Week of August 11, 2024 – August 17, 2024
by Katie McLaughlin, Environmental Educator
Nature is where we get everything from. From clothing, to food, to even our technology – without nature humankind would not be where we are today.
This past week I have spent time with our Voyagers wilderness survival camp. We traveled back in time to start a fire, carved our own spoons using coals from the fire, and made shelters. Both the campers and myself learned, relearned, and practiced skills that have been taught and passed down through generations of people. These methods and skills are used around the world.
First, fire. When humans learned how to control fire, we were able to cook our food. Natural fires occur due to lighting strikes, and over time different methods were found to create fire. Some rocks when hit together may create a spark, or even compression from a piston can create enough heat to make a coal. Now we use lighters or matches, but without learning how to control fire from nature we wouldn’t be where we are today.
Second, carving. If you walked the Harrison trail this past week, you likely saw this group of campers sitting on some logs carving away in the morning working on wooden spoons they created. Knowing the time it took for the tree to grow, the effort of building a fire, and spending a few hours during the week to carve leaves an impression. These campers know the impact of their actions and how we rely on nature to support us.
Last but not least, Shelters. It’s how we stay dry, warm, and protected. Equipped with some parachute cord, a tarp, and an incoming downpour – it is impressive how quickly a group can figure out how to stay dry. Modern homes are built of lumber and sheetrock, but looking back we have stone, cobb, thatch… we use natural materials to build our homes, allowing us to live closer to something we need or weather we prefer.
From the cotton in our clothing to the metals in our technology, we rely on nature to support us. While it may not be in the exact same ways as our ancestors or our Voyager campers this past week – nature is what supports us. As our campers learned from the challenge of building a fire with three matches, be mindful of how you are using your resources.