Protection for the People, from the People

Recently I heard that the mission of National Park Rangers is to:

Protect the people from the parks

the parks from the people

and

the people from the people

This was shared in a presentation by a Ranger who works for the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge. As we listened intently to his stories, I began to feel like I was in a really special place. This is one of four major bird flyways in North America and one of two areas with the highest concentration of American Bald Eagles.

Then he began to tell how the water shortages are affecting the refuges. Areas that were normally covered in water are now dry. When the birds fly through here this fall and winter expecting food and water, there will be none. Birds will die from disease they get from overcrowding in the limited area they can find.

Unfortunately it is a drought year and the farmers need water. However, their water has been cut off too, because of water rights that were established many years ago. It is a complex issue without an easy answer.

I asked the Ranger what I could do to help. He remarked that he “had never been asked that question before,” but that we could write Senator Ron Wyden from Oregon who is currently working to find a solution to this problem.

For today’s gift, I contacted Senator Wyden’s office to remind him to be certain that we were protecting the wildlife refuge for the people and from the people.

In Giving,

Robin