Humans in industrialized societies experience the outdoors in different ways. Some people like to walk and use their senses. They like outdoor experiences to be a retreat. Meditative walking is called, forest bathing.

In this video, Mercy M’Fon one of the founder of WIld Diversity, the reasons her organization exists. She gives a overview of the history of national park creation. She explains the barriers to POC (People of Color) getting out and experiencing the outdoors.

Also, she talks about something I only thought about in passing, how the spirit of industrial competition pervades outdoor activity and management.

 

 

Speed and Competition  in the Outdoors

Others like to bring industrialized society’s ideas of speed and competition to the outdoors. Snowmobiling, power boats, jet skis,  bungee jumping, and extreme sports. Look at the popularity of sports which pit, ‘man against nature’. Extreme sports are sports were one false and you die. You die in nature.

Not everyone who does extreme sports values the outdoors because they are children of Mother Earth. And extreme sports are expensive. People who are poor don’t have the funds to participate in outdoor sports. Which may be some of the point to the activities that take priority.

Competitive outdoor sports have conquering and bragging rights.

 

Overview of the Creation of National Parks

Brief overview of the history of creation of national parks. National parks in the Americas and around the world were born out of colonialism. It was another way for colonial powers to grab indigenous lands. After industrialization had destroyed the ecosystems surrounding cities and towns, the remaining lands of indigenous peoples were the only fully functioning and beautiful lands.

Indigenous peoples were driven from their lands because industrial governments said they could manage them better. But, the future national parks were beautiful functioning ecosystems were managed by the same indigenous peoples. And lands managed by industrialists were polluted and had failed and failing ecosystems.

Take Away from

The philosophy of ‘man against nature’

Wild Diversity https://wilddiversity.com/