Greenseniors

Green Networks...Great Old Broads

Great Old Broads have a tough job ahead, trying to convince the American people that wilderness matters – well, of course it does, and the more true wilderness that exists, the more quickly wild nature is able to re-establish some kind of stability on the Earth once more. That is obvious: yet wilderness is seen by industrial civilization as "other", something we are not connected to, and something to be feared and, in consequence, "tamed" for the benefit of humankind. Yet this taming process is what started the rot in the first place.

Great Old Broads for Wilderness, to give it its full name, want to keep wilderness in the hands of nature, and allow people – in particular older people – to understand why it is so important:

"Great Old Broads, with lifetimes of adventures and experiences to draw from, bring a broader perspective and valuable insights to wilderness discussions than other environmental organizations with more youthful memberships are able to do. Great Old Broads are uniquely qualified to speak up for the lands and to protect what we have learned is valuable and important. We are prepared to alleviate the destruction to wilderness, and we are optimistic that we will make a difference."

They were formed 19 years ago by a group of "ladies of a certain age" who thought that seniors were under-represented in the wilderness movement, as well as being used as an excuse to block wilderness designation on the premise that elders all need wheels to enjoy the backcountry. Green Seniors are proud to feature Great Old Broads as a Green Network, and a real asset in the efforts of seniors to turn round the march of environmental destruction in the guise of "development".

Veronica Egan, Executive Director, was keen to answer our questions about the group, stressing that she could have written an essay in answer to each of them!

Why do you think that modern society has undergone a progressive disconnection with the natural world in the last 50 years?

Our sense is that with the increase in urban population, and population in general, coupled with increased electronic entertainment and commerce and two cars (plus a boat, ATV, dirt bike and jet-ski) in every garage; folks simply are not growing up with the time or inclination to explore outdoors. All of these modern "conveniences" not only remove us from our natural environment, but they require ever-increasing extraction of natural resources as well. As well, parents are ever more fearful of letting their kids loose in "the wild", much less in their own urban jungles.

How important is the role of senior generations in bringing people round to understanding the importance of wilderness and wild nature?

We feel that it is crucial for elders, especially those who valued their time in the outdoors as youths, make an effort to connect with today's kids, the earlier the better! People won't be inclined to want to protect wildness if they are ignorant of it, or afraid.

What are your priorities for the next 12 months as a group?

We are focusing our energies on building our local "Broadbands", or chapters, thus engaging more folks in on-the-ground activities and service. Our main areas of concern, aside from actively supporting good wilderness proposals around the country, are our Broads Healthy Lands Project; which trains volunteers to monitor motorized impacts in their local areas and become involved in Travel Planning issues with the agencies. This project will ultimately be a nation-wide program. We are also involved in public lands grazing management issues in the West. We also conduct two or three "Broadwalks" a year, in places that have either wilderness potential, or are experiencing some threat, or both. Our website describes these events quite well. We just completed one near Mesquite, NV in support of the proposed Gold Butte Wilderness Proposal.

Green Seniors wish Great Old Broads every success in their efforts, and encourage you – dear reader – to discover your own local wildernesses, however small, and do everything you can to enjoy, protect and expand them.

Green Hero...Floyd Sherburne

By now you know that Green Seniors champions a wide variety of people through its series on Green Heroes.  Floyd Sherburne, age 98, came to our attention through an article in a local American newspaper (Des Moines Register, December 9, 2007) describing the amazing life he had led for the past three decades. 

Until retirement at age 65  in 1974, Floyd’s life seems to have been like many others.  He married, raised a family, and worked hard to achieve a small savings.  Then he dropped a bombshell on his adult children:  he was going to buy an old farm acreage in a wooded area, build a house from the ground up with his own hands, and live off the land. And he  did just that—and lived there with his wife Florence for 31 happy years.  That may not seem like a very unusual story, until you know some of the details.      

It took nearly all Floyd’s savings to buy the land.  He tore down some old farm outbuildings on his property and used the wood from the two barns to build his home. He hauled native rock in buckets up to the homesite for the massive fireplace he would build to heat both levels of the 3,500 square foot home.  He salvaged shingles and nails from old buildings, and he bought the windows and doors at a closeout sale—including five picture windows for viewing the wildlife that would come to the bird feeders, bird baths, and the salt lick he provided. 

The wild turkeys and deer had nothing to fear, for Floyd did not hunt.  Rather, he and Florence kept a huge garden that provided most of their sustenance, even grinding grain for flour.  They planted an orchard and gathered berries and nuts.  Their vegan diet was a personal choice they made, stemming from a love of nature and a deep religious faith.

As decades passed, they continued their regular walks in the woods and growing their garden, even as they had to start supplementing their wood fireplace with electric heat.  After suffering a broken shoulder, Floyd was not able to haul enough wood.  They continued on, however, even when Florence became frail and needed a walker, and Floyd became blind from macular degeneration.

Eventually the passing of years forced Floyd and Florence to leave their beloved home in the woods.  In  2007, Florence, now aged  97, needed care in a nursing home.  Floyd moved with her to remain at her side.  She lived on for only about a month.  A widower at 98, Floyd sold his land and home at a bargain price to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and now lives with a daughter in another state.   His land became part of the state park which adjoined it, and his home will become a vacation lodge for park visitors.

 

Many families will benefit from Floyd and Florence’s work for years to come.  His daughter says she will bring Floyd back, as a lodge guest in his former home, in May 2009 when the family gathers to celebrate Floyd’s 100th birthday in the park. 

Floyd, you don’t know you are a Green Hero, but on behalf of all Green Seniors, we send you our admiration for a life well lived, and for a happy 99th birthday this month.