There’s peace found in the wild places
renewal in the mountain streams
they call to us, those old growth trees
The Yellowstone, Yosemite
the painted canyons share their glory
each one writing their own story
long before we came to be
I’ve walked along the valley floor
and stared in awe at all her wonders
calling out to be explored.
I’ve raced the storms across the plains
and listened to the thundering echo
of giant bison giving chase.
I’ve heard the eagles crying out
while soaring thermals, ever higher,
I’ve seen the claw marks of the grizzly,
heard whisper of the hunters wing;
I’ve watched the Pronghorn as they graze.
heard coyotes as they sing.
We are the stewards of this land
the wardens of this sacred trust
from old worn hills and ocean sands
here long before we came to be ,
and now we balance on this cusp.
If we blink and let it fall
then we become accomplices
abettors in the devastation
partners in annihilation
slayers of our destiny
The patterns shift, the ice caps melt,
our leadership’s too blind to see;
the forest fires, the deadly heat…
they stand there, watching in denial:
“profit” is their bottom line.
They have oil to refine.
They look for others they can shame,
a mirror would show who’s to blame.
Yes, we are woven to this place
part and parcel with this land–
and we are keepers of this trust
our future counts on all of us.
© Ginny Brannan 2026
Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.
—Ancient Indian Proverb
In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.——Iroquois maxim
“We must protect the forests for our children, grandchildren and children yet to be born. We must protect the forests for those who can’t speak for themselves such as the birds, animals, fish and trees.”
—Qwatsinas (Hereditary Chief Edward Moody), Nuxalk Nation
**During his very active presidency, Theodore Roosevelt established approximately 230 million acres of public lands between 1901 and 1909, including 150 national forests, the first 55 federal bird reservation and game preserves, 5 national parks, and the first 18 national monuments.**
