The old Latin word for forest is 'sylvie'. This is where we get the English word 'sylvan' (also spelt 'silvan' and 'silvian') an adjective that means 'of or connected to a forest'. Thus, Sylvie culture is the culture of the forest. The inter-relationships between soil, plants, trees, animals, water as well as man makes up the culture of the forest that is also known as forest ecology.
The forests of the world are vital for the health of the planet. Forests along with plankton in the sea are the main carbon recyclers for the planet. More than 20% of the world's oxygen is made in the Amazon rainforest (http://www.rain-tree.com/facts.htm). More than 80% of the world's dietary items originated in a forest. These food items include fruits such as avocados, coconuts, figs, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, bananas, guavas, pineapples, mangos and tomatoes; vegetables including corn, potatoes, rice, winter squash and yams; spices like black pepper, cayenne, chocolate, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, sugar cane, turmeric, coffee and vanilla and nuts including Brazil nuts and cashews. Without the culture of forests our diets would be very poor and our life expectancy would surely be much shorter as a result.
Forests not only supply foods, they also supply medicine. 25% of Western pharmaceuticals are derived from rainforest ingredients. Scientists believe that the biodiversity of forests hold the key to finding cures for most of the serious diseases in the world. At present, only 1% of the plants of the Amazon have been tested by scientists. There are many undiscovered species of flora in the forest that could unlock the door to many cures that could see humanity extend its life to ages as yet unheard of. Such is the promise and magic of forestry culture.
How sad it is and how myopic it is that mankind seems intent on destroying this most important of cultures, our forests. Every one and a half seconds an acre of forest is cut down somewhere in the world. At the present rate of logging and clear cutting all the great forests in the world will be gone in 40 years. If you factor in the likely rise in sea levels due to climate change this process of deforestation could be accelerated.
Without the lungs of the world how will we survive? Without the medicines of the forest how will we survive? Every year clearing forests causes the extinction of 50,000 plant, insect and animal species. We are losing our birthright, our bio diversity at an alarming rate. The end result is that we Homo sapiens will also become extinct. We will have bought about our own ruin through the use of our supposed 'sapience' to make money instead of studying and protecting nature.
It seems very apparent that the culture of money, of economics and of consumerism is at logger heads with the culture of the forest. The Amazonian indigenous people have learnt to live with the forest and to derive many of the benefits of the forest. 500 years ago there were 10 million Indians in the Amazon. Now there are 200,000. We are killing the forest and the people of the forest.
This website is designed as a resource for all those concerned with these larger issues of protecting the environment. It is about suggesting ways to limit our negative impact on the environment and how we can help forests as well as oceans and other ecosystems to recover from the damage done mainly by man.
Tags:
entry level jobs,
national parks service,
park ranger, Posted in:
Conservation,
People who are at least eighteen years old and love nature and interaction with the public may consider entry level jobs as park rangers. The National Parks Service or NPS is the government agency that facilitates the hiring of park rangers. They should be law abiding citizens of the state or aliens who are residents and eligible for U.S. citizenship, matured, punctual, neat, and polite. They are indispensable for their skills and professions are needed to supervise and look after state and federal parks, leisure areas, seashores, historical sites, and natural resources among others. Some of them lead and guide other park rangers too.
In this entry level job, there are three entry levels to become a park ranger, which are cadet, ranger, and chief ranger. Cadet level is their starting point and the beginning of their training about their duties. These duties include acquiring some knowledge in carrying out the laws, providing services to visitors and the public, managing of resources available and implementing of rules and guidelines necessary for orderly administration. Ranger is the next one, which is their journey phase. Their responsibilities include the actual performance of their training regarding public protection and guidance and law implementation. The third one is the chief ranger position in which they perform commanding functions in their areas and staff. This is their first comprehensive supervisory level. Their duties include visitors’ assistance and management, protection of resources available, and supervision and enforcement of laws.
They should have good eyesight, should be physically fit and should be drug free individuals to be eligible for these three entry levels. They should have also completed two year courses from accepted state universities and colleges and have taken humanities, mathematics, natural sciences and language as subjects. Learning how to swim is necessary in life saving situations. Their knowledge in using related equipments for carrying out their jobs effectively is also needed. Basic knowledge of accounting, public affairs and safety, and the important recreational parks in the state are also necessary in this entry level job. They must also obey the rules and practices regarding the conservation of historic places and natural resources. They should also possess valid drivers’ licenses to be qualified for this entry level job. These are golden opportunities for those who are dreaming to be park rangers.
Comments Off