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2009 I’m delighted to be back at the helm of Cloud
Ridge Naturalists as we begin our 30th year! In
the face of the environmental challenges that lie
ahead, my realization that I have no aptitude for
retirement should come as no surprise to those of
you who have supported Cloud Ridge over the
years. Our familiar sage grouse logo, as well as
the drawings you’ve enjoyed in past brochures,
are the work of artist and calligrapher Barbara
Bash. The drawings that grace this year’s brochure,
however, introduce the work of a new artist
for Cloud Ridge, Marilyn Hailbronner, who also
provides medical and logistical support for many
of our wilderness-based programs.
As I reflect on our past three decades, I’m extremely
proud of Cloud Ridge’s unwavering focus
on natural history education and the unique opportunities
we’ve offered our participants to explore
the complex and beautiful interrelationships
that govern the natural world. During these remarkable
travels, however, we’ve also witnessed
the many ways that human-wrought changes—
global warming, deforestation, toxic pollution,
invasive species, habitat fragmentation, overfishing,
and losses in biological diversity—are transcending
national and ecological boundaries.
The 2008 elections did much to renew my belief
in the power of education as a force for change.
Wise political leadership remains a global priority,
but we must also look beyond the horizons of our
own lives and renew our commitment to do whatever
we can—individually—to preserve the
global fabric of life. The 2007 Nobel Peace Prize,
awarded to former Vice President Al Gore and the
network of scientists that comprise the UN’s
Panel on Climate Change, as well as Gore’s 2007
Academy Award for his documentary “An Inconvenient
Truth,” were some of the pivotal environmental
education achievements of the 21st
century. The undeniable combination of meticulous
scientific research and a high-profile, passionate
voice for action—without equivocation—
heralded a sea-change in the public’s understanding
of the grim realities facing the global
community.
The challenge for us, as Cloud Ridge moves into
its fourth decade, is to broaden our support of
international conservation efforts to include three
distinct but complementary educational strategies:
(1) our traditional field seminar program designed
for the general public; (2) the sponsorship of a
field-based exchange program for scientists that
focuses on a specific ecosystem or conservation
issue of critical concern; and (3) support for publishing
efforts (both print and visual media) emphasizing
natural history and conservation biology.
Our first exchange trip for scientists, a 10-
day gathering of forest biologists from Argentina,
British Columbia, Colorado, and Washington in
September 2008, focused on British Columbia’s
Great Bear Rain Forest and was a huge success.
By broadening our nonprofit educational outreach
to include the publication of books, research reports,
and visual media we hope to engage the
hearts and minds of an ever-widening circle of
citizen advocates for environmental stewardship.
Audrey Benedict |
2008
Today, more than ever before, the places Cloud Ridge travels to are chosen because they are at greatest risk—the Arctic regions, the marine and island ecosystems of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic, the Antarctic and the Southern Polar Ocean, the temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest and their counterparts in the Patagonian Andes, and the West’s wilderness rivers. The Earth is in crisis—the far-reaching impacts of human-caused global warming, overpopulation, pollution, habitat loss and fragmentation, and our profound failure to protect the diversity of life are transforming even the most remote corners of our planet. From its inception, in 1979, Cloud Ridge Naturalists has focused its efforts on natural history education and on providing opportunities for enriching our understanding of the complex interrelationships that govern the natural world. The future depends on informed, passionate citizen advocates for wilderness conservation and biological diversity. Wherever we travel, our itineraries always reflect a holistic, multidisciplinary perspective. Because we also recognize the powerful role that conservation writers, photographers, and other artists play in environmental education and advocacy, we offer seminars that enable participants to hone these skills as well. Whatever your interests, each of our trips opens a magical window on the natural world! |
2007
Today, more than ever before, the places Cloud Ridge travels to are chosen because they are at greatest risk—the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the marine and island ecosystems of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic, the Southern Polar Ocean, the temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest and their counterparts in the Patagonian Andes, and the West’s wilderness rivers. The earth is in crisis—a condition born of overpopulation, wasteful consumption, pollution, habitat loss, and our profound failure to protect the diversity of life on earth.
From its inception, in 1979, Cloud Ridge Naturalists has focused its efforts on natural history education and on providing opportunities for enriching our understanding of the complex interrelationships that govern the natural world. Today, our survival as a species depends more than ever on informed, passionate citizen advocates for wilderness and biological diversity.
Towards this end, Cloud Ridge’s program of educational seminars in the coming years will focus on five areas of critical concern: (1) Wilderness Rivers; (2) Antarctic, Arctic, and Alpine Ecosystems; (3) Marine Ecosystems; (4) Temperate Rainforests; and (5) Desert Ecosystems. Wherever we travel, our itineraries reflect a multidisciplinary perspective. Because we also recognize the powerful role that conservation writers, photographers, and artists have played in environmental education and advocacy, we occasionally offer seminars that enable our participants to hone these skills as well. Whatever your interests, each of our trips opens a magical window on the natural world!
Audrey Benedict |
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