The passage in Sand County Almanac on pages 190-191 regarding the tree growth on the north and south side of Mt. Spessart got me thinking about the first reading assignment we were given. The passage talked about how during the Medieval Ages the north side of the mountain was stripped of tress in order to allow for farming while the south side was preserved for deer habitats. The north side was then re-planted with Scotch pine while on the south side there were old-growth Spessart Oak.

This really got me thinking about what I think I’m observing as nature. I have no idea about the history of the nature landscapes that I interact with. That being said, what I think I’m seeing as nature could be completely different species than what were originally there before human involvement. Because I am without this knowledge I am completely misinterpreting the nature that I interact with.

Does nature even exist anymore? Are we all just interacting with a false nature that was created by man? Or are we just without wilderness and nature is what humans have created?