Two of my favorite scenes, one from Yellowstone Heart Song, the other from Yellowstone Deception. And here is a video to go along with what I was preaching in those scenes.... From Yellowstone Heart Song For the better part of the morning, Daniel led her through the forest, showing her how to read different tracks, other signs to look out for that an animal had been in the area, where to look for edible roots and plants, and how to watch the skies for changes in the weather. Along with the berries, she filled her backpack with mint, wild onions, licorice, and various other roots and plants. She had listened attentively as she tried to absorb everything Daniel told her. Some things she already knew, others were completely new to her. The subtle animal signs he picked up on astounded her. Silently, he had pointed out a black bear sow and her twin cubs in the distance, a moose in the thickets that she would have completely overlooked, and countless other smaller animals. He knew which critter made every track they came upon. He read the forest for information as someone in her time would read a newspaper. It was most refreshing to get a glimpse of this wilderness that she loved so much in her time from this man who carved out a living here Aimee savored the beauty of her surroundings. Aspen trees grew in abundance. Beaver lodges could be seen all along the streams, and countless otters played in the waters. With the coming of the fur trappers to these mountains within a decade of this time, the beaver would be trapped to near extinction. Wolves would be hunted until none remained, and without this predator, the elk would take over, causing the destruction of the aspen from overgrazing. This was a Yellowstone unfamiliar to her, but it was as nature had intended before the encroachment of man. From Yellowstone Deception “Look up ahead, Jana,” he called eagerly after what seemed like hours of silence. Jana had been walking behind him, concentrating on the ground, and not so much on her surroundings. She was in a foul mood, and realized that she really ought to pay more attention to what was going on around her. Even in modern times, a hiker needed to be aware of everything, or risk possible injury. Here in Yellowstone, the risks were even greater, what with the abundant wildlife and thermal features. Admit it, you’re comfortable that Dan will make sure nothing happens. The thought annoyed her even more. When he called for her attention, she looked up, wondering what had him so excited. He’d stopped walking, and pointed into the distance. Squinting, she held her hand to her forehead to shield her eyes from the sun. Off in the distance, a multitude of small dots moved along the river. “Pronghorn,” he said, answering her unspoken question. “I’ve never seen such a large group in one place. And look over there. The sheer number of aspens in this area is phenomenal.” Dan grinned widely. Excitement and wonder replaced the dull look in his eyes from earlier in the morning. Jana couldn’t help but stare at him. So much like Aimee, when she discovered new things in the park. “You’re right,” Jana said slowly. “I don’t remember there being this many aspen trees here.” “The ecosystem as it was meant to be is intact and well,” Dan said eagerly, surprise registering on his face. He looked at her, his eyes in constant motion. Abruptly, he turned his head to gaze once again into the distance, his arm outstretched, pointing towards the trees. “The trees have a chance to grow, because the prey animals, the deer, pronghorn, and elk, need to be constantly moving. With these mountains teeming with wolves, it’s not good for prey to remain in one place. What do you notice about the parks ungulates in our time?” Jana’s eyebrows rose in surprise. Suddenly, before her stood Dan Osborne, naturalist and park interpreter, leading a group of tourists on a discovery hike in Yellowstone. It came so natural to him, he reverted into that role now. He turned his head to look at her, waiting for an answer. “Uh . . .” she stammered. “There are a lot of elk?” Dan grinned. An indulgent grin. As if it was an answer he’d received many times. Her annoyance returned. Why were they discussing this? What did it matter anyhow? “Ever since the wolves were brought back to Yellowstone, the aspen, willow, and the beaver have slowly returned as well,” Dan said. “Simply because elk have had to change their behavior. With predators around, the grazers need to constantly be moving, and in our time, they had the luxury of staying together in large herds before the re-introduction of the wolf, moving or staying in one area as they chose, destroying young vegetation. Here we’re seeing how nature intended it. I can’t wait to see all the beaver dams I’m sure we’ll come across in some of the tributaries.” https://youtube/watch?v=ysa5OBhXz-Q
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 23:31:03 +0000
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