Categories
Nature photos Nature Writing Rambling video

This Is What Happens When Protecting Nature Isn’t A Priority. ~Or, You Can Step On All Of Creation If You Pass Out The Green Bucks!

Why Was This Done During Nesting Season?

I wrote and rewrote this Blog. I had a hard time writing this.

On June 3rd in the middle of the afternoon, just when I decided to slather my face with a face mask someone knocked on the front door. I splashed water on my face and hurried to the door. I was worried about Uriah, he was wandering around the back and he could get hurt when a car comes down the driveway.

I was surprised by a state police officer informing me that a neighbor was going to be working on the drainage tiles…Long story, very stressful.

  • In 2008 this neighbor, the one who told me to get a gun because of the Cougars and Wolves wandering around- We don’t have Cougars or Wolves!- He filed against me and another neighbor to tear up the drainage tiles. This man had bought the lowest area of land in 2004, and it flooded regularly. He wanted to replace ancient drainage tiles, without putting a retention pond on his property. He also broke through the Aquifer so he could have a swimming pond on his property and he wanted to attach the pond to the tiles that would add to the water problem and tap into the fresh water. Bad idea to go into court thinking this is crazy and someone will listen-when you don’t have a lawyer.. *

 

I asked the policeman, why now? He had told me two years ago, that he was working on the tiles, and it would only take two weeks. But he never touched anything. The police officer said, that neighbor had been waiting for approval from the, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, concerning the wet lands.  And he, the policeman, was sent to tell me what my neighbor was up to…

I will call this neighbor, Bob, not his real name.

I asked when Bob, would be digging. He didn’t know.

How long would it take? He didn’t know.

I didn’t trust Bob; I asked how much digging would he be doing? I was told he would only take out a fifteen foot wide section of trees, running along the tiles.

I told him Bob couldn’t bring his young kids on my land. If they got hurt I could be sued. He agreed that could happen.  He said, he would inform Bob, not to bring his children on my land.

The police officer told me Bob would replace my fence and toss around grass seed.

Grass seed?  He needs to replace the wetlands vegetation!  

The policeman shrugged and said nothing.

My thirteen year old was graduating from eight grade that evening, so I went back inside and made a note to send out and email to the county and find out what was going on.

I didn’t have a chance to send the email that night. The next morning before I got up, Bob had torn out the trees. He ripped through the wetlands destroying nesting areas of countless birds and animals. From the deck I watched the birds circling and screaming.

He pulled out more than fifteen feet; the least was twenty feet wide. I need to measure to be exact, but it looks like he tore a crooked line of up to thirty feet wide.  The length from north to south is around five hundred feet.

I was under the impression it was illegal to tear out vegetation during nesting season. Or am I wrong…?

This may be small compared to the oil spill in the Gulf. But each time a tree is ripped out a nest destroyed, a plant or fish is killed. We are losing a little bit more of nature. A little more fresh air, a little more life is gone.  It makes me ill to think of all those baby birds that died.  I have a hard time wondering what else died under his wheels.

I was shocked at how someone could come onto my land and do so much damage. Later that evening I took Uriah out for a walk.  I watched Bob driving along the road in a four wheel, off road vehicle; he turned into the farm field, next to me.   He wasn’t on his land. He saw me with Uriah and turned away.  His two boys were with him. He was taking his kids to check out the area he tore up..

 Here is a very small list of the birds that live around me. There are some odd birds and songs like the bird that looks like a Miniature Blue Heron; it has a loud screaming call.  Or the one I can’t seem to see very well through the trees, it has a throaty growl. There’s a beautiful bird with reddish-brown back and head, with a beige underbelly that holds itself like a Jay. It might be a Cuckoo or maybe a Brown Thrasher.  I didn’t add the foxes, skunks, muskrats, or coyotes. 

This is not a complete list at all.

Great Blue Heron
Blue Jays
Crows
Horned Owl
Cardinals
Red-Tailed Hawks
Turkey Vultures
Screech Owl
Pheasant
 Peregrine Falcon
Sedge Wren
Ducks
Geese
Woodpeckers
Robin
Toads
In the video I turned and faced the neighbor’s house, you can see where he dragged the downed trees. This pile, earlier, was circled by birds franticly searching until they finally gave up.

37 replies on “This Is What Happens When Protecting Nature Isn’t A Priority. ~Or, You Can Step On All Of Creation If You Pass Out The Green Bucks!”

so sad, Gerardine.
I see so clearly now WHY God placed you there, stay strong.
I for one truly believe in Karma, so sad, for that man killed a lot for any single soul and no one has that right.
These are the people who will not hesitate to take whatever they think its theirs. You are put there to make him realize before GOD gave him no more chances.
blessed be.
hugs
shakira

This and what happened in the gulf are connected. Someone (or a group of someones) think that the rules don’t apply to them, and they have such a sense of entitlement that they get the government to agree with them.

This just makes me so mad.

Helen Bushnell,
That sounds like ‘Bob’. It is interesting how people do what they what them to do just so they shut up. This guy talks a mile a minute like he knows what he’s saying.
Have a peaceful day!
Gerardine

sounds like bob needs a good slap, grrrr hate people like that, why cant the whole neighbourhood have gerardines in them, then EVERYTHING would be safe.. bob will get his one day 🙂

william,
I think everyone would get tired of all the loud mouth Gerardines running around. lol!!

This guy has been doing this for years and getting away with it, he brags he ‘knows’ people in the county building. I should twitter kane county..hmm I wonder if I’m connected to them?

I also got and email back from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the guy told me to call a number he gave and find out if he really had a permit.. I will call Monday:-)

Be well!
Gerardine xx

This is so sad Gerardine. Those poor birds. Isn’t there something that someone can do to stop this man? I wish all your neighbors would join together against him then maybe he would be stipped. I will pray about this my friend.

Bob’s mentality and actions are definitely part of OUR problem with how we view nature which is OUR world that keeps US alive. All the Bobs of the world need to be stopped and held accountable for ‘crimes’ –yes, crimes against the Earth and for endangerment of all living things–yes ALL LIVING THINGS because we are ALL connected and need to live on this ONE planet. There is NO spaceship to go live on when Earth is too polluted to support the parasite called Homo Sapiens.
Just my 2 cents. GB, I hope you can fight this sort of thing in the future.

47whitebuffalo,

These ‘Bob’s’ get away with this because they know how to work the system. He firsts comes over with cookies
(Or something you want,) then he asks for the favor.

This is a business practice that go on everywhere someone wants something they aren’t suppose to have…

How can I get someone to listen…I’m broke, money talks and the judges aren’t educated in environmental issues.

Bob should at least get fined, and have to replace the wetland foliage!

I agree with everything you said. Thank you for saying it.

Gerardine

Viola,
Wonderful! I just came back from reading your poem. So beautiful! Everyone should stop by your Blog to read that lovely poem.

I hope my comments came through; I was having a hard time getting confirmation that they were accepted. * Beautiful scene I can feel the daily work and a collection of love in your family life*
Gerardine

It does not sound like he is adhering to the law. At least you are documenting this. good to have a record. Maybe someone should be notified about his not adhering to the wetland regulations.

suzicate,
I have sent out emails and only got one back referring me back to someone else. The problem stems when this keeps getting passed around, then shrugged at. It is hard to get someone in power to care.
Thank you for commenting.
Gerardine

47whitebuffalo’s Blog,

Thank you for posting this.

Nothing is too small! Everything is connected! Everyone is connected!

What people don’t understand is that standing water recharges the aquifer; the aquifer replenishes our water supply. With water we all survive

Thank you again for posting this. Thank you for your voice.

I added this comment and a little more on 47whitebuffalo’s Blog, Please stop by and read her words.

Gerardine

That is just horrible! I was cringing at the sound of splintering earth and trees vibrating in my head.
Horrible, just horrible…

It amazes me they way some people can detach themselves from the love and neccessity of nature.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.