As 2016 quickly comes to a close, and we move into a new year, 2017, it is a time of reflection, but also a time for hope, hope for a wonderful year ahead of us all. What do I hope for? Well, that sometimes depends on the day, but as I look forward to yet another year, I hope for many things. I hope that fewer species of plants, animals and other organisms become extinct as a result of human activity than in 2016. I hope that a little less natural habitat is lost to human activity, and that we preserve a little more to prevent future destruction. I hope that a little less carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, and that 2017 is not another "hottest year on record". I hope that our streams, rivers and lakes are less polluted in 2017, and that so many of the freshwater species found in these habitats thrive in a new year. I hope that the growth of the human population on this planet slows, at least a little. I hope that fewer people die of starvation, of malaria, of cancer, around the world, and that we do more to protect the health of not just natural habitats, but the health of all living things. I hope that we plant more trees than we cut down, plants are so important for us, and all animals. And mostly, I hope that family, and all of my friends, both old and new, have a fun, healthy, happy and adventurous 2017. These are just a few of the things I am hoping for as we move into another year. Please, be well.

Brian

p.s. And I also really hope that Trump doesn't screw up too badly, might be a long four years.

I wrote this for an old friend after I learned of the death of her husband. I also wrote this for myself, and thought I might share with others.


Special Places and Special People

Special places in nature, and special people make life worth living. Find those places, and those people, then live, and love. Cherish each moment you get to spend in those places and with those people. The beauty of nature has no equal in this world, except in those wonderful people who become part of our lives. Find peace and happiness in all that is beautiful in life. Live for the love of those special places, and for the love of those special people.  B.C.L. Shelley 2016

I guess you could say that I "missed" the holiday in the United States known as Thanksgiving, as I was not in the US at the time, I was actually in Puno, Peru, along the shores of Lake Titicaca, at 12,650 feet in elevation. It definitely was not your typical Thanksgiving, no turkey, no American football, no pumpkin pie. Instead, I enjoy some trout from Titicaca, and a couple of cold Cusquenas before getting to bed early, needed to catch a boat for an excursion on the lake early. But while my Thanksgiving was atypical, it was still a time to reflect on what I am thankful for, think this is what this holiday is supposed to be about, right? And yes, I am thankful for family and friends, that I am still alive, sure, but I wish more people would think about many other things we should all be thankful for.  Here is my short list (very short list), scratched on a piece of paper while finishing my second, maybe third Cusquena, at some random restaurant in Puno.
1. I am thankful for the beauty and majesty of nature, of natural places, especially those untouched by the hand of man.  Nothing in this world can rival the beauty of nature, of the plants and animals, the physical structures like waterfalls and mountains, the wind-swept dunes and crashing waves, the sun and the moon, nothing can equal what we have on this amazing Planet (well, moon and sun are not really on this planet, but are part of what we experience here). I just wish more would appreciate what we have more often, as wild nature is vanishing quickly , and it will not be long before there is very little left. Please, be thankful for wild places, please appreciate the beauty of wild nature, and please let us all do as much as we can to preserve as much as we can before it is all gone.
2. I am thankful for fresh, clean, often cold, water, the water which sustains and nourishes us all. I have studied the ecology of freshwater systems for years, and this research is an important part of who I am. You can go days without eating, but you will not last long without a drink of water. And also, when we look at the number of species threatened with extiction, a much higher percentage of species living in our streams and rivers, our lakes and wetlands, are endangered when compared to species living in terrestrial habitats. Freshwater species are in trouble, they need our help, they need our special attention.
3. I am thankful in general for the diveristy of life on the planet, the diversity of all living things, plants, animals, even those often pesky microorganisms. While we do not know exactly how many species do exist on the planet, we know that there are many more undiscovered than discovered species, we know that many species are being lost to extinction before they are even identified, and that if we do not act quickly, we could lose as many as 25% or more of all species which once existed on the planet in the next fifty years, on top of what we have already lost. These species, all of them have value, and most offer us valuable ecosystem services, services with which we cannot do without.
4. I am thankful that Trump did not win the election to become the next president of the United States ..... oh damn, I got that one wrong. Oh damn. What happened?
5. And lastly (though I could go on, and on), I am thankful that I have had many opportunities to experience the wonders of nature, including the opportunity to be experiencing my current adventure, my trip to South America. This adventure has not started out as planned, but I have seen some really cool things, and hope to see much more as my travels continue south, in Chile, into Patagonia, the real focus of the trip.