Nature: An Appreciation
By Afsha Bawany
I threw away my Girl Scout badges. I kept them for oh so long that in my decluttering extravaganza, I thought these were items I would have to let go. I wasn’t in Girl Scouts for long. I did not earn a sash. I could let go of my Girl Scout badges, I reasoned, because I did not end up learning how to pitch a tent after all these years. I had not camped under the stars. I did not go backpacking. As a kid, I didn’t make s'mores because marshmallows were not halal since gelatin was one of its ingredients. Could I really consider myself a Girl Scout?
Fast forward a year later and I’ve reconsidered what the outdoors means to me. Everyone experiences nature differently and that’s OK. Growing up, a nature excursion meant feeding the fish at Lake Mead Marina with my parents.
I love being outdoors because you learn a lot about humanity - that is - if you consciously take the time to observe it. It’s this one shared space where we all seem to gravitate toward.
Nature is healing. It’s a way to connect back to the Earth. A way to find solitude when you need it and a way to spend quality time together. It’s a place to pray and meditate. It’s my way of appreciating God’s majesty. I marvel at the walkers - from the youngest to the oldest; the people with different abilities; the people who stargaze and share their telescopes because they are so excited to have us see what they see. I smile when I see people accompany their elders to ensure they too have a chance at seeing nature’s beauty. I love hearing the variety of languages and seeing people dress to their comfort levels.
I loved seeing the family that brought their rice cooker to a picnic area in Yellowstone National Park on my trip last month. Rock on, family! My family brings hot pots to picnics as well...and kabab rolled tightly in tortillas substituted for parathas on our picnic menu with containers of chutney in tow.
I saw a father with his kid in his backpack and heard him declare “the steps of righteousness are ahead,” as he walked up a trail at Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park last month. I wondered what he meant. I could have asked him when I saw him return. But leaving his comments to my interpretation made my journey all that more fun.
I saw a sliver of the Historic Railroad Trails in Boulder City. My family thought we could walk the trails in May of this year. We parked. We saw the map. We saw the temperature. And we turned right back around and instead headed to see bighorn sheep at Hemenway Park.
I admire people who will start a trail, find out there’s more ahead, and keep going because if they’ve gotten this far, why wouldn't they go further? I love every sentimental analogy and metaphor for life associated with the outdoors.
I saw a family taking a photo dressed in red matching attire at Christmas time last year at Exploration Peak Park in southwest Las Vegas. Memories in action.
I have videos of a family of ducks who made their way onto land in search of morsels of food at Floyd Lamb Park this past January. I took an Instagramable photo at Seven Magic Mountains off Interstate I-15 last summer.
Getting the motivation to go outdoors is one thing. Getting there is another. While Clark County Parks and Recreation oversees 100 public parks and southern Nevada has plenty of sunshine all year round, there can be barriers to accessing local jaunts like Valley of Fire State Park, Mt. Charleston, or Lake Mead. Underserved communities may not have access to transportation. Added to some of these barriers includes concerns about safety, health issues, and affordability.
That’s why I am encouraged by nonprofits like Get Outdoors Nevada.
Cheresa Taing and Roslyn Villa are staff members with Get Outdoors Nevada. The organization has several programs catered to a wide variety of park and recreational interests. A key component of the organization’s mission is to instill an appreciation of the outdoors, to encourage more stewards of the land who will acknowledge its value, Taing and Villa said. Some of the programs offered are geared for children and young adults to learn about ecology and environmental science. Other programs address the physical and mental health benefits attributed to spending time outside.
Taing and Villa reminded me how we can all ensure each of us has the opportunity to enjoy our parks and public lands. This starts with remembering we’re part of a community.
Sign up to experience nature how you want to. Help build a playground, disinfect the park, or plant a tree. Pick up trash from a park (recreate responsibly!). Encourage someone who wouldn’t normally go on their own to go outside with you. An act of service can be anything as simple as taking down streamers that may get into knots on a picnic area awning. Email info@getoutdoorsnevada.org for more information or check out the website for events.
By the way, halal marshmallows have since become available. I had three microwaved s'mores in a row sitting with my girlfriends, as we debated whether to play Uno Flip or Family Feud on our trip to Yellowstone National Park last month.
The s’mores were fantastic. The company - even better.
Scout’s honor.
In case you are interested, here are a few links to follow that will get you outside and appreciating nature.
Neon to Nature: Clark County’s walking and bike trails app
Afsha Bawany at Nevada’s Valley of Fire State Park. Photo/Afsha Bawany.
Afsha Bawany was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She is Director of Communications for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ (UNLV) Greenspun College of Urban Affairs. Afsha graduated from Northeastern University with a bachelor's degree in journalism. She earned her master's degree in urban leadership from UNLV. She is a former reporter and forever a writer. Her articles have appeared in The Boston Globe, Las Vegas Sun, Henderson Home News, Las Vegas Review-Journal, The Orange County Register, Las Vegas Business Press, Desert Companion Magazine, and The Huffington Post. Her twitter is @afshab.
Thank you for visiting Double Down, the Nevada Humanities blog. Any views or opinions represented in this blog are personal and belong solely to the blog author and do not represent those of Nevada Humanities, its staff, or any donor, partner, or affiliated organization, unless explicitly stated. All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. Omissions, errors, or mistakes are entirely unintentional. Nevada Humanities reserves the right to alter, update, or remove content on this blog at any time.