The Gardens



"Nature is not a place to visit, it is home..." - Gary Snyder

I am hoping to have a copy of my thesis as well as other environmental articles on this page. Please check back later, but in the meantime, here are a collection of environmental links.

  • The Nature Conservancy A Non-governmental organization dedicated to preserving wild areas and habitats around the world.

  • The Wilderness Society A similar organization, created to preserve wilderness areas.

  • World Wildlife Fund A link to their webpage, with information on their various projects and ways you can help.

  • The Environmental Protection Agency In theory, the US agency dedicated to hmmm... Environmental Protection? Under the current administration, we will see how well this idea is upheld.

  • Walkin' Jim Stoltz A great site, and a kindred spirit.

  • Mountain Lions! An informative site for basic info on these great cats!

  • Bluewater Network A NGO dedicated to confronting the root causes of climate change and fighting environmental degradation from the shipping, oil, and motorized recreation industries. <

  • Senior Thesis

    My senior thesis is on how the World Trade Organization can be changed to allow for the use of trade measures to achieve environmental protection. It was prompted by the US/Thailand dispute over shrimp nets used without sea turtle protective measures. The US lost the argument before the WTO Dispute Panel, in much the same way that it lost the similar and more famous Tuna/Dolphin dispute to Mexico.

    A lot of people have a lot pf problems with the WTO, however, my problems are limited to a few, primarily dealing with its lack of transparency, outdatedness (no clear provisions for Multilateral Environmental Agreements), and of course, the foolish restrictions on trade measures based on Production Process Methods (PPM's) I am not in favor of eliminating the WTO altogether, as it does serve as a facilitator for negotiation of the increased liberalization of trade, and trade does not HAVE to be bad for the environment. But nonetheless, changes need to be made.

    Here is a link to the WTO's page on the environment and the CTE

    "It is not enough to understand the natural world; the point is to defend and preserve it" - Edward Abbey

    Also related to the environment, is my interest in the Appalachian Trail! I hope to accomplish a thru-hike of this trail possibly beginning in April 2002. I am just starting to plan my hike, and as I get closer, I hope to share the information I've gained, as well as updates from the trail posted. At 2,167 miles through the rough and rocky terrain from Springer Mountain in GA to Katahdin in Maine, a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail is not for the faint of heart. I am fully aware of the large percentage of people that drop-off the trail, whether for physical, psychological, or financial reasons, which is why I'm planning this far in advance, hoping that being well-prepared and visualizing myself on the trail will lead to success!

    Here are some great links on the Trail:

  • First and foremost is the site of the Appalachian Trail Conference itself, which can provide you with basic information on the trail, its history, and what you need to prepare for a hike.

  • Kathy Bilton has an excellent web page devoted to the A.T. with some great information from people that have already hiked the trail. The site can be found at this.

    There are also a great deal of books about the trail. One of my favorites is "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson, which descibes how rewarding the trail can be, even if plans of a thru-hike are not successful. I also have a video on the trail, entitled "Trail Magic" and created by "the Lagunatic", given to me by my mother, who has so far been very supportive of her adventure-seeking, vagabond daughter!

    --

    And of course, no page on the environment of mine would be complete without some description of that place which, no matter where I go, is always my home. The area surrounding Clark Lake in Door County, Wisconsin, is still one of the most beautiful and enjoyable places I've ever been. In particular, I love the Whitefish Dunes State Park and Cave Point County Park.

    It was growing up in these forests, on the shores of both the smaller Clark Lake as well as a quick walk to the shores of Lake Michigan, that gave me the appreciation for and desire to protect the environment. I know fully how fortunate I was to have had this area to wander through as I was growing up, and it's my hope that by working for environmental protection, we can keep places like this available for future generations to wander through.

    Door County is the penninsula of Wisconsin and is about a 3-hr drive north of Milwaukee. Clark Lake and the small town of Jacksonport is about 15 miles north of the main town of Sturgeon Bay. Located only a mile or two from the shores of Lake Michigan, the area has a wide diversity of plant and animal life, epitomized by the Whitefish Dunes State Park (where I have volunteered as naturalist's assistant in past years) There are significant areas of the penninsula that are now being protected by several groups including the Nature Conservancy in order to protect the varied and unique ecosystems of the Door.

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