It felt like all week until this day would finally come. On February 23, 2011 at 7:30 pm, Jeff Corwin made his appearance at the University of North Texas, and bought with him an extraordinary message. Jeff Corwin has worked for the conservation of endangered species and ecosystems around the globe. An expert on wildlife, ecology and conservation. However, not out of the ordinary Corwin's presentation featured exotic animals, most of which are snakes and reptiles. In his introduction video, scenes were flashed of him taking part among the different aspects in nature. However, fundamentally, the purpose he wanted to convey was on the conservation and the extinction of earth's wild animals and reptiles. In addition, that the precarious life of these animals are at stake.
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| Jeff Corwin (Unknown Photographer). |
Jeff Corwin's lecture brought about the proposing thought of anthropocentrism, regarding humankind as the central or most important element of existence. He explained that we could see this through the growing number of swarm lands disappearing or posing dangers of man hunting down animals until they are near extinction. However, there is no doubt that through conservation, the progress of these creatures or becoming a certainty. Corwin's first presentation of a bullfrog, then following: lizard, anaconda, alligator snapping turtle, and crocodile, he discuss their discovery and their status as a specie. I agree on the marvelous adventure that Corwin is taking in order to save creatures on the verge of extinction. Everyone should take this idea into consideration, because we all share a common community.
Corwin lecture is an excellent example of land ethic. In the reading by, Leopold entitled "Thinking Like a Mountain", and "The Land Ethic", the terms land ethic and A-B Cleavage: “man the conqueror versus man the biotic citizen; science the sharpener of his sword versus science the searchlight of the universe; land the slave versus land the collective org" (Leopold, pg 8).
The in class video "Wilderness", in the eyes of humankind, land ethic is viewed as a thing that is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. Moreover, it is wrong when it tends to do otherwise. Nevertheless, indifference the biocultural conservation as explained by Maffi and Wollock represents the hand and hand conversation of endemic culture and language, embodies systems of inhabitation and knowledge that are more- likely suited to an endemic environment than foreign ones.
We are living in those moments were the ecological conscience of our symbiosis with the wild is viewed as direct driver. Through the lecture by Jeff Corwin and the participation of chosen participants, maybe we can better learn from the teachings of Leopold and Maffi. "Thinking Like a Mountain", perhaps may insure the longevity of Earth's disappearing creatures.
References:
Info about Jeff Corwin Vist:
http://web3.unt.edu/news/story.cfm?story=12077
Leopold, Aldo. "Ecocentrism: The Land Ethic." Part One: Theory (1949): 139- 148.
Leopold, Aldo. "Thinking Like a Mountain." Wolves and Deforestation (1949): 1-3.
Maffi, Luisa. "On Biocultural Diversity: Linking Language, Knowledge, and the Environment." Washington and London: Smithosonian Press, 2001. 1-259.
By Briana Echols
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