Finding Balance in Natural Spaces

In modern culture the concept of ‘wild’ or ‘wildland’ tends to lean in a direction of untouched spaces miles and miles away from human life, but what must be understood is that our wild outdoor spaces are the spaces we constantly share when we take steps outside our doors. The lake down the path in my friend's backyard is a shared space containing its own wild spaces and yet all the houses in their neighborhood wish it to stay picturesque, ‘clean’ and natural.

The challenge when sharing this urban-wild space is the want for a ‘natural’ and protected space, but also a space that can be used or visited. All the lakefront landowners in my hometown pride themselves on homes and spaces that highlight the beauty and view of the lakes. This often means large open and impeccably kept lawns that require lots of lawn care and lead to an increase of phosphorus in lakes creating large and dangerous algal blooms.

In lecture we talked about losses of vegetation and damage to plants and aside from fragmented habitats due to roads another challenge that is present when managing our urban-wild spaces comes from our winterization and incessant salting of roads. We do this to provide safer ways for transportation, but it also causes salt burn and increases the salinity of soils in the area.

What is important to understand through all interactions in our outdoor spaces is that there is a balance involved and that some actions might tip things in one direction or another. The goal in our desires to be among wilderness and natural resources is to take actions so we can find that balance, but that is also the challenge. Landowners of lakefront properties could monitor their lawn care regimes, or not have lawns at all. To lessen the effects of salt burn, cities could monitor or decrease salt use or use brine to protect nutrient soils.

So, is it possible to be amongst our natural wild spaces and also protect them? Can we have AND eat the cake? It is not an easy question nor an answer. It is all about the balance we create and how much we pay attention to it. Understanding how your actions impact the wild or urban spaces you inhabit is the most important part.