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Chair
Apr 1, 2016
Tom Wheeler
northflow@gmail.com
315-386-2482
I had the opportunity in early March to visit the Pace Art + Technology Gallery in Menlo Park, California. The exhibit was a remarkable presentation by TeamLab, a Japanese consortium of computer artists, entitled “Living Digital Space and Future Parks”. It was both amazing and beautiful, stretching the boundaries of both art and technology.
A particularly interesting work was a wall depicting a multitude of flowers. If one stood at a respectful distance and waved ones arms the flowers grew and bloomed in profusion. However, if one approached very near, the flowers began to wilt and die. The interpreter explained that this was a metaphor for wild nature… that for it to survive and thrive one must be respectful and maintain an appropriate distance.
As spring approaches and the wild areas of the Adirondacks beckon, we should keep this metaphor in mind. We can observe the beauty of spring flowers, the trills of the colorful warblers as they complete their migration, the beautiful songs of the winter wren and the hermit thrush, and the vibrant greens as the trees begin to leaf out. But to maintain the wilderness experience we must be gentle in our embrace and respectful in nature’s presence. We do this by honoring advisories during mud season to stay off sensitive trails, by acting in accordance with the principles of “leave no trace”, and silently listening and watching nature during its season of rebirth.
Elsewhere in this newsletter you will find an invitation to participate in a survey of the chapter membership. Marianne Hebert has coordinated the development of our chapter questionaire. We believe it will be a useful tool in developing the programs and activities most appropriate for our membership. We would much appreciate your participation.
The survey can be completed online at tinyurl.com/adkl2016. You can also download the survey and print it or request a paper copy from Marianne Hebert, hebertm@potsdam.edu. Completed surveys should be mailed to Marianne Hebert, 9 Spring St, Potsdam NY 13576.