Sense of Wonder in the field- Anavi Curtiss

My mom has always been big on taking walks. I have not. But every now and then on the weekends she would bribe me with a nice breakfast from the bakery to get me to go visit the outdoors. As a result, I would often enjoy taking a stroll out in the wilderness, and it gave me the opportunity to observe the life around me from up close.

One of our regular spots was the Rachel Carson Trail in Wells. We would go there so often that it became a regular habit to keep track of all the Canada geese and egrets we would see, of all the trees that were broken by storms, new chipmunk holes in the trail, and newly inhabited tree knots. I learned to appreciate nature as one big organism that changes over time, full of hidden surprises and little treasures.

This summer I joined the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge team for a season as a Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) crew member. Not only did this give me the opportunity to learn about trail work, but it also allowed me to better understand nature as more than just nature. After spending about a month and a half of learning and working hard on conservation projects every day, my point of view on the environment has almost entirely changed.

Although I’m not that experienced with it, I can tell how certain spots on the trails have eroded, how some invasive species of plants are affecting the vegetation around them, and how the trees and brush have bent and grown to absorb the most sunlight possible. My new observational skill that fascinates me the most is the ability to look at different plants growing in a field and not only identify a few of them, but also see how different parts of a field have different vegetation as a result of elevation, among other factors.

Mom and I still go on walks often, and these days I am not as unwilling to go. However, now when I go on walks with her, whether it be at the Rachel Carson Trail or some other location, I can enjoy the nature around me as more than just a place. I can watch it evolve as a collection of many beings, a continuous cycle of growth. I can remember that I am just another being growing and changing with my environment.

This blog is part of a series celebrating 50 years of conservation at Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge by reflecting on the legacy of the famed conservationist.

Anavi Curtiss has been living in Maine for the last eleven years, and enjoys exploring trails around the state. She worked at Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge as a YCC crew member for six weeks over the summer.

Follow this link to learn about the Youth Conservation Corps program at Rachel Carson NWR and find out how you can get involved: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Rachel_Carson/what_we_do/ycc.html