Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
land. Yet in such a situation, few of us would strap on machete and binoculars
each morning to battle the tropical heat, briars, and insects on behalf of birds.
Fewer still would take the initiative to spread the gospel of restoration to their
neighbors, gaining access and i nancial support to af ect land well beyond
their ownership. But this is Steve's hobby. Rather than retire to play golf, he
retired to practice ecology and conservation. He is making up for an inability
to do so earlier in life, when the Vietnam War called him away from his zoo-
logical studies. Like golf, he notes that his pastime is expensive, but fun! And
like all great pursuits, others enjoy it, too. Downslope on the humid Pacii c
shore Jack Ewing is restoring Hacienda Barú to include a national wildlife
refuge. In the high mountains, Marino Chacón Zuniga and his family nurture
ancient oaks along the Savegre River. Both of these former cattle ranchers
traded cows for tourists decades ago and now proudly of er extensive, re-
stored native forests for all to enjoy. These are exceptional ef orts by unique
people in biologically important areas, but even if you live in an apartment in
downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, you can be a good neighbor to the wild crea-
tures that share your residence. Let's look at some practical ways to support
the native communities where we live.
It's easy to learn what it takes to foster a vibrant ecosystem. The inputs and
outputs, so to speak, are quite simple. All life requires food, water, and shel-
ter; if we seek to practice stewardship with urban nature, we must provide
these prerequisites. In larger natural systems, solar power and the consistency
of creating new soil with ample fertilizer and water for plants deliver all the es-
sentials. Plants in turn are food and shelter either directly or indirectly for
nearly all other life, by feeding herbivores that become food for carnivores, for
example. In subirdia, and especially in more urban areas, our ef ect on plants—
