I have always carried a deep connection to the outdoors. I was born in a rural town in Michoacán, Mexico which is where my indigenous identity is rooted; and I grew up in Fort Bragg, California, a small town nestled between the vastness of the Pacific Ocean and the great Redwood Forest. It wasn’t uncommon for friends and I to walk to the quiet beaches after school or on a weekend morning. In middle school, I joined a climbing and hiking club which would often explore the adjacent streams and rolling hills of Jackson State Forest. In high school, I ran cross country. Through that sport I was lucky enough to spend afternoons running on coastal trails, and at times traveling inland to run through vineyards, and around serene lakes. I very much enjoyed my time connecting to nature in the area of California that I grew up in. Even today, I find that when life gets a little too hectic, nothing grounds me quite like nature.
Read MoreThis piece originally appeared as an article written for the Christian Science Monitor on October 21, 2021.
From her office in the visitor center at the still-under-construction Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, Jennifer Owen-White has a perfect view of the fuel terminals and salvage yards that dot the horizon.
One day soon, there will be wetlands, trails, and saltgrass meadows in the foreground. But those fuel tanks and junked cars will still loom like a storm cloud in the distance, an “important reminder,” says Ms. Owen-White, of “what my job is and why this refuge exists.”
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Today marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, a holiday established to reflect on the contributions and culture of Hispanic and Latinx people in the United States. Hispanic Heritage Month is a complex month for many as we grapple with the implications of colonization and our identities. During this timeframe, September 15 to October 15, the Latinx, Hispanic, and Multicultural ERG will be sharing stories from and uplifting our members, as well as amplifying the contributions that Hispanic, Latinx, Indigenous, Black environmentalists, and conservationists are risking their lives to accomplish. We hope that you’ll follow along with us as we explore these narratives!
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I grew up in the very busy metropolitan city of Bogota, Colombia, and the majority of my time was spent going to the mall or school. Once in a while, my family and I would take trips to the countryside to see beautiful scenery and enjoy the wonderful biodiversity, but as a kid, I was more interested in my Nintendo than engaging with the nature around me.
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This piece originally appeared as a blog post on July 21, 2021 via The National Wildlife Federation during Latino Conservation Week.
By Bianca McGrath-Martinez | 07/21/2021
Saturday, July 17th marked the start of the 8th annual celebration of Latino Conservation Week, which is an initiative of the Hispanic Access Foundation created to support Latinx communities getting into the outdoors and participating in activities that protect our natural resources.
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I had never heard of the Delaware Water Gap until my freshman year of college. Months before classes were scheduled to start, I had signed up on a whim to my school’s outdoor orientation program, thinking that it would be of great benefit to make friends before school officially started. Although I grew up in Salt Lake City, I was never- in any sense of the word- “outdoorsy.” I was, as a matter of fact, quite indifferent to the whole notion of outdoor recreation, with a strong desire to live in a large metropolitan area like New York City or Los Angeles. I didn’t own any outdoor gear, and mostly shut down ideas of hikes with my siblings, who have both been outdoor enthusiasts. I didn’t expect much from the trip beyond making a few friends and coming home with a lot of mosquito bites. What I came away with, though, was invaluable
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