My wife, Susan, and I have lived in Northern Nevada for 26 years and have never visited Yosemite National Park. Some of our most beautiful treasures are those which exist right under our nose. We signed up for a week long expedition with "Roads Scholars" (formerly Elderhostel); and with 33 other middle aged ("upper end") citizens from all around the U.S. , we made our way to the Evergreen Conference Center, Oakhurst, Calif., for a truly remarkable experience.
There is no doubt that Yosemite is one of the most unique geographic spots on the face of the earth. Shear granite faces thrust 4,000 feet off the canyon floor (half dome and El Capitan); and spring waterfalls cascade thousands of feet down the sides of canyon walls with thundering sounds, creating their own environment, gray-tinted moisture with glorious rainbow colors piercing through the mist. A few miles away a grove of giant sequoias, some of the largest, oldest organisms on earth exist in the cool, moist atmosphere, standing sentinel for thousands of years (since before the time of Christ). They provide silent testimony to the power and glory of nature.
As beautiful as the national park was, the highlight of the trip was the artist, teacher, story-teller who shared her passion, knowledge, and love of this remarkable piece of earth called Yosemite. Shirley Spencer, naturalist, botanist, ornithologist, painter, singer, story teller and long distance marathon runner (training for 50 miles) spent most of the week revealing the glories of Yosemite. Tall, with a radiant smile, this 50-year old teacher and artist lives with her husband, Mark, right outside the park. Mark is a fireman, rock climber and EMT. Shirley is all of the above plus a Yosemite Interpreter. Ms. Spencer had something very informative, insightful to say each time she spoke ... sometimes very funny, even earthy, but always thoughtful, in good taste.
She shared her love of nature but also reminded us of the how fragile Yosemite is - how challenging it will be to preserve this glorious space for the future. She spoke of reduced funding for the National Parks, fewer rangers and more people who don't understand what it takes to preserve this fragile landscape. Citizens may now bring their weapons into the Park, legally, which portends disaster. Marijuana is grown, illegally, in remote areas, harvested, then fields abandoned, leaving toxic insecticides/fertilizers seeping into the groundwater. Criminal hunters enter the Park at night with high-powered rifles, killing bears for Asian delicacies, bear-paw soup and bear livers for prized aphrodisiacs (carcasses left to rot).
Ms. Spencer did not have the answers. Her challenge was to us. Do we know the answers? I hope so.
• Eugene Paslov is a board member of the Davidson Academy at the University of Nevada, Reno, and the former Nevada state superintendent of schools.