Nicodemus Wilderness Project -- Global Registry of Apprentice Ecologists

Caleigh--
As part of a greedy, materialistic, ever changing culture I am surrounded by naive attitudes resulting in diminished natural resources. A future powered by these stagnant viewpoints is not a reality I wish to fill my head with. Traveling to Iceland last fall was an incredibly eye opening experience that will be unforgettable. Ten other students and I devoted 3 months to research and application of ecological restoration to degraded remnants in Iceland (practically the entire country). When the Vikings settled around 900 AD they completely wiped out the all tree species but one, a shrubby birch. In an effort to restore native flora to the sandy volcanic soils, we planted 5000 tube seedlings in a 20 acre area surrounding Mt. Hekla. Through this activity and many other sustainable community action plans, we brought health and beauty back to a once extraordinary landscape. Through my adventures in Iceland I explored a different culture already far superior in its efforts toward sustainable living. By taking a moment to step out of my own greedy, materialistic culture and live instead within a community held solely together by cooperation and simplicity, I can learned to face the challenging future. I am only one small piece of this puzzle, but without me and the collaboration of humanity, the picture can never come together.