The Eagle Has Landed—Landscape Without Wildlife is Just Scenery
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
— Margaret Mead
I appreciate receiving questions and responses to my stories. This week a reader asked me “how do you manage to stay positive after witnessing so much destruction and knowing how much has been lost in just a few decades. I despair just reading about it and seeing pictures or film. You on the other hand are out there seeing it for real. What keeps you going, Hope?”
When we choose hope over despair, we lift each other up. Intentional acts of kindness, taking care of the environment, speaking up for social justice, and celebrating beauty and positive change make the world a better place—these actions matter and have impact.
No question, environmental problems are significant at this time in history, but there are examples of successful conservation stories. Here’s one where I live in Southwestern Ontario Canada. When I moved here in 1982, the environment was still recovering from the use of DDT, the most powerful pesticide the world had ever known. Rachel Carson, renowned nature author and a former marine biologist, wrote Silent Spring in 1962 and exposed the hazards of the indiscriminate use of DDT. Carson was a lone voice sounding an alarm and speaking up for nature. The large chemical companies scoffed at her and tried to silence her. Undeterred, she did meticulous research and proved that DDT was negatively impacting entire ecosystems everywhere. Thanks to Carson’s work DDT was eventually banned.
One of the effects of DDT was that across North America eagle eggs became so thin they did not survive. As a result, eagles all but disappeared from the continent and were added to the endangered list. The good news? When we take poison out of the environment nature recovers. Over the past couple of decades eagle sightings began to increase here in our river valley and along the shores of the neighbouring Great Lakes. This year I’ve seen as many as 10 eagles circling in the sky at one time. They are everywhere! I see them as messengers of hope and proof of the resilience of nature. Watching them soar is a testimony to the positive impact of the environmental movement.
Photographing eagles is difficult—trying to track them as they fly by at high speed means I have hundreds of images of clipped wing tips and tail feathers and blurred shapes in the sky, but I love the challenge. In the process I’m learning more and more about these majestic birds.
Indigenous people see the eagle as a messenger with a special connection to the Creator since it flies higher than any other bird. Eagles are associated with vision, strength, and wisdom. We came so close to losing this iconic bird of prey. Their intense stare and raucous chirping at me confirm they are back! I am thrilled. The return of the eagles is entirely thanks to one woman’s understanding of the interconnectedness of nature and her commitment to preserve it. Thank you, Rachel Carson, for your vision, your work and holding onto hope. Yes, we can make a difference. Save wildlife, save the planet.
Thank you for reading. Support conservation efforts by purchasing an eagle iPhone case or print from my photograph. And every purchase of a wildlife-inspired piece in my full store helps charitable organizations doing valuable conservation work across the planet.