ANDY MOSSEY
STEWARDS IN THE TIME OF COVID-19 While cities and the world economy
more people than ever are getting
have slowed to a bare creep due to
outside. The COVID-19 pandemic
the COVID-19 pandemic, nature has
has forced us all to change our daily
prevailed. Those who seek solace
behaviors in an effort to protect not
in the natural world have turned to
only ourselves, but others and those
their favorite trails in hopes to take
we love. When we turn to recreation
a break from the long lines at the
in the woods and wilderness, are
grocery store and confronting the
we
new reality of watching our favorite
behaviors on the trail with us? And
businesses shutter their doors for a
when we finally get outside, are we
seemingly indefinite period of time.
doing our part to help care for the
taking
those
newly-learned
natural resources that are fulfilling
IT’S NO WONDER WHY SO MANY PEOPLE ARE TURNING TO NATURE NOW. NATURE IS ALWAYS HERE FOR US AND SHOULD ALWAYS BE HERE FOR US. When we feel sad, down, or are becoming stir crazy, nature is ready to receive us and fill our psyche with endorphins and our noses with the beautiful fragrance of fresh blossoms. For decades the Catskills have been a refuge of nature; and in 2020, due to our current circumstances,
our needs? As the Catskill Stewards roll into the 2020 season, we are taking some of the lessons we have learned from the past two seasons and applying them to this new reality. The Catskill Center’s Stewards are focused on outreach; we are regularly speaking with a great number of people— over 70,000 to date. So what are we to do when being socially distant? What is the definition of socially responsible? How are we to protect our precious natural resources if we cannot speak with our Catskill Park visitors? CATSKILL CENTER
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