On May 5, I was privileged to do something I had never done
before in my 70 plus years on this beautiful planet. I went on a birding expedition. Greg and I
were among other UUs who had purchased this opportunity in a fundraising
campaign before the pandemic close-down in Spring of 2020. Of course, the event
had to be postponed. And actually, I’d
forgotten all about it But, of course,
Sally Revoile, an avid birder herself and the church member offering the experience,
had not. So she rescheduled after we all
were vaccinated and felt safe to get outside together for a shorebird watching
experience. Sally had arranged for Dr. Abby Sterling, a
shorebird biologist to share information with us as we walked along the shore
with our binoculars, pointing out sightings of not only birds – but other
creatures as well. I even found out that
I could save a life that day – and I did – of a horseshoe crab that was beached
on her back – but still living. Abby
showed us how we could gently pick them up and put them back in the water. If I had known that this experience was to be
sermon fodder, I would have taken notes.
But then everything that may happen in a minister’s life is sermon
fodder – so be aware when you invite me to something – you may hear about it
from the pulpit.
Because I did not take notes and am unfamiliar with the
various species, I asked Sally to share with me what species she experienced
that morning. Here is her list:
Killdeer
Great Blue Heron
Red Knots
Sanderlings
Ruddy Turnstones
Semipalmated plovers
Wilson’s plover - female
Dunlins
Willet
Laughing gulls
Least tern
Whimbrel
That little piece of beach had lots of diversity that
morning.
And, though I didn’t take notes, I do have something called
the internet that I could use to go to the Manumet foundation’s site – that
Abby told us about – and remind myself of things she shared with us.
Our section of the coast is studded with barrier islands
and highly dynamic inlets and estuaries that support more than 300,000
shorebirds annually. The unique curved coastline of the Georgia Bight results
in large changes of water depth between low tide and high tide every day. This
intertidal zone of extensive salt marshes, expansive sand and mud flats, and
undisturbed areas of beach creates huge areas of potential food resources that
are exposed by the receding tide.
Abby explained to us how our coastline is a major stopping
off place for birds that migrate all the way from the artic to South
America. During periods of fall and
spring migrations, Canadian and Alaskan nesting shorebirds such as the
Short-billed Dowitcher, Red Knot, Semipalmated Plover, and Black-bellied
Plover use our islands to rest and replenish themselves on the rich,
abundant foods. The Georgia Bight is equally important for shorebirds that
spend the winter here including the Great Lakes breeding population of the
Piping Plover, and the American Oystercatcher. Breeding birds such as Wilson’s
Plovers, and American Oystercatchers also rely on the barrier islands, shell
rakes and offshore sand bars along the Georgia Bight.
Sadly, many of the species that rely on this important
landscape are exhibiting population declines.
And that is why it’s so important for us to protect this habitat.
Did you know that yesterday, May 22, was the International
Day for Biological Diversity, a day proclaimed by the United Nations to raise
awareness about the threats to Earth’s rich biological communities. It is a
time to reflect on the importance of stability in the web of life and the risks
we face when a species is lost to extinction. I received an email about ten
days ago from a board member of the UU
Ministry for the Earth asking UU ministers to consider honoring the
biodiversity of our Web of Life on Sunday, May 23 (today). I had already
selected “Blue Boat Home” as our special music and theme for today – and
thought – wow, that’s a remarkable coincidence – that I’m asked to focus on
this earth and the web of life on the Sunday when I had planned to do so
anyway. Now some would say that it’s not
just a coincidence. Hmmmmm. I’m open to that!
The email encouraging our acknowledgement of this day goes
on to say:
For those of us who feel a deep spiritual kinship with the
millions of species who share our Earthly home, the idea that extinction is a
natural and inevitable part of evolution can be difficult to acknowledge.
Though we know intellectually that life on Earth has endured a series of mass
extinction events, including the Cretaceous extinction 66 million years ago
that allowed mammals like us to evolve and flourish, the perishing of a species
has a finality that can evoke the pain of grief. Reading about the extinction
of the Passenger Pigeon in the early twentieth century whose flocks once
darkened the sky or seeing the images of emaciated polar bears threatened by
the disappearance of sea ice due to climate change can bring us to tears and
fill our hearts with anguish. The biologist Edward O. Wilson suggests we human
beings possess an innate “biophilia” – a love of life – that makes us feel a
connection to the wondrous diversity of life on Earth, so it is only natural
that we should feel such sorrow.
But the mass extinction event we are witnessing now was not
caused by massive volcanic activity or the unfortunate collision with a
meteorite. Human-caused climate change, habitat destruction, and simple
indifference and wastefulness has decimated animal and plant populations and
accelerated the rate of extinction far beyond natural levels. Familiar species,
and species we never got to know, are disappearing forever far too soon,
leaving us with a biologically and spiritually impoverished world.
And though I’m sometimes a little cynical about those ads on
TV with the sad music showing those Polar Bears on those icebergs and such – I
realize that the Polar Bear is just the poster child for the need to save all
endangered species – because we are drawn to them and their beauty – and
perhaps they aren’t seen as dangerous to
us because they eat fish.
What we don’t see with the sad music is the disappearance of
many species that may hold the cures for diseases that kill us. I’m going to share my screen to show you a
page from the National Wildlife Federation which makes this a little clearer
with some examples.
SHARE PDF
Previous mass extinctions on our planet were caused by
Natural phenomena like the meteor that hit the earth. This time it’s caused by us. And this time, we are not powerless. We can
do something about it if we have the will. Let us grieve as we must, but then
let us take action to preserve and protect the biodiversity that remains.
Billions of our fellow creatures are counting on us.
What can we do? Too much for one sermon to share – but
here’s a nice summary of six possibilities offered by Yale Biodiversity
website:
1. Support local farms.
Regularly buying from
small local farmers at stands or markets helps to keep dollars in the local
economy and supports agricultural efforts to conserve biodiversity.
2. Save the bees!
Bees are important to
preserving biodiversity – and they are increasingly under attack from varroa
mites. You can help save them by planting nectar-producing wildflowers in your
backyard, or even building bee boxes for local bees to call home.
3. Plant local flowers, fruits and vegetables.
Research the flora,
fruits and veggies native to your area, and plant a variety in your backyard or
a hanging garden. To aid in this effort, support local nurseries that
specialize in native species. Nurseries can be great sources of information
about plant maintenance and care.
4. Take shorter showers!
Biodiversity depends
on the abundance of local fresh water. Taking five-minute showers and turning
the water off while washing your hands, doing the dishes, or brushing your
teeth are all easy ways to conserve water.
5. Respect local habitats.
Plants growing in the
parks and nature preserves near you often play an important role in preserving
the local ecosystem. When you’re outdoors, protect local biodiversity by
sticking to the walking path or hiking trail. Help your children and pets to do
the same!
6.Know the source!
Check the products you
buy and the companies you support to ensure that your buying habits are not
contributing to destruction of habitat elsewhere. Look for labels such as FSC
(Forest Stewardship Council) or Rainforest Alliance Certified. Both
organizations are committed not only to the conservation of the Earth’s
resources, but also to advocating for the human rights of the native peoples
who inhabit the land many products are sourced from.
I’ll end with these words
from the song “We are the Boat” by Pete Seeger and Lorie Wyatt
We are the boat, we are the sea,
I sail in you, you sail in me.
The stream sings it to the river,
The river sings it to the sea.
The sea sings it to the boat
That carries you and me.
The boat we are sailing in
Was built by many hands,
And the sea we are sailing on,
It touches every land.
So with our hopes we set the sails
And face the winds once more.
And with our hearts we chart
The waters never sailed before.
We are the boat. We are the sea.
I sail in you. You sail in me.
Amen – and Blessed be to Our Blue Boat Home.
No comments:
Post a Comment