature helps me. Our society is losing its mind. Truly. We are further and further from each other, more divided than ever before. We are more involved but less connected. Our human interactions are becoming more volatile. Our conversations more hostile. We cannot seem to remove ourselves from the screens that surround us, but there is a solution.

Step out into the forest. Sit on a rock and listen. The forest loves to converse. The insects trill. The birds call out. The wind whispers its secrets. The waters rush past with singing. The smells of the dirt and the leaves as they blanket the forest floor awaken your senses to your surroundings. Suddenly, you are fascinated by a flower reaching for the sun. Wild blossoms catch your eyes. The colors jump from the trail to invite you deeper. Soon you find yourself feeling the cool moss under your fingers; the mushrooms, too. If you wait long enough, at the end of the day, you can lie on the ground and watch the stars begin peeking through the canopy. Diamonds flung against a dark night sky. The moon and milky way remind you they will be around long after we are gone. Yet, they still shine.

I never dreamed our National Parks might be in danger. When Roosevelt had the foresight to set aside land for public use, I assumed it would be protected forever; that my great grandkids might see the same views and experience the same awe that I have. However, now the protection of 44.7 million acres is in jeopardy. If the 2001 Roadless Rule is reversed as the administration is trying to do, the lands will revert to local governments who could then clear timber or use the land for development. The time for public comment has been cut from the usual 3 months to just 21 days. I found this out yesterday. All the outdoor enthusiasts recreational sports people need to speak up. All who love nature and want there to be land available for enjoyment for generations to come need to make their voice heard. To read more about this go to www.regulations.gov and put in Docket Number FS-2025-0001. Midnight Sept. 19th is the deadline…sorry for the late notice. Read about it and then tell them what you think!