In my Forest Therapy Guide Training, we were asked to do some reading and exploration of the land that we are on.  My classmates hail from Washington, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida, New York, Vermont, Canada, etc. so we represent different regions of our country (and even beyond the U.S.)!  We were invited to read about our local watersheds, the beings around us, and view geological maps of our respective regions with the intention of getting to know more about our specific place in the world.  I downloaded the Merlin Bird ID app (developed by the Cornell Lab of Orinthology) to help identify some of our local birds here in Connecticut.  It’s amazing to hear (and better understand) the symphony of birds all around us.

A fascinating part of this exploration was viewing the Map of Life.  It’s a website where you can explore the biodiversity of the places we call home.  On the one hand, Connecticut is not a large state from a geographical perspective.  On the other hand, there is a great deal of biodiversity here.  There are 593 species of birds and 213 species of butterflies here in Connecticut.  There are 113 species of mammals, 111 species of trees, and 1,526 distinct species of fish alone! 

It’s also important to note that there are some species in Connecticut that are endangered.  In fact, CT Insider shared a story this week about the saltmarsh sparrow: ” the only species of songbird to exclusively nest in the tall, swaying grasses that borders the seashore.”*  The Center for Biological Diversity has filed an endangered species petition with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help protect these birds.  Saltmarsh sparrows have lost 85% of their population recently, and this precarious situation is due to rising sea levels and coastal development.  Time is running out to restore salt marshes (which helps more than just the saltmarsh sparrows), and this is quite literally happening in our backyard.

All of this to say, it’s good to truly know about the places we call home.
It’s good to understand that there is a diversity of life here.
The entire world doesn’t revolve around us!
Perhaps understanding biodiversity can help us better care for God’s good creation and be truly thankful for all the beings with whom we share our environment. 

Love,
Pastor Lauren

*Vincent Gabrielle, “Climate change could lead to CT coastal bird’s extinction by 2050, experts warn,” CT Insider, April 23, 2024. https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/ct-saltmarsh-sparrow-extinction-2050-19416151.php

Photo by Rev. Lauren Ostrout.

Thursday Thoughts 4/25/24