Legacy
An Enduring legacy
By Frank Schiavone
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The measure of any society is what it bequeaths to the generations that follow. We are more than just the sum of our material wealth. Our greatness and goodness lies in our values, our creativity, and the paths we choose to follow.
Are sprawling developments, mega-stores, and look-alike strip malls the only legacy we wish to pass on to future generations? I pray not. I’d like to leave something more. I want to know, that in some small way, I have contributed to a more lasting mark – a vibrant, stimulating world full of natural wonder, subtle beauty, and biological diversity.
Unfortunately, the current course we are on leads us to a world devoid of the natural gifts we take for granted and have abused for so long. Our vision is clouded, shortsighted and self-serving.
Streams and rivers, public lands and forests, clean air, and bountiful wildlife are our commonwealth. We are all stakeholders. We are all owners.
Unquestionably, open spaces, timeless expanses, and scenic vistas contribute to the overall quality of our lives. But a growing movement seeks to put a price tag on nature’s bounty and the host of “services” it provides to us. Taken one step further, Cost of Community Services studies show that property taxes collected for forest and open lands exceed the actual costs incurred by local governments for providing services to these properties. Residential land use, in contrast, is a net drain on municipal coffers.
“Environomics”, as it is called, is all well and good, especially if it wins converts. But we should also be compelled by a more profound calling. The conservation of living systems is the right and just thing to do. Cost/Benefit analyzes are appropriate when building bridges or computer systems, but seem just a tad crass when the natural world’s “great and small” masterpieces are concerned.
Our capacity to allow God’s creation to endure is a measure of our moral character. It is a test of our humanity and deepest ethic, our goodness, and our connection to those that follow. E.O Wilson, the renowned biologist and author, echoes this sentiment, “We are talking about saving the Creation. Once you lose species, they will not return. It is ethically impermissible to let this happen on our watch.”
Beyond their extraordinary intrinsic value, animals, plants, and the land, in their distinctness and variety, offer immeasurable emotional and physical benefits to our lives and play an integral part in our culture. Their loss impoverishes our souls and our world.
Focus on our natural heritage does not mean we do not care about people or favor animals over children. It is precisely because we love our community, our families, and our children that we seek to preserve the gifts that were bequeathed to us. Who among us does not want more for their children?
Conservation is a proud American tradition dating back to TR. It is not a thing of Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative, blue or red state. Notably, Richard Nixon enthusiastically embraced the Endangered Species Act in 1973 writing in his official signing statement, “Nothing is more priceless and more worthy of preservation than the rich array of animal life with which our country has been blessed. It is a many-faceted treasure, of value to scholars, scientists, and nature lovers alike, and it forms a vital part of the heritage we all share as Americans. I congratulate the 93d Congress for taking this important step toward protecting a heritage which we hold in trust to countless future generations of our fellow citizens. Their lives will be richer, and America will be more beautiful in the years ahead, thanks to the measure that I have the pleasure of signing into law today.”
We are all bound by common purpose and imperative, to preserve the character and richness of our world for the “countless” generations that will follow us.
We must teach our children that the world sustains us, that all things are connected and that we are all connected to each other. We must lead our young people into the future by example, recognizing the sanctity of all living things and that all creatures “great and small” have meaning, complexity, and intrinsic value.
Whether the epic story of Noah and the Flood is the Living Word or simply instructive allegory, one of its many lessons is clear. God loves diversity and would not approve of Noah throwing animals overboard to make more room for a new suite of luxury staterooms.
Copyright © 2008 Frank Schiavone
Frank Schiavone
fschiavone@verizon.net
