Yesterday,Iris and I presented a program at the Geronimo Museum in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. It was a very interesting opportunity to discuss our concerns about the impact humans have had on our environment. Several attendees belonged to a rock and gem club with an interest in the connection between forestry and geology. There were also educators in attendance, who were particularly interested in what needs to be done to improve future environmental education programs. I was particularly interested in their appreciation for the need to develop management prescriptions that emphasizes improving diversity within our remaining forested lands. It was also rewarding to observe the groups understanding and support for the need to reach back to our past to teach our youth how to observe and appreciate the complexity of our human environment. I sincerely hope that our efforts will encourage others to take an active role in reaching out to change current management goals and objectives that will drive the management of our forests. These programs have been exciting,as we learn much from the opportunity to dialog with a wide range of public interests. This meeting may have disclosed an opportunity for some economic support to further our efforts. It would be exciting to be able to develop some educational videos on observing and understanding the complexity of our human surroundings, for use in the schools at all levels.
The other exciting thing has been the completion of our efforts to document Iris's Cherokee ancestry. When we started this effort, we hoped to develop a family tree for members of our family. After 5 years of research, the information and interesting stories discovered exceeded our expectation and seemed to demand much more than a simple ancestry tree. The result is a short story that includes the ancestry connections and many of the stories about the individuals involved. We have learned much from these two projects but most important has been the recognition that the wisdom of our indigenous people is where the key to the proper management of our forests is to be found.
The other exciting thing has been the completion of our efforts to document Iris's Cherokee ancestry. When we started this effort, we hoped to develop a family tree for members of our family. After 5 years of research, the information and interesting stories discovered exceeded our expectation and seemed to demand much more than a simple ancestry tree. The result is a short story that includes the ancestry connections and many of the stories about the individuals involved. We have learned much from these two projects but most important has been the recognition that the wisdom of our indigenous people is where the key to the proper management of our forests is to be found.
