Excerpt: Biodesign Out For A Walk: Chap. 20. “Sasha.â€
“He went on to say, ‘Living is quite an intimate process. We are all breathing the same air and interact socially, which involves a great gift. We have the potential to appreciate or improve the value of each other.’â€
Albert Einstein was well aware of the quintessential need for intimate social interaction when he penned:
“A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life is based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving.â€
Can we even begin to imagine who we might have become without the love, support, guidance and camaraderie that others have accorded us?
Isaac Newton obviously contemplated this when he wrote:
“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.â€Â
The oftentimes magical (even mystical) Biodesign Class was a direct result of students and teacher standing on the shoulders of Naturalist giants: Loren Eiseley, John Muir, Annie Dillard, Henry Thoreau, RW Emerson etal..
In a beautiful synchronicity, this story began in 1981 when Tim Carl was part of the Biodesign Experience. He gathered what he could, underwent several transformations and went on to earn a PhD with a focus in molecular and developmental genetics, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University, then returned to Napa Valley and founded a successful winery.
Recently we reconnected for a walk and as we walked it occurred to me that he was following Einstein and Newton by reciting a litany of people who had enriched his life. Evidently, during a reflective period he experienced an epiphany that the upper Napa Valley had many gifted, talented, wise residents and he envisioned creating an on-line format that would encourage these people to share their gifts.
I signed on as a curious observer and found several fascinating articles.
As a retired biology teacher, I was especially drawn to a book; “Anderson Marsh State Historical Park,†written by a retired schoolteacher, Kathleen Scavone. Whether intended or not Kathleen joined the pantheon of gifted Naturalists including Annie Dillard, Loren Eiseley, John Muir, Henry Thoreau and RW Emerson.
A-M-S-H-P transcends ecological study to weave the complex interplay of nature and human history. The book examines the marsh’s ecosystem and its historical significance, offering clear insights into its intricate balance. Scavone’s narrative moves from the principles of environmental science to the personal stories of the marsh’s inhabitants, past and present. As an educational resource, her book amplifies previously unheard voices, particularly those of the Pomo Native Americans, enriching our dialogue and strengthening our connection to the environment and the region’s history. She fuses ecological research with cultural storytelling, offering a captivating view of the interdependence between nature and human history. The book showcases the marsh’s rich biodiversity and the enduring legacy of the Pomo Native Americans, encouraging readers to acknowledge our significant environmental connections. Her work often bridges the divide between academic research and community awareness, reflecting on our ancestral ties to the earth and advocating for the preservation of the marshlands’ intricate web of life for future generations.
As an intriguing aside, as I was composing this piece, Napa Valley experienced an atmospheric river event with heavy rains and winds in excess of 80 mph. Many trees were uprooted, resulting in many downed power lines. Our home was without power for four days. Even though we own a portable back-up generator, our comfort zone was disrupted.
However, the event became a learning moment when I reflected on the Pomo families huddled together in their reed domes during winter storms. The lesson was both enlightening and humbling.
K-S wrote the curriculum (for Lake County Schools) to accompany the Emmy Award winning film, “A Walk Through Time.â€Â
https://andersonmarsh.org/. Click to view A Walk Through Time.
It is a wonderful video that includes a young Pomo Indian man chuckling about friends claiming to be 5th generation Californians when he belongs to a 450th generation.
His comment reminded me that, In many ways, we have become like modern-day hummingbirds. Hummingbirds cannot walk. If they are resting on a branch and need to move they must fly up and over to the desired location.
Modern humans have become utterly dependent on IT, high-speed planes and autos (fossil fuel), the power grid, smart phones, Amazon, mega-agribusiness, big-box stores and supermarkets. There is absolutely no possible way 325 million Americans could survive like the Pomo Indians survived.
I suspect that like John Muir, Tim Carl will regard any public adulation like, “being propped up for the populace to gawk at,†but he has taken a proactive role in encouraging people to “appreciate and improve the value†of Napa Valley residents and beyond.