Mt. Adams Institute Mt. Adams Institute
  • About Us
    • Programs
      • Overview
      • VetsWork Environment
      • VetsWork GreenCorps
      • Education Programs
      • Public Lands Stewards
    • About
      • Our Mission
      • Our Impact
      • Our Staff
      • The Board
      • Lodging
      • Program Partners
    • Our Members
      • VetsWork Environment Members
      • VetsWork GreenCorps Members
      • Public Lands Stewards Members
    • Contact Us
      • Reach HQ
      • Live & Social
      • Staff Employment
  • Internships
    • VetsWork Environment
    • VetsWork Greencorps
    • Public Lands Stewards
  • Summer Camps
  • Sense of Place
    • Lecture Series
    • Hear in the Gorge Podcast
    • Dear Neighbor Project
    • Community Workshops
  • Blog
  • Support
    • Donate
    • Gift A Scholarship
    • Capital Campaign
    • Volunteer
Close
  • About Us
    • Programs
      • Overview
      • VetsWork Environment
      • VetsWork GreenCorps
      • Education Programs
      • Public Lands Stewards
    • About
      • Our Mission
      • Our Impact
      • Our Staff
      • The Board
      • Lodging
      • Program Partners
    • Our Members
      • VetsWork Environment Members
      • VetsWork GreenCorps Members
      • Public Lands Stewards Members
    • Contact Us
      • Reach HQ
      • Live & Social
      • Staff Employment
  • Internships
    • VetsWork Environment
    • VetsWork Greencorps
    • Public Lands Stewards
  • Summer Camps
  • Sense of Place
    • Lecture Series
    • Hear in the Gorge Podcast
    • Dear Neighbor Project
    • Community Workshops
  • Blog
  • Support
    • Donate
    • Gift A Scholarship
    • Capital Campaign
    • Volunteer


DB-Blog3-Header

I am 28 years old now, yet one lesson in middle school about politics and ecology has remained vivid in my mind. I remember being taught about the Chinese communist revolution and their desire to kill the birds that were eating their grain. In order to increase crop production, Mao Zedong had ordered the killing of sparrows. The reasoning was that if the birds were killed, more grain would be available for the population. The decline in the sparrow population resulted in unrestrained growth for many types of insects; subsequently, the insects actually did more damage to crop yields than the birds themselves. This, and other factors, contributed to the death of millions of people due to starvation.

[youtube height=”HEIGHT” width=”WIDTH”]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjRZIW_hRlM[/youtube]

In the videos subtitles: “Cereals” = Grain. 🙂

Despite this memorable teaching, I had not given much thought about ecology growing up in California. I grew up in a medium size developed city near the coast; it all seemed pretty barren. The animals that I had seen growing up near my home were the occasional stray cat or dog. The plants that I remember were presumably mostly nonnative ornamental plants. In 2015, I moved to Oregon for the VetsWork program with the Mt. Adams Institute, AmeriCorps, and the Forest Service. Between the immersion into this new region and my responsibilities with the Forest Service, ecology has become a reoccurring thought.

One of the most interesting examples I have come across are the wolves of Yellowstone. In 1926 wolves were eradicated from Yellowstone National Park, and in 1995 wolves were reintroduced to the area. Elk are the preferred food source for these wolves, and when the elk populations began to decline something interesting occurred. Vegetation began to thrive once again, most notably many of the species of trees. With the increase in trees, beavers returned to their native habitats and the damns they built provided habitats for insects, birds, and other animals. The pools of water created by the damns also helped more plants to grow; which in turn helped more species to thrive (1). This is one of the positive accounts I have come across.

1. http://www.bioinfo.rpi.edu/~bystrc/pub/artWolves.pdf

From the air we breathe to the water we drink, we are inextricably linked to our environment. To be more specific, Oregon, Washington, and a few southern states are the primary producers of timber and lumber. When individuals mismanage these resources by destroying animal populations, introducing nonnative species, or introducing pollutants, we all lose in the long run. We rely on these resources, and without them our lives would change dramatically. Without proper management these resources are no longer sustainable. Change begins with the individual and trickles up to society.

[youtube height=”HEIGHT” width=”WIDTH”]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa5OBhXz-Q[/youtube]

Partner Logo Banner

Share

FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest

Leave a Reply / Cancel Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Join Our Mailing List

Be sure to add your name to the roster, so we can send you latest news, jobs, events and resources.

Make a Donation

Make a Donation

Recent Posts

  • VetsWork: Reflecting on the Year
  • VetsWork: Full Circle
  • VetsWork: A Transformative Experience
  • VetsWork: Opportunity During a Pandemic
  • Public Lands Stewards: Learning, Growth, and Good Times

Categories

  • Bulletin
  • Cascade Mountain School
  • Fun & Miscellaneous
  • Mountain Talk
  • Public Lands Stewards
  • VetsWork Environment
  • VetsWork Greencorps

Check Out Instagram

View

Jan 14

Open
Blue Hour at Mount Adams, The #bluehour is the period of #twilight when the Sun is at a significant depth below the horizon and residual, indirect sunlight takes on a predominantly blue shade.
______________________________

#mtadamsinstitute  #mountainreflections  #explorewashstate #pnwonderland #cascadiaexplored #cascadia #wonderfulwashington #wonderfulwashingtonstate #pnwescapes #pnwadventures #pnwadventurers #pnwcrew #pnw_shooters #mtadams #giffordpinchotnationalforest #giffordpinchot #pnwphotographer #pnwphotography #leavenotrace #washingtonphotography #bluehourphotography #klickitatcounty #photography #blue #light #landscapephotography #landscapephotographer #mountains
48 10

View

Apr 19

Open
She’s off for her school overnight trip! She handled all of her own packing and I am fully confident that means she’ll have at least 95% of the things she really needs. Girlfriend is on top of it! #urchinadventures #montessorikids #overnightfieldtrip #cascademountainschool
33 1

View

Jun 4

Open
Showing 5th graders how to set up their wetland samples so they can collect their macro invertebrates. 
#mai #LNFH #EntiatOutdoorSkillsDay #ENFH #americorp #mtadamsinstitute
10 0

View

Aug 7

Open
Last week marked the end of our Mountain to Valley summer camp! For two weeks, students conducted meaningful ecological research while farming, backpacking, mountaineering, and camping. We hope that they left connected to themselves, with new skills and friends, and inspiration to become positive leaders and change makers in our world! #mtadamsinstitute #cascademountainschool #mountaintovalley #mtadams #troutlakevalley  #highschoolcamp #science #stewardship
17 0

View

Mar 1

Open
#leavenworthnationalfishhatchery #mai #mtadamsinstitute #vetswork2016 #americorps
2 0
Load More
  • Back to Blog
  • Prev
  • Next

Mt. Adams Institute collaborates with the following partners:

© Copyright 2017 Mt. Adams Institute. All rights reserved.
Mt. Adams Institute is an equal opportunity employer.
contact us | partnership inquiries | site credit