I have read some works by Cronon before (I can't remember titles off hand) but I have studied his work and the more I read it the more I feel like him and I have the same values, the same beliefs and the same attitudes toward nature. Each time I read something he has written I get a little girly crush on him.
That's supposed to be me after reading some writings from Cronon…
Awkward.
Anyway. Having only lived in Tucson my whole life I would like to think that Tucson and the surrounding areas are in tune with nature and that many residents here appreciate nature more than the average city dweller does. Think about it. Many people have the mountain ranges around Tucson to explore; there are lakes south of us; and various outdoor activities that people can par take in like mountain biking, hunting, skiing, rock climbing, camping and hiking. These are places where people and go and enjoy being outside, within nature and I would like to think that people who live in Tucson take advantage of these opportunities and do not take them for granted.
I remember growing up and visiting Mt. Lemmon all the time. My family and I would go up there nearly every weekend, it was great. I always remember my mom telling me "Don't take anything from the forest because if everyone took something from it there would be nothing left." Basically she was saying to enjoy it but leave it as it is. I still think of that to this day. One day my husband and I were in Sabino Canyon and two little boys had a handful of rocks and sticks that they were planning on taking home. I was interacting with them and I told them that if every visitor took something from Sabino Canyon there would be nothing left!
That didn't go over well with their parents but hey, I tried.
I also think that nature does not have to be hiking, camping, mountain ranges, lakes etc. Take people who live in New York City for example. A huge city. Buildings as tall as can be and gardens few and far between. A trending topic in NYC is rooftop gardens where people can grow their own food, flowers and herbs. Even though this may not come to mind when people think of "nature" or "wilderness" it still being outside and sometimes the only area people in big cities have to go to enjoy fresh air.
