Site 67

I've been camping at least once annually since I was 4 years old and every time it's "special" to get away from the noise and into the wild. Middle Saranac in upstate NY has been my place for this ever since I can remember-- it's a mile walk through the woods then another mile down the beach (which isn't cleaned up by any service and usually smells like clams) and is lined with blueberry bushes and marshland set behind. If you paddle in, it's a couple of miles through the creek and the open lake. I can always tell exactly where we're going because there was a washout on the face of a cliff near the site which is always bright because of the sandy orange dirt that spills over. Usually it's me, my mom and our dogs meeting up with a father-daughter duo and their dog for a week or so. I occasionally brought friends when I got older but they never quite understood "the point" and would become frustrated when there was no cell service-- to me, being off the grid is something magical in itself these days. We've been through crazy t-storms, coyote howlings, loon songs, shooting stars, sunk canoes and rapids at site 67. And as a kid I remember how much I used to like pretending the waterfront was a house (as an only child I managed to get very creative at playing alone) with multiple rooms and a walk out balcony-- which was really just a fallen tree over the lake-- and a high-class kitchen stocked with clam shell spoons. I would wander off into the woods for hours and sit by the fire until I fell asleep. Needless to say, I've seriously mastered the s'more marshmallow toasting. Despite the outrageous mosquito bites, Saranac Lake has definitely been my enchanting engagement with the non-human world that has probably shaped a lot of my feelings toward nature into adulthood.

That said, it's probably pretty apparent that I think saving nature is something we should concern ourselves with. Regardless of whether it's for "human enjoyment" and the fulfillment of biophilia as with National Parks, or if it's to conserve the biodiversity of a region and protect nature from being paved over for strip malls, saving nature is absolutely critical. Environmentally, we rely on it for ecosystem services, natural resources and even enjoyment so from a selfish American point of view we need to conserve what's left if we want to continue forward. But through a more sentimental and personal lens, I think that nature is simply too amazing to destroy or just assume will "grow back" after we've used all it has to "offer" us. Given the modern day economy, it's clear that a serious overhaul on our perception of and relationship with nature is required if we're going to save it. Another concern with this altered concept of nature that's developed can be seen in our children-- they'd rather play video games and watch Nickelodeon than go play outside or climb a tree. Many urban kids are even fearful of the woods-- quick anecdote: I was the nature director at a summer camp after I graduated high school and we had a group of fresh air kids come for the week.. mind you they were 16+ years old.. and during one of our "lessons" we stumbled upon a deer carcass that had been eaten by a coyote. I took the opportunity to explain the food chain to them until most of the guys started screaming and running the other way (although they had no idea where they were going) while the girls clutched onto me fearing for their lives. This wouldn't happen if they'd had a proper "introduction to nature" and its wonders; the fact that they're not afraid of hearing shootings at night but freak out over a dead deer in the woods is pretty telling of the sort of society we've become.