by Mary Ellen Johnson
The Firefly Story Hour, a part of the Georgia ForestWatch Fall Retreat, October 10, 2020, guided by Janisse Ray, author of Ecology of a Cracker Childhood, is a virtual storytelling session around a virtual campfire, 3-4-minute stories around the theme of CHANGE.
Epiphanies relating to Nature began for me in my 20’s living at the edge of the Apalachicola National Forest near Tallahassee, FL. I would ride my horse through the forest in peaceful solitude with another rider, many times scaring up flocks of wild turkey. It was exhilarating being almost alone in the forest which many people find boring as they mostly drove past the “Planted Pines Pay” signs on their way to the NW Gulf coast. I saw a different interior side: clear sinks such as Dismal Sink, small natural lakes including the one I lived on, and the wonder exploring my playground and hoping I didn’t find the stills “Cash Crops” and the pockets of marijuana, “Tallahassee Green” that were there.
This time period began with an epiphany that would shape my life into my forties: discovering the world underground in the late 1960’s that led me into North Florida and South Georgia caves. The vast crystal delicate formations were religious experiences that we cavers tried to protect from local young people; in fact, my first cave in Florida Caverns State Park was amazing until I saw a group first banging on stalagmites and stalactites and then breaking them with wild abandon – nauseating to me! I didn’t know they were protected and that I could have reported it! I became an experienced caver after that trip, exploring, surveying, and working with national and some international cavers until my knee repair and replacements. I am still involved with conservation, volunteer work, and camaraderie with the Dogwood City Grotto, the Southeastern Cave Conservancy, and the National Speleological Society.
Hiking, first in the Smoky Mountain National Park, and then the Tennessee/Alabama/Georgia (TAG) caving area, domestic and international trips, and now in the north Georgia area, I have been enthralled with the Old Growth trees; wildlife such as bears, elk, snakes, small creatures, birds and raptors, parrots, etc.; and the plant life that survives in wild areas. It is awesome to venture into the natural world listening to the wind, the cries from wildlife from the arctic to the jungle, and just the peace that silence brings.
What changes do I see in the forests and natural areas of today? Disturbing is the Timbering where trees used to live, Littering from people who disrespect wild places, Sounds of the ATV’s who tear up primitive areas, Overuse/Neglect of some of our heritage sites, wanton Destruction in formerly pristine caves, and the Financial loss of state and federal funding for public lands.
The fact that Climate Change is still considered by many a theory is maddening. When I view glaciers calving, see major storms and fires pelting the world, and experience the extreme highs of summer and lows of winter, I know climate change is in effect – how can others not understand this? I have lived 75 years, so I have seen the changes since my early years, and I know the earth is wobbling on its axis, but I also know we can’t stick our heads in the sand and ignore what our Mother Earth needs and how we can help in small ways by voting for the right candidates, conservation of our natural resources, advocating for forests and other natural places, and recycling, among other things. We can’t blame other countries and other Americans, but we can support what we know is right! Show by our actions what we believe is right! Do no harm!