Summer beckons us outside to visit the mountains, river valleys and coastal shores. When we connect with Nature it gives us a sense of wellbeing. We rely on Nature’s resources to survive, but we also need to give back. Local leaders of the Amah Mutsun tribal band call it reciprocity. To practice reciprocity is to take only what we need and to live in balance with our planet and all living things.
As stewards of the Earth, we have not lived up to our end of the bargain. Negative human impacts are depleting fresh water supplies; threatening extinction of bees that pollinate our crops; and contributing to wildfire destruction of habitat and homes.
With summer and wildfire season upon us, Amah Mutsun Tribal Chair, Val Lopez, shares about the work of the Native Conservation Corps and its collaboration with CAL FIRE to reduce wildfire danger while protecting natural and cultural resources. We have thousands of years of indigenous history of fire management practices to learn from.
We can all learn from the past and practice reciprocity today.
1. Conserve and protect fresh water resources
2. Reduce garbage waste and improve recycling
3. Adopt xeriscape landscaping with native plants
4. Learn about natural history and nature conservation
5. Volunteer with a conservation group