I have mixed feelings as I write this post. The image is a favorite location in the Sierras and a fond memory of a special trip with my kids to the wilderness. But it also holds a deeper meaning for me, a realization that future generations may not see the value in protecting such areas especially if they have little opportunity to experience them and ultimately appreciate and preserve them. Many children today are losing the basic understanding that nature exists even in their own backyards and neighborhoods, which further disconnects them from their knowledge and appreciation of the natural world. It’s important to realize that enjoying a city park can be just as valuable as visiting a wilderness area in terms of instilling a life-long connection with nature.

Richard Louv, in his book Last Child in the Woods, explores research linking the absence of nature in children’s lives to rising rates of obesity, attention disorders, and depression.  His findings point to an overload of electronic media combined with an understandable concern for safety from parents unwilling to just let their kids roam free. Fortunately Ken Burns recent series America’s Best Idea spurred new interest in our national parks, bringing families together in the outdoors and reversing a trend in recent years refered to as “nature deficit disorder”.

I am a member of several conservation organizations whose common goal is to preserve the natural world and to remind us of the less obvious ways that nature enhances our lives. It can improve our physical health and mental outlook, and most importantly it nurtures our souls.  ”In wildness is the preservation of the world” -  today Thoreau’s words are as meaningful as ever and if embraced by the next generation will ring true long into the future.

March 22nd is World Water Day. It’s hard to believe that we share the planet with nearly 1 billion people who don’t have access to clean drinking water. So enjoy that drink (but don’t forget to turn off the faucet).

A recent article in the Washington Post illustrated an interesting trend that is occurring in the medical profession these days and perhaps the timing couldn’t be better. Just when health insurance is the hot topic, doctors across the country are increasingly telling their patients to “take a hike” to fix what ails them.

No, they’re not trying to lose customers, but instead are medicating their patients with nature to treat everything from heart disease to attention deficit disorder. Detailed prescriptions are often written to include park or preserve locations,  specific trails and mileage. In many ways, as Ken Burns recently pointed out, our national park system can and should be an integral part of our health care system.

As a nature photographer, I spend a great deal of time on and off the trail and I feel fortunate that my work not only helps to protect these special places, but promotes my health in the process.