Respect the Canyon

True nature stewardship requires more than maintaining trails & facilities, more than picking up litter. Emerging research & awareness reveal the crucial need for an evolved nature ethics. A comprehensive ethics that compels us to not only conserve the physical aspects of wild areas, but also ensures that people observe & maintain necessary physical distance & healthy psychological boundaries around the wildlife living there. Everyone must recognize that wildlife requires substantial zones of privacy from our presence, our eyes, & our cameras to minimize human-induced stress & resulting behavioral changes. It requires all of us to acknowledge the right to life of wildlife, & wild plants too! It requires us to “Respect their Peace”!

People visit natural areas; this fact makes it impossible to remove all impact & stress. But we can help! Educate the public to consciously observe greater distance thresholds from animals. Minimize our groups sizes. Emphasize staying on established, designated trails. Do not trample plants. Finally, understanding & accepting that often the highest form of respect is to simply back away entirely.

It is time to step up our stewardship- not just to protect the land & habitat, but to safeguard the peace of the  plants & animals who call it home. This does not mean that we stop exploring & enjoying the wild places we love. But it demands that we become much more conscientious & mindful travelers.