Perspectives
What places hold a special place in your heart? What do they mean to you, and what’s at stake if they were to disappear?
“The landscapes that hold a special place in my heart are those where I am deeply intentional and where I’ve fostered profound relationships with nature and people. These places represent a refuge of commonality and should they vanish, we risk losing vital biodiversity, cultural heritage, and food security.”
- Fraser Moore, BMLT Conservation Manager
I grew up in Fruita, CO. I didn’t have an upbringing where we had access to resources to regularly engage in outdoor recreation like mountain biking or snowboarding. But there were mountains all around us, right in my backyard. When I needed to clear my head and escape from stress, I would walk the trails. I felt powerful knowing I could climb a mountain, despite whatever financial situation I was in. Nature was always there to comfort me, and I think the healing it provides is vital for the human spirit to thrive.
— Carleen Allen, BMLT Administrative Assistant & Whitman College Student
“The landscapes and rivers of the Blue Mountains are the lifeblood of our communities. They have sustained the inhabitants of this region since time immemorial and continue to be an integral part of who we are today. To lose these places is to lose our own identities, for what is a springtime in the Blue Mountains without the salmon in the streams and the elk in the forests? We owe these places a debt of gratitude and have a responsibility for their stewardship. We owe it to them. We owe it to ourselves.”
— Anton Chiono, Habitat Conservation Project Leader, CTUIR Department of Natural Resources
“The upper reaches of rivers host desired habitat for spawning of salmonids like Spring Chinook Salmon and Steelhead. There is a very finite amount of these waters, so they have an important role in regards to sustainability by having a healthy connected floodplain that provides additional benefits for the residents of the City of Dayton.”
— Bill Warren, Warren Orchards & BMLT Supporter
“It’s easy to be swept away by the grandeur of the Wallowa Mountains and Hells Canyon of Northeast Oregon. But it is the small pieces of a place that bring me the most joy: a perfectly clear spring bubbling from the ground, an iridescent insect, a mushroom or plant that I’ve never seen before. Tiny details combine to form the intricate filigree of nature. These experiences keep me falling in love with the land. I fear that if we don’t honor them, we may collectively lose that connection.”
— Pip Redding, Blue Mountains Trail Coordinator, Greater Hells Canyon Council