28 Comments

What an amazing story about the power of kindred souls, advocacy for this Earth, and words to connect us together! I can only imagine your awe at these interconnections happening in real time at warp speed. Does it matter when we send our words and stories out into the world? Indeed it does!

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Mallory! Thank you for being here. I love the way you expressed that. My editor said, "magical" at every turn. Do you have any questions for Trish?🌱

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Here is my comment to Sec. Haaland: "As a life-long golfer, I urge you to NOT construct a golf course in Rock Creek Park, for what should be all of the obvious reasons."

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Thank you for being a voice of reason🌱

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Shared with my dc network! Thanks for sounding the alarm

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Thanks so much, Ben!!

All thanks on the alarm go to the hard work of Sam Krause and Trish O'Kane...extraordinary humans!

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I'm in the UK, so can't contact the decision makers myself but I'll share your post. Here in Scotland, we've had plenty of our own fights against people wanting to turn valuable wildlife areas into golf courses.

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Juliet, thank you.

I only recently learned of the issues in Scotland.

I am so sorry. Thanks for reading.🌱🌎💙

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It happens in too many places around the world. There are two documentaries that are worth watching - "You've been Trumped" (2011) about the fight against Trump's plan to build a golfcourse on a wildlife site in Aberdeenshire and "The Dangerous Game" (2014) which takes a wider view of inappropriate golf course developments across the world. You may of course have seen them, but if not they're well worth watching if you can get hold of them.

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Thank you so much.

I will look them up.🌱💚

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Thank you for this! We lived right next to Rock Creek Park for many years. Just restacked.

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Mary, thank you so much!!

Substackers are just amazing. The petition numbers have jumped with On Behalf of Rock Creek Park. I'm so impressed with everyone. Thank you again.🌱🌎💙

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Wow! Thank you for sharing this powerful call to action.

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Thanks from all the trees for the restack!🌱

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just sent this to everyone i know who lives in the area. i feel exasperated and sad seeing this carelessness.

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Kin, so much love to you.

You taught me to do my small part.

Thank you. We are.

Thank you for sharing with your people in the area.

I am so proud of the DC activist Sam Krause. And I am awestruck to be able to talk with the author, activist, and educator, Trish O'Kane. Thanks for that training, Kin🌱🌎💙

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Thank you for sharing this story and the link to take action on behalf of the Rock Creek Park. I’m so impressed with the work done locally to interview key stakeholders and prepare an alternative proposal.

I think this is key for all of us who are upset with the status quo. It’s not just about stopping what’s happening, but helping shape a beautiful and tangible alternative that mobilizes the greater community to move forward.

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Jeff, you completely understand the dilemma. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I think Sam Krause will be happy to see how deeply you read and understood their activism.🌱

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This is outrageous! Hypocrisy of the worst sort. Thanks for helping to spread the word. I will do what I can.

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On behalf of Sam Krause, Trish O'Kane, the trees, the birds, and all of us ~ Julie, thank you!!!!! Your voice is of critical importance. I'll keep you posted.🌱

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Will be sending a blast email to my colleagues at Univ of MD. Many live in DC near the park so they may already know.

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Julie!!

I owe you🌱🌿💚

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Thank you for your kind comments about my music, Katherine. You probably would have noticed that my current series is dedicated to trees but I plan to write my next series based on inspiration from birds! So I will definitely seek out Trish’s book. Thanks for the recommendation. I have a friend who is a wonderful bird photographer and we plan to work on this together. I look forward to reading more of your work.

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Glyn ~ such wonderful news. I will listen to your music as I write for our kin, beyond the human world. Thank you for your kinship.🌱

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Thank you for your advocacy for the trees, Katherine. Unfortunately this destruction is happening here in Australia too. At this very moment old growth forests are threatened in New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania. Centuries-old trees are being logged daily. But, as in the situation you highlight there in DC, there are many good people working to save them. Thank you for highlighting the actions of Sam, Trish and others as a reminder that there is a global community of those who speak for the trees. May it continue to grow, along with the trees themselves!

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Glyn, how delightful to see you here. Thank you for taking the time to comment. I am sorry for New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania.

Yes, Sam and Trish are just so outstanding in their advocacy for the natural world. I really love how Sam names the species she's seen and heard. With Trish as her mentor, I expect we will hear a lot more from this activist.

Have you read Birding to Change the World? Your music is so wonderful, you seem to soak up the natural world.🌱

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Thank you! I love the web of connections here!

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An ent here. The only people who want to kill trees are people who never grew, planted, admired, sat in the shade of, or spent a night sleeping in a tree. And could killing them be for a less worthy reason? A golf course? A golf course??

“Any fool can destroy trees. They cannot run away; and if they could, they would still be destroyed, — chased and hunted down as long as fun or a dollar could be got out of their bark hides, branching horns, or magnificent bole backbones. Few that fell trees plant them; nor would planting avail much towards getting back anything like the noble primeval forests. During a man’s life only saplings can be grown, in the place of the old trees — tens of centuries old — that have been destroyed.” - John Muir

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