All posts by mmoy

Case-by-Case

Marsh Restoration

I think that the recolonization of non-native plants would be preferable rather than an attempt at a restoration of marsh with native plants depending on the case study. If the ecosystem is not too imbalanced, then millions of dollars don’t have to be wasted on something that might not work out. In other words, if the marsh is functioning properly and producing enough biodiversity, we don’t need to recolonize the marsh with native plants. However, if  massive invasions of particular species like Phragmites australis are inflicting environmental costs, then we could think about intervening.

Also, I agree with Alex’s perspective in addressing the bigger problem. We should first focus on fixing the origin of the problems, or the human actions that made these changes in salt marsh ecosystem. For example, we need to stop the use of chemical fertilizers that pour into storm runoff, causing the marshes to have the excess of nutrients. Additionally, we need to target the sewage that flows into waterways to prevent eutrophication, or “the process by which a body of water acquires a high concentration of nutrients, especially phosphates and nitrates”, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. We need to stop the human actions that cause the cascade of smaller problems like algal blooms and the dissolving concentrations of oxygen in marshes. Only after doing so, should we target the smaller problems; we could possibly try to restore the marshes that have long-term economic and environmental damages associated with the human actions affecting the marshes.

We don’t need to try to restore marshes that will naturally take care of itself. Temporary  artificial marshes will eventually turn back to natural marshes. For instance, Hurricane Sandy breached the East and West Ponds of Jamaica Bay, making the artificially freshwater ponds higher in salinity. They can naturally return to being saltwater marshes; although the migratory birds won’t have a place to stay. The marshes should not be restored when the pros of letting them be outweigh the cons. On a different note, the government needs to understand that restoration of marshes isn’t as simple as it sounds instead of placing a blanket law, since the the restoration project could damage the marshes even further; the project is risky since we don’t know its outcome.

Destruction of the Salt Marshes

This Humans of New York Facebook post reminded of what we did in class.

“I’m retired now. But I was the CEO of the NY State Energy Research and Development Authority.”
“What’s something about energy that a lot of people don’t know?”
“Energy is the main source of pollution. I don’t think enough people make that connection. They think of pollution as giant industries spewing smoke into the air, but in reality it mainly comes from the energy that we use everyday– driving our cars, lighting our houses, even that camera you’re using. We’re never going to stop needing energy, so we just have to find the most efficient ways of creating it.”

Destruction of Salt Marshes

Destruction of the Salt Marshes

I am very indecisive when picking sides, so I think that the colonists were innocently destructing the salt marshes and the land in general, but I think that as time progressed, and as scientific knowledge of consequences of altering the land and air composition through unnatural means augmented, people and corporations were unconcerned about the short and long-term impact even with their head knowledge. I wonder how our world in America would differ if the majority of Native Americans still had continued to have respect for nature. The colonists didn’t have the scientific technology and knowledge to know that what they were doing was wrong because they were used to building dikes and altering nature in Europe. They put their lives as the first priority, and put nature in an inferior level.

The Scientific American considered the salt marshes more evil than good because they only associated them with mosquitos and insects, even though they did try to find some good in salt marshes,  For example, corporations know that deforestation is wrong, but they still cut trees in Brazil, destroying the Amazon rainforest, which is a biologically productive natural resource, and the homes of many plant and animal species. Instead of using/altering the natural resources  for survival like the colonists did, the corporations are exploiting nature with full knowledge of the biological consequences because by the late 1900s, especially by the time the environmental movement was in full force in the 1960s, science has caught up with technology. For example, JFK airport was constructed by draining salt marshes in the 1940s without knowledge of the future impact, but people realized the consequences many years later with gains in scientific knowledge.

Also, I think that the world is obsessed with the idea of convenience, even at the expense of natural resources. Because we take things for granted and have the “I need it now” syndrome , the public usually ignores where consumer products come from.  In addition, because the world is in the process of becoming completely industrialized and globalized, many corporations have decided to get the most profit with the least effort, which usually meant using corrupt, unethical ways; many have tried to get in between the laws. Most of the human population, especially in urban environments, still have the perception that they are masters over nature that has come from the early colonists of the United States.

Medicinal Practices of Lenape

Land of the Lenapes

The Lenape treated everything honorably, and like they used all of the meat of animals in order to appease the spirits, they used all of the plants they dug. They had the utmost respect for every plant, tree, herb, leaf, and piece of bark because they thought that they had spirits. Every time the Lenape dug something out, they had a purpose for that natural resource. They performed rituals, offering tobacco and prayers before digging the plants out, showing that they had reverent attitude towards nature.

Although all the Lenape had the basic knowledge of the medicinal value of certain plants and herbs, only two kinds of medical practitioners specialized in treating serious physical problems.  Usually, only those who  received visions or dreams from the spirit world could become meteinuwak, or medicine people. The first type of medical practitioners were herbalists; by applying natural remedies, they cured diseases and healed wounds and infections. Besides knowing the qualities of herbs, plants, barks, and roots, the Themeteinu or medew asserted that they knew how to handle witchcraft and occult practices; they were believed to heal people that had supernatural illnesses  by chasing away evil spirits. 

The Lenape medical practitioners were meticulous in gathering each plant while considering the needs of the patient’s body. They properly diagnosed the diseases, and carefully examined each plant. The Lenape medicine practitioners had specific prayers and preparations for each plant because they thought the plants’ uses would be rendered useless if they had no respect for them. Because they had an extensive knowledge of the uses of many flora species, they didn’t recklessly waste anything. For example, they had multiple uses for the common cattail; they externally applied the roots to treat burns, and cattail pollen was used for medicine and food. Additionally, in the winter, the roots were used for food and treatment of diarrhea, gonorrhea, and worms. . Plant species were never endangered as a result of the Lenape’s exploitation of nature; however, many plant species are endangered from the 21st century world’s wasteful and inconsiderate practices. Therefore, even though they took advantage of nature’s benefits, they never wasted anything in the environment, thereby making a minimal impact on nature’s resourcefulness

BioBlitz

Bio Blitz

As a nature-loving person who loves to take evening walks around my neighborhood to appreciate nature, I was excited to explore Central Park, even though I did not know what I would learn from the trip. When I learned that I would be placed in the lichens group, I was slightly disappointed because I wanted to see a living thing that moved before my eyes. Also, I had no clue what a lichen was. However, as the trip progressed, I realized that lichens surrounded me; they lived in trees, rocks, and sometimes in park benches. It was cool to finally place a name on the scrubby-looking organisms that I saw on trees. Although in the 1900s, around 200 types of lichens were recorded in Central Park, only 22 different types of lichens were found in Central Park in 2013; my guide told our group that lichens were pollutant sensitive. I was not surprised by these statistics because of the destruction mankind was wrecking upon nature through some aspects of technology, and I thought there was little hope for these organisms.

I overlooked the beauty and responsibility of lichens. My guide told us that they made a beautiful brown dye when mixed with ammonia, but she told us that one person made dye with his own urine, which was something rather interesting, although disgusting.   In addition, our guide told us about the beauty of lichens, which consist of symbiotic relationships between fungus and cyanobacterium. The fungus provides a home for the cyanobacterium, and in return, the cyanobacterium provides food for the fungus. Simple balance in nature gives me tingles of joy, so it was relaxing to be away from my technology routine (like using the computer daily).

On another note, I was glad that I could freely ask my guide questions about anything I observed. For example, I saw a frightening insect translucent mold, and she told me it was the exoskeleton of a cicada, and stuck the exoskeleton on her shirt like it was a brooch. Additionally, once I remarked that the tree we were observing was a gingko tree, and she told the group about the story of the gingko tree and how it is an excellent, hardy tree to plant in urban areas. Her excitement of nature made me even more excited to explore more, even though people in NYC usually have the closed mindset that nature is not that important and that nature’s only good for looking. Therefore, looking back on the  Bio Blitz, I hope I can spread my contagious love of nature to others as well.