Orion Magazine - May/June 2012

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As a retired military member and former environmental scientist, I enjoyed Don Lyman’s description of his return to Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia (“The Place Where You Live,” January/February 2012).

Few people realize how important military training lands can be to wildlife, much of it protected by fences erected years ago that continue to keep out development. The U.S. Department of Defense now manages almost 30 million acres, including everything from longleaf pine in the Southeast to Pacific coastal sage and chaparral. These areas provide habitat for over four hundred listed species —about the same number of species found on Forest Service lands. The Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, for example, is one of the largest remaining longleaf pine habitats in the Southeast, home to red-cockaded woodpeckers, gopher tortoises, indigo snakes, and many other species. A few bombs going o= now and then seems less hazardous to wildlife than the blade of a developer’s bulldozer.

JERRY LANG

North Muskegon, Michigan

Luis Alberto Urrea’s column (“Night Shift,” January/February 2012) brought back memories of growing up tent-camping. Unlike the high-rent RV campers who slept on mattresses, I love that I shared the ground with lakes and mountains. Having just finished Urrea’s The Hummingbird’s Daughter, I was delighted to see his voice in Orion. I find his authenticity refreshing.

JEAN IVES

Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Luis Alberto Urrea never lets us avert our eyes, does he? What he tells is always worth knowing. Thank you for adding his column to Orion.

JOANN ANGLIN

Sacramento, California

In his January/February 2012 column
(“Not In My Name”), Derrick Jensen does
well to point out the distracting, patri-
archal, and consumerist mentality behind
“green” ad campaigns. But linking an Earth
First! Journal image of naked revelers at a
gathering of eco-warriors to advertising
gimmicks from underwear companies is
harmful. There is a di=erence.

Derrick Jensen’s latest column seems to recommend that environmental activists imagine themselves as soldiers. This might inspire some, but others might find their senses and spirits quickened by the wild earth. Others’ souls might sing when they express themselves through play— when they paint their faces, bring their puppets to protests, and, yes, even perform in the nude. Jensen decries such revelry, but some activists feel that making art with their bodies binds them to this creative, voluptuous planet. We must inspire a variety of people to start caring for the earth — not only potential soldiers.

KELLY FINE

Bellevue, Washington

Orion (ISSN 2161-2722) is published bimonthly by The Orion Society and The Myrin Institute, 187 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230. Contact us at 888/909-6568 or 413/528- 4422, or at questions@orionmagazine.org. Periodical postage paid at Boston, MA, and additional offices. The opinions expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect those of Orion or The Orion Society, but, then again, they might. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to ORION MAGAZINE, P.O. Box 469090, Escondido, CA. Copyright © 2012 by The Orion Society. All rights reserved.

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