Shake off the water and keep on fishing

There’s an old saying that a bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work. I thought about that adage this morning as I watched an Osprey fish for its breakfast. And then I thought, how fortunate am I that I get to do this for a living. Sure there can be frustrations running your own business, but how many people get to spend at least part of their days out watching wildlife, exploring gorgeous landscapes and talking to people about Florida’s treasures? A good day at work brings me all of those pleasures and I bet I wasn’t as frustrated as the ospreys who came up empty time after time as they dove into the waters below.

I also get to witness a lot of good days of fishing. I have seen birds try to swallow fish that were clearly too big to gulp down. I’ve seen bird parents feed their chicks and I’ve watched boats come in with seafood headed to our best restaurants. But the key is to make sure our waters are healthy enough to fish, and the habitat supporting those waters is conserved , keeping pollution, including runoff and sewage, out of our waters.

As a Florida native, I’ve had a front row seat to some of Florida’s best conservation efforts, including one this week. The state set aside $19.5 million in Florida Forever money to purchase Orange Hammock Ranch, the largest undeveloped property in Sarasota County, according to a state summary of the conservation deal. After too many intense red tides, I have read about more research and effort going into figuring out how to save our waterways. I think we could use some more urgency from the state as a whole, but I am heartened that there is a real effort behind keeping our waterways clean and getting to the sources that feed the red tide.

At the same time, I’ve watched my own stomping ground change drastically with unfettered development. It seems the only way to contain development is to buy land and set it aside. And even then the land can be vulnerable to future development. I drove through downtown Sarasota the other day and wondered how, through this canyon of high-rises, the sun would be able to shine on the historic places below. I remember when Lakewood Ranch was actually a ranch. I’m now watching that same kind of intense development along Long Bar Point, which abuts an estuary along the Sarasota Bay. It’s a place where hundreds, if not thousands of birds used to live. I remember seeing the wood storks, an imperiled species, out there by the dozens. Those estuaries are life-giving habitats for all sorts of fish and other water species. As I watch all of this habitat loss, I wonder if we will still be able to still call this paradise.

We must take conservation and clean-up efforts seriously is we plan to hold on to that old adage about a bad day of fishing being better than a good day of work.

Bill Robinson helped change Northwest Manatee County

I was out shooting photos in Robinson Preserve this morning, one was this mourning dove sitting on a perch. She was beautifully lit and I couldn’t resist taking a few photos. At about that time, the news was on its way to Manatee County that Bill Robinson had died. As I looked through my photos from this morning, the shot of the mourning dove seemed to tell the story of just how much Bill Robinson meant to this county.

Bill Robinson, changed Northwest Manatee County for the better when he partnered with the county to turn 487 acres of former farmland into Robinson Preserve, known for its hiking trails, wildlife and mangrove habitats. Robinson died today at the age of 70, according to the Sarasota Herald Tribune.

His legacy will live on through the contribution he made to conserving the vital lands and waterways of Robinson Preserve. It is one of the most utilized parks in all of Manatee County. Kayakers, runners, bikers, birdwatchers, dog walkers and photographers take advantage of the preserve daily.

Robinson, a Manatee County native and tree farmer, took 487 acres he owned and helped return it to vital habitat for wildlife. Developers had hoped to turn that same land into a golf course and housing development. The county purchased the land from the family for $10 million — $6.4 million came from the Florida Communities Trust and county taxpayers paid the balance. It was a good move for the county and for Bill Robinson who, like many county residents, visited the park often.

I am grateful for this gift to the county. I am grateful county leaders had the wisdom preserve this land and that there was money available from the Florida Communities Trust to help pay for the land. It’s wonderful to have people with the foresight to set aside land for wildlife and people. I wish there was more of that kind of thinking.

Reflections in Nature

Growing up in Manatee County, I was out in nature all the time. You could find me in the woods or on the water. I ate fruit off of trees growing wild, crawled through mud in search of photos and searched for marine life on the sandy bottom of the river, the bay and the Gulf of Mexico. It was a wonderful way to grow up.

I believe that nature offers serenity. It allows your mind to wander, along with your feet. I can truly appreciate all of God’s Creations when I’m in nature. As a visual person, I enjoy the colors, the textures and the light. Being outside also reminds me to listen for the different sounds the birds make, the rustle of the leaves, the sound of an animal running in the underbrush. I love the smells of nature and the feel of the air — yes even the humidity. Yes there are days I combat mosquitoes and yes, I do get hot, especially when carrying my biggest lens and a tripod, but at the end of a day I feel rested, my mind is calm and my spirit rejuvenated

The photos I bring home reflect that. I hope that’s what I offer to people through my images, a few moments of serenity, a time for quiet reflection.

I retired from the newspaper business after more than three decades of shooting photographs of everything, including crime scenes, fires, hurricanes, and all sort of unsettling things. There were days, weeks and years I couldn’t get the things I saw of out my mind. Coming back to nature, to my roots, has helped bring back the peace I enjoyed in childhood. Scenes of beauty help me to remember I am part of something much greater. That’s why conservation is so important to me. We have so many treasures in nature and we too often overlook those treasures in the pursuit of the money development might bring.

Next time you are out for a walk, venture into a preserve and spend some time in nature. Clear your mind and allow yourself to see, feel and hear what’s around you. If you stay out long enough, you’ll notice the tension falling away. You’ll appreciate the sounds and sights, even if they seem familiar (I mean who in Florida hasn’t seen a great blue heron). But you’ll probably see something you haven’t seen before, like a feather stuck in the egret’s beak after he’s been preening or the way he moves or that bug or fish he’s caught for supper.

I believe that preserving nature means preserving ourselves. Our souls need nourishment and there’s no better place to find it than in the great outdoors.