Saving Special Places reminds that land is what sustains us

In the modern world, we need to be reminded sometimes that the land is what sustains us — whether as food, habitat or personal renewal. As for renewal, the modern dilemma of nature deficit has been described by some as an “extinction of experience.” Exposure to nature has become more and more important for children and adults as the world changes.

Last Saturday, for the second year, I returned to an annual gathering at Prospect Mountain High School in Alton called Saving Special Places, put on by the UNH Extension Service. 300 participants came together for workshops in conservation, land trusts, ecology and wildlife, and creating natural spaces in community that bring people together. These attendees were from many walks of life, including land trusts, teachers, lawyers and farmers.