The 50th anniversary of Earth Day marks a good time to reflect on the work of Rivers Without Borders and conservation in general, especially in a challenging and unsettling time of pandemic. In one sense, it's easy and understandable to turn away from remote wild places we are trying to save to prioritize more pressing concerns about our immediate health and that of family, friends, and community. And we all look forward to a return to a less worrisome time for sure. But this said, the pandemic reminds us to think about the health of our planet as well. We've seen numerous news reports of reduced carbon emissions, far less auto and air traffic, cleaner air, quieter oceans, as if we're giving Earth a "time out" from our usual full speed ahead resource exploitation binging with the recent economic slowdown.
I write this working from home, like so many others lately. But I guess the key point for those of us at Rivers Without Borders is not so much that we're working from home, but rather that we're working for home. In a global sense, that is. And the Alaska - British Columbia transboundary Wild Border region we focus on is as yet mostly beyond the reach of humanity's development frenzy, making it a land of exceptional ecological and cultural significance, and opportunity, standing out among the planet's conservation hot spots.
We'll continue doing all we can, now and when the pandemic passes, to keep the transboundary watersheds wild and thriving. A nice thing to think about this Earth Day, with thanks for all the generous support we receive, keeping us at it. And for that matter, thanks also to everyone on the front lines doing the hard work of confronting the pandemic as well. We have much to be grateful about.
