Before joining the WRFI Environmental Ethics course I viewed Climate Change and challenges posed to Earth from the little corner of my world. I could watch nature documentaries about brush control by way of fire or read an article about Grinnell Glacier and how small it has become due to global warming. Yet, I was able to see the full scope of things on this course. WRFI created immersive experiences allowing me to be physically involved in what I am studying. For example, one day we visited Gus, a 1,000-year-old 100-foot-tall larch tree. The area Gus was in was surrounded by controlled fires to burn underbrush to prevent wildfires from burning down the other tall trees in the area. You can see evidence of this through Gus’ strong but darkened bark at its base.
Furthermore, before the course started, we were sent an article on Grinnell Glacier describing how it has gotten much smaller, shown through pictures dating back to 1910, due to climate change and global warming. But it was not until we actually hiked do Grinnell Glacier that I was able to see just how drastically it had changed because our guide Dave, who was an educational Glacier National Park Ranger, showed us the high moraine where the glacier used to be. Seeing both Gus and Grinnell Glacier made climate issues I saw on the news real. It made me see that I have the ability to actually go to these places and witness what is really happening. Then once I am there, I have the knowledge and passion to act on what is happening because it is not just a newsworthy topic because it is sad or indifferent but because it is something that is actually impacting the world.
WRFI provides you with the real time knowledge and tools you need to take action. Being in and visiting these different places, I have been able to fully apply myself to different situations being able to grasp the challenges and changes happening to our Earth head-on through my experiences at WRFI. From my in-person experiences with WRFI I will be able to apply what I have seen and learned to how I look at different areas of the world and challenges posed to it with open eyes and with a better consideration. A Whitebark Pine tree for example might seem okay from afar but to actually visit the tree and see it is suffering up close enables us to expend our thoughts about climate issues that seem out of reach. From my time on course, I will keep this in mind and apply it to my future whether that is to my job, an environmental action, or simply my mindset or acknowledging glacial melt or forest fires to others – sharing my experiences with those unable to see the full pictures as have on this Montana journey.