All posts by Victoria Tan

About Victoria Tan

Victoria is a sophomore at Macaulay Honors College at Queens College, pursuing a degree in Anthropology and International Business. She hopes to establish a career in the fashion industry and is also passionate about education, having spent this past summer as a Verbal Coach for Let's Get Ready. In her free time, she enjoys writing, reading, cooking, traveling, and savoring good food with good company.

Research and Compromise

Marsh Restoration

When I initially considered the destruction of salt marshes, I instinctively leaned towards advocating for restoration —  returning a degraded habitat to a healthy condition similar to the way it was, prior to being disturbed by human development. The process would involve altering the elevation and hydrology of a marsh, planting desired species, removing invasive species, and, finally, hoping that other marsh organisms lost will begin to reappear on their own. Without further knowledge of restoration tactics, I felt this option would be the quickest way to protect and nurture marshes that had been heavily degraded, allowing for the re-introduction of vital natural systems previously abundant, such as nursery habitats for fish and crustaceans, and protection from coastal flooding and erosions. Yet, little did I know, restoration efforts have had mixed success.

Bill Sheehan’s quote — “Phragmites, it’s green most of the time, and it ain’t condos” — effectively showcases this complexity within choosing whether or not to restore salt marshes. While Phragmites is technically an invasive species — a tall reed that has taken over many low-salinity marshes on the East Coast — destroying the Phragmites by bulldozing, burning, or using a herbicide, to physically re-plant Spartina, may counterintuitively result in the continued loss of marshes. As Sheehan notes, the Phragmites hold a value of its own. Phragmites marshes are functioning, productive systems that provide a safe habitat for numerous species of  fish, shrimp, crab, and birds, and contribute to the aquatic food web. Thus, before deciding to eradicate the invasive Phragmites, it is critical that we consider the benefits of having the plant naturally regulate itself in marshland, as well as the possible repercussions of our well-intentioned actions.

Other problems that have arisen are the time-consuming and costly details associated with successful restoration of indigenous vegetation. Specific salinity levels, nitrogen levels, elevation,  and tidal flow are just a few key components in need of review before attempts at replanting can be made. Keeping all of this newfound information in mind, I now believe that when it comes to the question of restoring marshlands, the answer lies in research and compromise. WIth each marsh comes its own set of attributes and issues. It is thus vital for scientists to thoroughly research a marsh, outlining the predicted repercussions of all suggested restorative efforts. In certain cases, for example, replanting may not be beneficial to the marsh, and allowing it to flourish naturally without human interference may be the better solution.

I found it quite interesting that statistics have proven that, over time, a natural community returns after restoration. Inter-species relationships and food web connections are re-established, involving multiple dimensions of relations including competition, mutualism, and parasite-host relationships. Accounting for not only the aforementioned characteristics, but also the livelihood of all the marsh’s current organisms, researchers can then begin to assess whether or not certain restorative procedures should be enacted. While such findings do point to the success of restoration, a closer look reveals the success’ dependency on prior research and understanding of the marsh’s conditions, a combination of both restorative efforts and natural processes, time, and most importantly, heightened dialogue on the importance of protecting salt marshes and re-assessing our actions and the impacts they have on our natural environments.

Destruction of the Salt Marshes – Innocence versus Human Nature

Destruction of the Salt Marshes

If I had been asked about my knowledge of and opinion on salt marshes prior to this class, to be quite honest, I would not have had much to contribute. While I do consider myself environmentally conscious and I strive to lessen my own personal effects on our continually damaged habitats, never had I before considered the importance of salt marshes and the devastation they have endured. It is no surprise, then, that when the Europeans first encountered America, curiosity laced with fear and ulterior economic motives were their instinctual responses to this new earth. While I would never attempt to justify their actions – as they not only caused great harm to the environment, but also ruthlessly annihilated hundreds of thousands of Native Americans – I can try to understand their actions through their perspectives in the context of their political and social times.

Greeted in America by such vast, lush land, Europeans feared what they had never before seen, and subsequently saw quick, impulsive destruction as the solution to undermining the power of what they could not categorize or control. In addition, they arrived with Western ideals of economic success, as during that time, acquisition of land equated greater power. Thus, they viewed America as a land full of open opportunities for new products and economic markets. Fur trade, for example, became one of the first and most lucrative endeavors. Striving to prevail in this international power struggle, Europeans from numerous countries began arriving in greater numbers, hunting animals carelessly and reaping the land with only greater profit in mind. Such poor intentions rendered them blind to their negative impacts on the salt marshes, as well as the Native Americans, who were both dwindling in number and becoming increasingly indifferent towards a nature they had previously revered and treated with respect.

Although I do believe there was a degree of innocence involved in the Europeans’ actions – as it is true they lacked the scientific knowledge and foresight to understand the impact they left on the environment – I recognize a greater correlation to human nature. While we sit in this present future debating the intentions and culpability of the Europeans, we inadvertently continue to destroy the environment, today. Such actions, to me, are not all that dissimilar from that of the early colonists – in fact, they are in many ways, even worse. This brings me to the question we posed earlier in class: are human behaviors natural or unnatural? I truly believe the central distinction made in answering this question is that we have the ability to reason and make choices. Though technology and distribution of knowledge have changed through the centuries, such human reason has not. I thus hold the Europeans accountable for their actions, as they most certainly had the choice to contemplate their actions and possible repercussions. Furthermore, we often underestimate the abilities of our brains – I highly doubt not one individual considered the damage he imparted at some point.

What trouble me most, however, are our current practices and culture. Today, we no can no longer use lack of understanding and scientific backing as an excuse – with the growth of research and the advent of the Internet, each and every one of us has the ability to learn about our various impacts on the environment and strive to make improved decisions – we just choose not to. Here, again, it comes down to choice. It is so very unfortunate that until we refuse to view the environment as a commodity and choose to pause and reflect upon our own actions, we will continue to cause irrevocable destruction to an environment that has generously provided for our survival for so long.

Lenape Cosmology and the Natural Environment

Land of the Lenapes

While their ideas may differ greatly from our current “scientific” perspectives, the Lenapes held a deep and complex understanding of cosmology – their theories behind the natural order of the universe – and maintained an admirably intimate relationship with the natural world.

According to their creation myth, the Lenapes believed that in ancient times, no earth existed; there was only a vast realm of water below and a sky above, where the first humans lived. One day, the sky opened up, and through the hole fell a young woman and a tree. Aided by the “Great Turtle” and a council of creatures, the tree was planted to provide shelter for the woman and the earth emerged. There the tree grew, bending down one of its branches to root in the earth, and from this branch sprang forth the first man who together with the woman would bring forth the future generations of people on Turtle Island (Earth).

To govern the earth, the Lenapes believed their Creator god produced the manito’wak (lower spirits), which included the Earth Mother, Corn Mother, and the Keeper of the Game. Furthermore, the Lenapes believed all objects were imbued with a spirit – from rocks to clouds – and recognized no clear division between living and nonliving. Using the word maneto to label the indwelling spirit in everything, they referred back to this idea of a Creator and maneto to identify all that was strange or wondrous beyond comprehension. If the maneto – the imbued spirits – were offended, the Lenape believed the spirits would cause harm, and thus performed seasonal rituals to offer to the Keeper of the Game. For example, plants were viewed as part of the “sacred circle” of life, and often burnt offerings of corn were made to different spirits. In another example, tobacco would be offered to the forest before entering for hunting and gathering to ensure positive outcomes and offer thanks.

Although it may be difficult for us to understand or perceive the world through the eyes of the Lenape people, it proves worthwhile to recognize their consistent expression of gratitude for nature. As quoted in City at the Water’s Edge, through ceremony, ritual, and dreamwork – cultural manners we may find unusual – the Lenapes sought to convey respect for the healing power of nature: “To replace what you have taken by making a tobacco offering is a recognition or acknowledgement of the life you take, whether it is a tree cut down to make baskets or an animal killed for food.” Though such methods may have remained environmentally harmful, if nothing, the Lenapes at least took the time to consider their affect on nature, be thankful for what they had, and seek some way of giving back – an understanding we unfortunately lack greatly in our world today.

BioBlitz: A Reflection

Bio Blitz

         “Here we are sighting a Celtis Occidentalis!”
My groggy eyes flit open just as Daniel, our enthusiastic group leader, sprints forward, leaping over the wired fence and pointing with a child’s glee at our latest find. Pen in hand – I volunteered myself as scribe for the day – I quickly follow my peers as we rush down the Bridle Path to meet him. With a wide grin, Daniel tugs gently at one of the many slender, red-brown branches, bringing it down to eye level.
         “Look closely” he murmurs.
Sharp tunnels of sunlight twine through the tree as we form a tight circle of hurried breaths, already tired from running through the humidity.
Seconds of silence.
We squint, heads huddled forward, ten eyes to one leaf.
A gasp. I search until I find the focus of such surprise: tiny, almost unrecognizable, round and dark red-purple berries scattered across the stem. Daniel steps back, patting the bark with pride.
         “This here is your Common Hackberry tree, and those berries are little miracles of nature, feeding a number of birds and mammals, and…”
He pauses, glancing down at his watch.
         “… are edible to humans too, and look at that, it’s lunch time! Dig in!”
We laugh, but Daniel shakes his head.
         “Here,” he says, placing a berry into each of our hands. “Eat.”
Dry and coarse, but with the sweet tang of a raisin or a plum, the unique taste of the Hackberry lingers, even after we set off in search of more discoveries.

To say I was sleepy when I arrived in Central Park last Tuesday morning would be quite the understatement. Exhausted from spending my Monday moving into the dorms, the last thing I wanted to do was wake up at 6 AM to observe and record flora in the heat. Moreover, though I understood the great value of the BioBlitz to scientists and other researchers, I was unsure of its significance to me – an individual who enjoys nature, but who does not intend on pursuing a career in science. Nonetheless, I committed myself to partaking in an event that had not occurred in over a decade – and that, in itself, I found quite incredible and rewarding.

Following Daniel – a researcher from the New York Botanical Garden – I found myself in awe of the workmanship and dedication of plant collectors and botanists. Carrying his press, he made several stops to exhibit the process by which specimen are preserved and later stored in herbariums, providing permanent and tangible records of each species’ existence for future knowledge. After clipping the plant – always including any leaves, flowers, fruits, and/or nuts – he would carefully note its physical characteristics such as height and color. Here, technology came into play, as we were able to use our smartphones’ GPS to aid Daniel in recording the exact coordinate locations of each specimen. Placed under pressure between sheets of newspaper and two wooden boards, the specimens would later be dried over artificial heat, and then, authenticated and filed into a collection.

Learning about this collection process allowed me to not only appreciate the great biodiversity present within the city, but also gave me perspective on globalization and its immense impact. As we wove through the park, we found many native species, as well as many non-native – and sometimes invasive – species. Looking up at the tall, worn barks of the trees, I stood in amazement, captivated with thoughts of how each began its life as a seedling – possibly carried by an animal, accidently transported via trade, or even planted by a human, either purposefully, or fortuitously, a seed caught on clothing, a silent companion to an unknowing immigrant traveling to new earth. As a writer, my mind spun; I could only wonder what interesting tales reflecting upon the history of New York City these trees would tell if only they could speak.

After having had this BioBlitz experience, I now recognize how flora and fauna inherently reflect societal changes on both a local and global scale. In addition, particularly with the Hackberry tree encounter, I have found this experience to be quite humbling. Growing up, I always valued time spent simply with nature, away from the noisy and congested confines of city streets, but even then, I did not often pause to “look closely.” Were it not for Daniel’s insistence, I doubt many of us would have noticed or dared to eat the hackberries, these tiny, yet beautiful creations. Furthermore, as a self-proclaimed foodie, I now see the different possibilities of incorporating truly natural, organic, and sustainable ingredients into my cooking. Though I’ve never heard of hackberries in any dish, I have learned that they are abundant in the Northeast and might just add an interesting flavor to some desserts – hackberry jam-filled cookies anyone?