Ecology & Natural History At Fontbonne Academy

CaraM assignment 02 draft

Edward Wilson’s The Future of Life was made possible because of the research of two scientists before Wilson’s time, Henry Thoreau and Charles Darwin. Darwin is best known for his theories of evolution and survival of the fittest, while Thoreau is best known for his solitude life and his opinion of civil disobedience. There is a common bond that ties these three scientists together though…their love and interest in the environment.

The way each scientist found and presented their work to society shows how much history and science has changed.  When Darwin presented his theory of evolution, most of society rejected the idea because it conflicted with their religions and beliefs. However, because of this theory, many other scientists have been able to work on that theory and discover their own findings. Thoreau wrote about the importance of the environment and experience living at Walden Pond.  Both of these men were a great inspiration and influence on Edward Wilson and his research.

Wilson knows much more about the environment now and what the future may hold then Darwin or Thoreau. Nevertheless, they each are like a chain-Wilson studying Thoreau, Thoreau studying Darwin. Without one, the other’s findings could not exist. Another connection they each have is that they all inspired others and may indirectly cause a difference for our future.

KatieG, Assignment 02, Draft

Wilson, Thoreau and Darwin are connected as all scientists are through the intergenerational accumulation and refinement of knowledge. As Wilson points out even though they may be separated by generations, scientists are in constant dialogue with one another, modifying, testing and rejecting each other’s ideas. Darwin’s theories especially have been subjected to the opinions of others. His The Origin of Species published in 1859, though not flawless, was revolutionary for its theory of evolution and wildly influential. Thoreau purchased one of the first copies and annotated it immediately. Considering the facts that Thoreau only lived for three years after the book’s publication and Darwin was English not American, it is not clear if the two scientists exerted influence on each other, however their influence on later scientists, including E. O. Wilson, is apparent.

    Because Darwin and Thoreau, although they studied nature at roughly the same time, were not “contemporaries” they each contributed differently to Wilson’s professional development. Wilson, as do all biologists, owes Darwin for his advances in the study of evolution and his theory concerning survival of the fittest. Thoreau, although not so prominent a scientist as Darwin, seems to have exerted a more profound personal influence on Wilson. Darwin influenced Thoreau academically while Thoreau inspired him personally. It was Thoreau’s love of nature that fueled his study of it, not vice versa. Despite being a “big organism” ecologist, while Wilson is “a lover of little things” some of their passions overlap. Wilson, a premier authority on ants, writes of an ant war Thoreau saw and then chronicled in Walden. He then goes on to express the satisfaction he experienced at describing to “Neo-Thoreau”, a Thoreau impersonator at Walden Pond, the scientific explanations for the ants’ behavior.

    This anecdote is quite a literal example of how scientists use each other’s work as stepping stones. At one point Wilson remarks that he knows today more than Darwin ever did. This is not meant as an insult. In fact, the respect Wilson has for both Darwin and Thoreau is evident. He is honored to continue their work and be another step in the advancement of scientific study.

FeliciaF, Assignment 02, draft

In ‘The Future of Life’ prologue E.O Wilson describes ideas of three scientists including himself, these are Charles Darwin, Henry Thoreau and Wilson. In this order each had an effect on each other leading down to Wilson. They all posses historical and scientific connections as well as contributing to one another professionally.

Starting off with Darwin and his theories, that consisted of evolution and survival of the fittest also the idea that life on earth evolved over a series of millions of years. These points of information played into Thoreau while we was living in complete solitude, testing his own theories as well as testing out Darwin’s. While livingat Walden Pond Thoreau wanted to find out the true importance of taking care of the environment and how we as the population have a significant role in this. Both Charles Darwin and Henry Thoreau had the same ideas of testing human limitations these also had long term effects to the historical sense on how the world sees the environment around us. Lastly, E.O Wilson whom wanted to understand more and know the limitations of the world that humans live in. Wilson also wanted to achieve and have as great of an impact on the world as Thoreau and Darwin.

Each scientists have  had scientists before them , so each builds on each others' ideas. Thoreau and Darwin both collectively contributed to the professional development of Wilson, by giving him topics and ideas to question within himself and how he wanted to research them. We can see the scientific relationship between these three, but on the other hand they had an historical impact . These three wanted to let the population see the trueth about the environment and how it came to be the way we see it today. 'The Future of Life' is writen to be a continuing of the past and what our enviroment will look like as like years progress.

 

BetsyO draft02

Darwin, Thoreau and Wilson; may seem like common names to everyday people, however, to the scientific community these names represent scientists who possessed intelligence, observation and diligence. Although each of these scientists are famous in their own right, and lived at different periods in time, their work collectively has helped improve the knowledge of others in the fields of ecology and natural history.

    Historical and non-historical connections can be made between each of these scientists. History shows us each of these men was a pioneer in the fields of ecology and biology, they also advocated for the need for conservation. Through their scientific study of nature, which included both plants and animals, they documented the need to protect the natural resources that surround us. They are each respected as environmentalists, natural historians and biologists. Scientific connections can be made in the way each observed animals in nature. Darwin is famous for his study of gorillas, Thoreau for his study of trees and the animals surrounding Walden’s Pond, and Wilson for his study of ants. Each of them utilized the scientific method in their research, observing and recording their findings, while building on the ideas of past discoveries. Another common connection between the three was their immersion in the habitat they were studying.  

    The professional development of E.O. Wilson was aided by the resources written by Darwin and Thoreau. Wilson used Darwin’s, The Origin of Species, to jump start his career in ecology. He used Thoreau’s work on conservation to develop a strong stance on the preservation of our national parks and forests. The discoveries of both scientists were an inspiration to Wilson to develop and test hypotheses concerning ecology.

    Wilson feels a sense of familiarity with both Darwin and Thoreau as a result of their work in the field of ecology. His writing reflects a deep knowledge of the works of both men. He writes as though he is writing to a colleague in the field of ecology, rather than someone who lived 150 years prior. He feels his relationship with Darwin is that of a teacher and student. The work Darwin accomplished in biology and ecology allowed Wilson to have a deeper and more intense love for the science.

    Darwin, Thoreau and Wilson pioneered the fields of biology and ecology. If it were not for these scientists, and the work they each accomplished, conservation movement would not have evolved to what it is today in such a short span of time.

GabriellaM, assignment 02, first draft

    The Future of Life by E.O. Wilson is a novel which discuss’ three well known naturalists: David Thoreau, Charles Darwin, and E.O. Wilson. These three scientists, though raised in different generations, surprisingly influenced each other. Starting with Charles Darwin and presently with E.O. Wilson, each of these scientists build off of the one in its previous generation. Darwin, Thoreau, and Wilson all have scientific and historical connection. Darwin and Thoreau paved a path for Wilson, but Wilson is continuing the path by using new technology and the recent discoveries with evolution. Even though the three scientists were raised in different time periods, Wilson being the youngest, when he reads their literature he feels a personal connection with Darwin and Thoreau.

    Charles Darwin was the first. He published the idea of evolution and made it known. Darwin appreciated nature and all it represented. Back in Darwin’s time, technology and resources were not what they are today. Therefore, Darwin’s thoughts of evolution were just the foundation of what was to come in the future.

    David Thoreau came after the time of Darwin. Inspired by Darwin and the work he published, Thoreau decided to live a life of simplicity on Walden Pond. Thoreau also believed in the idea of evolution, but Thoreau took it one step further. At Walden Pond, Thoreau investigated the biotic factors (living things; beavers, birds, fish,) and the abiotic factors (non-living things; trees, water, air). While living a simplistic life, he was able to form a bond with nature and learn first hand about evolution and small species, which were his forte.

    Branching off of Thoreau, E.O. Wilson articulately studies Thoreau’s novels about nature. Wilson traveled to Walden Pond in order to feel what Thoreau felt. As he was standing in the area Thoreau lived in, he felt the presence of Thoreau haunting him. Even though Wilson praised Thoreau’s work, he knew technology has been dramatically improved from the time of Darwin. He believed he had more knowledge than Darwin because he has been educated with recent studies that have been based off the theories of Thoreau and Darwin.

    Thoreau, Darwin, and Wilson all have connections to each other. Whether it is their similar studies, the basic theories they build off of, or the intimate connection they spiritually share, these scientists have more than just science-based things in common. They learn from each others mistakes and have used information that is crucial to all of their learnings.

ClaireC, Assignment 02, rough draft

    In The Future of Life’s prologue, while Wilson is writing his letter to Thoreau he also mentions the famous scientist, Charles Darwin. Wilson shows how although these men and himself did not know each other personally, they share remarkable scientific and historical connections which have influenced our world greatly.

            Of course, it is understood that all three men were passionate about their surroundings. They continuously studied our world and how humans and animals interact with it. Each of these men have studied in various ways though. Thoreau studied life at Walden Pond and wrote novels, such as Walden. Darwin wrote the book The Origin of Species and came up with his notable and famous theory of evolution that people still refer to today. And Wilson has wrote books such as this one, The Future of Life and also was known for studied insects and life as well. All though all of these men are noted for doing different scientific things they are connected by their fascination of life.

            Historically, Charles Darwin and Henry David Thoreau lived around the same time era. Unfortunately, Thoreau only lived three short more years after in 1859 when The Origin Of Species was published but he was able to purchase one of the first copies available and read Darwin’s research. Darwin and Thoreau were living around the same time when all of these ideas began to arise about where we came from, and how we relate to our environment and society. Although Wilson was not able to help out with this research because he was born much later, he has also made strides in environmental history. So, though these men were not “friends” and never met each other, historically they have made an enormous impact on our world with the information that they have provided us with.

            Even though all of these men lived at different times and studied different things, all of their research has made a mark on our world. Darwin and Thoreau influenced Wilson as a naturalist and scientist to look deeper into our world and how our actions can affect the outcome. Wilson has referred to the documents by both of these men over the years, which have helped him come to the conclusions we study today. These men were like Wilson’s colleagues and have helped him make the influential research that he has educated us with today.

CaitlinD, Assignment 02, Draft

    In the prologue of The Future of Life, by E.O. Wilson, comparisons are made between Wilson, Thoreau, and Darwin. Both Darwin and Thoreau contributed to the studies of Wilson today. Their theories and studies were the foundations of Wilson's career as a naturalist. The connection between all three of these brilliant scientists, show the importance of change of theories and ideas, and that advancement in technology helps further along studies that could not be completed before. All three men were influential forces in trying to spread education about the natural world and the human race's duty to protect and care for it.

    When Wilson first brings up the studies of Darwin, he states, "I know more than Darwin knew." Which is true. Wilson has many technological advances that Darwin had no access to in his day. These three men all show the progression and advancements in the scientific world. For example,Darwin's theory on evolution, the idea that organisms change over time in order to adapt to their natural surroundings and fulfill their needs. Although,at first, Darwin's theory was rejected by many, after years of discussion, people started to believe this theory may be true and began to accept it. Thoreau, strongly influenced by Darwin's theory of evolution, spent the majority of his time studying the natural world and it's organisms at Walden Pond. Thoreau applied the studies of Darwin to his own life, and lived a life of solitude, and continued his studies at Walden Pond always reflecting back to Darwin's theories and ideas. After Thoreau died, Wilson continued on where Thoreau left off. He began to look closely at the Walden Pond area and discovered its significance in the environmental movement. Wilson used his technological advances and took parts of what Darwin and Thoreau proposed and used them in his own theories and ideas. The connection between all three men is clearly shown in their work. Without the studies of Darwin and Thoreau, Wilson's work and studies would have been completely different.

    The hard work that both Darwin and Thoreau put into their successful studies strongly impacted the work of Wilson as a naturalist. Their advances in their days were stepping stones for Wilson. The information and ideas the two men brought fourth were the foundation of Wilson's studies. All three men discovered important evidence and facts that some how affected one another down the line. All their theories and ideas are strongly connected, and reflect the advancements of the world, and the advancement in not only technology, but education.

Assignment 02 First Draft LovingI.

    In the Novel The Future of Life Wilson tells us about the natural environment of Walden Pond. From previous naturalists before him, Wilson is able to conceive a greater knowledge of his surroundings. The three naturalists are all connected both historically and scientifically through their studies of nature. Darwin and Thoreau influenced Wilson in his career leaving their own marks on the society of their time period that Wilson followed and these marks of genius left behind connect all three naturalists.

   Darwin, Thoreau, and Wilson, were all extraordinary scientists researched nature and formed new theories about the world that are still studied today. Darwin created the theory of evolution that is seen in nature today and studied by Wilson and others. Thoreau studied the area known as Walden Pond where he once inhabited that Wilson also explored himself. Wilson like the two that came before him studied the natural environment as well and created his own books discussing the world we live in today.

   Darwin and Thoreau are among some of the most popular naturalists to have ever lived giving light to the world we live in through their studies. Their work has continued to be done though others such as Wilson. Wilson taking the lead of Thoreau went back to Walden Pond to discover it’s natural beauty for himself. He expanded on Darwin and Thoreau’s ideas creating his own and showing the world his continued research influenced by Thoreau and Darwin as well. Wilson states in the novel that he knew more than Darwin knew what with the studies he has been able to conduct that Darwin couldn’t. Wilson has studied both naturalist’s theories and developed his own way of thinking sometimes not being able to convince everyone to think the same way as he does for example with Darwin’s strategy about the red ants and their environment. Wilson describes his own encounters with Thoreau in which they are discussing the area of Walden Pond and Wilson and Thoreau discuss the nature of the pond and what it has to offer with its natural beauty Thoreau explaining what inspired him to move to Walden Pond. Wilson talks about Darwin and how it is Thoreau that he needs to understand the most because he already knows more than Darwin did even though it was Darwin who influenced his studies as a naturalist.

   If it weren’t for Darwin and Thoreau Wilson might not today be as great a naturalists and scientists as he is now. The scientists that came before him helped to shape many of the ideas of the world that are in study today. All three naturalists share their own historical and scientific connections and these connections are what make them some of the most influential people in the world of science today.

(Wilson, Thoreau, & Darwin are pictured below)

 

 

Gillian Murphy, assignment 2, draft 1

In the prologue of The Future of Life, the author E.O. Wilson spends time talking about two scientists, Henry David Thoreau and Charles Darwin.  Both of these scientists contributed much inspiration to Wilson in terms of the development of his career.  They both have a similar passion for nature, and the studies and ideas that they developed in their times, definitely had an impact on shaping Wilson's career.  Wilson, Thoreau, and Darwin are all, in a particular way, connected to each other.  They are influential scientists who focused their studies on uncovering the inner workings of the nature and its environment, and they all tried to bring awareness to people about the importance of preserving the world.

Darwin, Thoreau, and Wilson together represent progression within the scientific world.  The advances that they made in their careers show how science has changed and grown over the years.  They also use each other's advances to further their own studies.  For example, during Darwin's lifetime, he proposed the theory of evolution, which is the idea that organisms change over time in order to adapt to their settings and fit their needs.  After some time of debating, many scientists began to accept Darwin's theory as a possible truth.  During this period of time Thoreau was spending a lot of time in the Walden Pond area and studying the wildlife there.  He took Darwin's theory and then applied it to his own studies.  Many years after Thoreau had passed Wilson began his studies and he used the ideas of Darwin and Thoreau to develop his own theories and ideas.  Clearly both Thoreau and Wilson relied in some way on other scientists works.

Because of the line of work that Darwin, Thoreau, and Wilson are all in, and the focus of all their studies, Wilson feels a definite connection to both Thoreau and Darwin.  Over the long and different periods of time that they were alive, each made their own important discoveries, and as the years went on and their works became more accepted, other scientists were able to distinguish what parts of each others discoveries could help them with their own plans for discovery.   

NinaF, Assignment 02, 1st Draft

The Future of Life starts off with the historical and scientific connections between Darwin, Thoreau, and Wilson. Darwin is connected to these two because Wilson and Thoreau both were influenced by his studies to branch off onto their own studies. Thoreau studied life and how one can live simply in solitude, and Wilson studied Thoreau and his research in Walden Pond and continued where he left off by studying Walden Pond.

Darwin and Thoreau’s studies affected contributed to Wilson’s development as a scientist and a naturalist. Wilson studied similar subjects as the others but now since the world is becoming more advanced with technology he talks about how  he knows more than Darwin because of his modern library. He also states how if Thoreau lived longer they might have a clip of him at Walden Pond. The studies the others have done he continues because there are more resources now. Darwin is what got Thoreau to live in Walden Pond. Darwin as Wilson has a well known theory that many people stand by and even Thoreau cannot change that.

All of these scientists learn from each other and that is how they develop different ideas. Being inspired leads to new doors and as we gain advances in technology it can only develop even more, but we cannot forget the people it all started with.

   

 

 

DanielleQ, Assignment02, Fist Draft

    In “The Future of Life” by Edward O. Wilson the connections among fellow scientist allowed the Wilson to write his piece of literature. Thoreau studied the limitations of the human body by choosing to live in total solitude. Wilson studied the way of how Walden Pond affected the inhabitants around it. It was Darwin’s work that caused both Thoreau and Wilson to become interested in how nature itself works.

Wilson himself states that he now knows a great deal more than Darwin ever knew. On the same page he mentions that he has had tea with Darwin’s last surviving granddaughter at the University of Cambridge. Wilson appears to desire to outdo Darwin’s work, and because of Thoreau’s death Wilson will take it upon himself to finish what Thoreau started. Both of them drove to become the successors to Darwin and take their rightful place in history.

It was Charles Darwin who first proposed evolution and survival of the fittest; it was Thoreau who tested that theory by locking himself away from society. They both shared the goal of trying to test the limitations of the human species, but unlike them, Edward O. Wilson wanted to know the limitations of the world that the humans live in. Wilson’s purpose was to become more of a Thoreauvian to show what has happened to the world that he loved so much. Due to what Darwin and Thoreau contributed to Wilson he was able to realize his calling to become a naturalist. Without those two scientists Wilson might not have challenged the way that the world was studied. He realized that there is more to the world than just its inhabitants.

marlok, assignment2, draft1

    In the prologue of The Future of Life, Edward O. Wilson describes two very important scientist, the first being Henry David Thoreau, and Charles Darwin. Thoreau, a naturalist lived in solitude at Walden Pond and brought attention to the world how important it is to take care of the environment. Darwin was also a naturalist who came up with the theory of natural selection, and also supported the theory of evolution, which is the core and fundamental theory of biology. These three naturalist/scientist are very much connected to each other through their studies of the earth and its life.

    Darwin, Thoreau, and Wilson are all naturalist whose main point of their study is to show the world how important it is to take care of the environment. Darwin believed that life on earth evolved over millions of years from common ancestors. His theory of evolution also led to other theories that are accepted in the science world today. Thoreau lived in solitude and paid special attention to the importance of the environment and the world's population role in taking care of it. Although Darwin did not influence Thoreau, his theories are the fundamental structure in biology, which was Thoreau's study, and Thoreau greatly impacted Wilson.

    The Future of Life, is about how there is life every where on the planet earth, and how if we keep treating the planet the way we are, life may not survive. Darwin and Thoreau greatly impacted how the world saw the environment, and Wilson hopes to bring the same impact. Although Thoreau was not influenced by Darwin, his theories influenced the main point of Thoreau's study, and Thoreau greatly impacted Wilson's studies and his book, The Future of Life.

    

EdnaG, Assignment 01, Final

Walden is granted a special place in the history of the environment movement due to the work accomplished there by Henry Thoreau in the early 1800's. Henry Thoreau was a natural historian and refereed to as a prophet of the conservation movement from the early 1800's. He sought out the solitude found in the wilderness of Walden to prove that survival without excessive material possessions was indeed possible. It was within these woods that Thoreau reached enlightenment and had certain revelations about himself and human nature. This wisdom was made accessible to others in the form of his written works, such as Walden. These ideas captured the minds and hearts of many others like E.O. Wilson, and so they have continued to live on and progress.

In one of his most famous literary pieces, "Civil Disobedience" Thoreau's belifes on what is the duty of humans is clearly and bluntly put. These values remain consistant in his other works, even as he focuses on his study of nature at Walden. The main truth that he came upon was that human beings are naturally inclined to embrace the natural world. From this realization he finds the drive to work to complete works that eventually serve as inspiration and reminders to those who may have forgotten this.

The amount of people and societies who have indeed forgotten this is evident in the many destructive actions taken, some of which Wilson describes to Thoreau as he recaps the past 150 years.He explains how virtually every frontier has been reached and that lands have been forcefully stripped of their natural landscapes to make way for human lives and their technology. Thoreau himself had already begun to see the beginnings of this since even in his time the land beyond the quarter-mile radius surrounding Walden pond had already been cultivated. Even the woods of Walden had begun to suffer as its lumber was harvested for shipbuilding.

Fortunately the majority of human interference ceased and Walden has survived with its terrain intact. Some changes are noticeable like the elimination of the American Chestnut by an invasive fungus from Europe. Although overall the Walden detailed by Thoreau is similar to what Wilson viewed as he explored. Wilson specifically refers to the bends of a path which look almost identical to illustrations made by Thoreau. The lack of drastic changes can be attributed by the rate of evolution but also to the absence of human development.

This absence can be accredited to Thoreau since his presence at Walden was cause for its establishment as a protected national park. Current and high human activity on Walden grounds was Biodiversity Day. Which was an event where many naturalists gathered to catalog as many species as they could, in remembrance of Thoreau and his activities at Walden. Walden inspired in Thoreau a passion, that he successfully forwarded to future generations. This was a passion for the natural world, along with awareness to recognize the immense necessity to conserve it.

BetsyO Final draft 01

    Walden Pond, in the minds of modern day ecologists, is one of the many areas which had a substantial impact on the environmental movement. Much of the credit for this belongs to Henry David Thoreau. Back in the 1800’s Henry David Thoreau lived at the edge of the pond. Thoreau built a one room shack and lived in the shack in the fall, spring and summer. He was within walking distance of his mother’s house, where he lived during the colder months. While living at Walden Pond, Thoreau studied plants and animals. He took notice of their migration patterns and how they interacted with nature, and each other.

Walden Pond has had an impact in the place of the environmental movement. Many say it is because of Henry Thoreau who lived on the edge of Walden Pond. Thoreau built himself a one room shack and lived in the shack in the fall, spring and summer, he was within walking distance of his mother’s house and the town center. Which during the colder winter months he lived and was able to stay warm. Thoreau studied plants and animals; he noticed how they interact with each other. He would sit outside with his notebook and watch the different animals and their interactions with their natural surroundings. Thoreau wrote a book about his years living on the pond, he was one of the first environmentalists which believed no trees should be wasted and we all must be careful with our treatment of nature. Walden Pond was once barren if anymore trees were to be cut down then habitats and animals would die out. Today wildlife and the many types of trees have been replanted and replenished; animals Thoreau never would have seen in the woods are calling Walden Pond its home.

    When Thoreau was alive the area of Walden Pond it was beginning to be cut down for fuel. Thoreau was alive when America was a wood burning nation; Americans were cutting down trees and not replanting new trees to replenish the woods. Also Americans were burning more fossil fuels which can never be replenished. In his time Walden woods was mainly a treeless terrain. Today the area around the pond remains the same; unplowed. The trees are now the second generation of trees which once stood tall over Thoreau, many are small whereas the trees in Thoreau’s time would have been huge and thick. Some trees have gone extinct because of invasive species the American chestnut has been done in by a fierce European fungus. Many trees have begun to flourish such as the red maple.

Humans are said to be the main cause of the destruction of forest. Its true many people would rather see a state park turned into a strip mall. All of us have to put the environment as a priority, with many species dying out or in the risk if dying out because of the lost of their ecosystem and habitat. If we see what we are all doing to our planet then change is soon to come.

CaitlinD, Assignment 01, FinalDraft

Walden Pond is significant in the history of the environmental movement. Henry David Thoreau wanted to show others the importance of nature and to change their opinions by writing about his experiences of not only vigorously studying the areas of nature, but also by living in solitude and relying only on what nature could provide him with. Today, the pond is still known for its significance in the environmental movement for it's rich natural history, and it's resources. It is also significant today because it is pretty much the same as it was during Thoreau's days. Thoreau's writings, such as Walden, along with his physical and spiritual experiences at Walden Pond, helped influence others to recognize the importance of the study and preservation of the natural world.

    Wilson writes that Walden Pond has not seen any significantly major changes to the area since Thoreau's time. One change that has occurred that Wilson notes is the problems with the Chestnut trees, funguses have taken the remaining trees over and cause them to rot away. Wilson states that when he looks at Walden Pond, he sees more or less the same Walden Pond Thoreau would have seen one hundred and fifty years ago. Sawhill's quote in the beginning of the text, connects with Thoreau and Wilson's teachings. The quote is telling the reader that in order to preserve our enviorment, society must take action. It is up to society as a whole to protect the natural world around us or else one day it will be destroyed. Like Thoreau and Wilson, Sawhill recognized the importance of society's roll in the over all well being of the enviornment. Thoreau mainly studied the bigger organisms around Walden Pond, like deer, and other specific animals and plants, and Wilson studies the littler details, like the life revolving around a log, what is living underneath it, and other things around it. Both men strongly cared for the natural world and appreciate all of the life in it.

    The studies conducted by Thoreau are very vital pieces of information used by Ecologists and Naturalists today all over the world. Today, the most dangerous predator to the natural enviorment is the rapid increase of the human population. By using the works, and studies of Thoreau, the natural world of today has a chance at surviving and flourishing as it once did many years ago. Thoreau shows, through his work, how important the natural world is to all living on the planet, and that if people don't appreciate and care for it, not only will its beauty be demolished,but it's benefits will be scarce, and all living will be at harm.

gabriellaM, final draft, assignment 1

The Future of Life, written by Edward O. Wilson, is a novel concerning the way we are treating our environment. In the prologue, E.O Wilson writes a letter to Henry David Thoreau describing the new and improved state of Walden Pond but also discusses his predictions for the hazardous future of the pond. In the letter, Wilson explains his reason to believe the Walden Pond area has flourished since Thoreau’s time. He compares the condition of the Pond from Thoreau’s era; covered in farmland cleared of trees, to its present day condition; abundant of trees and wild life. But, though the pond has made progress from one hundred fifty years post of Thoreau’s time, E.O Wilson has his doubts of the pond’s future if our neglect as a human race continues.

Located in Concord, Massachusetts, Walden Pond is a natural reservation preserved for wild life. Walden Pond is also the place Thoreau decided to live his two years of simplicity upon. During Thoreau’s time living there, the landscape was vastly different. There were no trees. The entire forest was nearly shipped up to Boston. When E.O Wilson visited Walden Pond, he is proud to let Thoreau know that the trees are growing in. Although they are struggling to prosper due to the lack of sustenance from the original trees, they are attempting to line the lake beds once again.  With all the good news also comes bad news. A major struggle Walden Pond faced in the 1840’s was that it was caught in the middle between being a land for preserved conservation and a fresh start for development. As wood cutters and fishermen approached the land, Thoreau was attempting to continue his strive for the land to be known as conservation, but after he moved on his one room cabin was torn down. Yet at this point, after he had written a novel based off his living at Walden Pond, his literature was being recognized and his thoughts about Walden Pond and its condition was being attended to. The way people are treating nature once again is sure to disrupt the wild life habitats of Walden Pond. It is unfortunate that we choose to neglect the precious gift of natural beauty God blessed us with.

The area of Walden Pond has changed drastically but has also remained the same in a few ways. The species that call Walden Pond their home have evolved over the years. The tall white pines are beginning to grow again along with the red maple, which dominates most of the forest now more than ever. Also, the red-tailed hawk is still circling the sky as it did when Thoreau’s sister Sophia would sketch him gazing at it on his front door step. But, a few species were not capable of surviving in the wilderness there at Walden Pond. A classic, the American chestnut, is gone because of an, ”overzealous European fungus” (Wilson xiii). Also, wolves and pumas are no longer existent in the forests of Walden Pond.

Even though our environment has grown tremendously since the time of Thoreau, that does not mean it will continue to flourish. Walden Pond is the place where Thoreau decided to make an endeavor on living a life stripped of delicacies and just living as simple as he can. He did this by living in a small one room cabin with no heat, electricity, or running water. Thoreau truly demonstrated his love for nature. Nature is so delicate; it can begin to decline in growth much faster than it can take to grow. The future of Walden Pond lies in the hands of human beings. Although animals, plants, and other species live in and around Walden Pond, they are not to blame for the recent avoidance and care of nature. We, the human race, are to blame for the slow suffocation of the forest and habitats of Walden Pond.

NadaE Assignment01 Final

The prologue of The Future of Life by Edward O. Wilson stages the background history of Walden Pond and Thoreau’s lifestyle for the reader. Wilson, a semi-retired scientist, currently resides at Harvard University and continues to publish books and give lectures on ecology and natural history. In the prologue, Walden Pond is described as an important, historical body of water and surrounding landscape; having been one of the suppliers to assist in the environmental revolution.  Wilson, having the upper hand of modern knowledge, describes the both massive and dismissive shifts Walden Pond and woods have undergone, and the damage time has wrought upon its inhabitants. Using Thoreau’s life and his studies as his prime example, Wilson tries to show the reader how the world is decaying environmentally and how we should act to aid in the restoration of our originally diverse ecosystems.

                Today, Walden Pond and Woods are only partially the same of how they were in Thoreau’s time. A preserved forest wraps around an ample water source with thousands of organisms residing between the two today. While some organisms have been eliminated by invasive species, like the American Chestnut to a foreign, European fungus; Many more have thrived and repopulated a once barren plain. Long ago, trees were cut down in masses to fuel logging and shipping industries and leveled parts of Walden Woods to empty land. The forest progressively lost more and more until the rest was abandoned. The forest repopulated and became a reserved forest, to maintain what was once lost in past years. However, most of the same species, like Swamp Cedars, still exist as they did when Thoreau was alive. Most of the foliage and animals continue to thrive in Walden Woods where there had not been logging.

                Thoreau’s life of solitude was meant for him to be away from the life of cities and people to study the natural history of Walden Pond, with a focus on larger organisms. These studies play a major role in just what the forest held and lost between the time of Thoreau and Wilson, and show just how vital life in the natural world is. As the population of humans increase, the population of other organisms seemed to decrease. The studies  conducted by both Thoreau and Wilson are meant to display to the world just how important nature is to the life of humans, as well as the life of the planet in general. Saving forests and ponds like that of Walden can happen worldwide with mass collaboration, change and effort; molding the world drastically for the better.

ClaireC, Assignment 01, final

The Future of Life was written by Edward O. Wilson, a scientist and writer who currently works at Harvard University. In The Future of Life, E.O. Wilson desperately writes to his readers that the world is in a bad state right now, but if we work quickly we will be able to fix it. In the prologue of this novel E.O. Wilson begins by writing a letter to Henry David Thoreau, namely about his experience at Walden Pond. Walden Pond is located in Massachusetts and is where Thoreau spent the last years of his life in solitude. Thoreau studied various animals, but also tried to prove the point that a person can survive living a very simple solitary life. In the prologue of The Future of Life Wilson not only parallels himself to Thoreau, but also discussing Walden Pond and it’s importance in our society today.

           Walden Pond holds a special place in the environmental world because of its vast types of animals and plants that have been studied there. Wilson even says that on Biodiversity Day researchers still visit Walden Pond to broaden their knowledge on the natural history that lies in front of them. Walden Pond has influenced others to be more tedious when taking care of the environment. Because it is such an important place for observation and study of species, it shows people that it needs to be preserved so that we can learn more about our environment. This educates people to also take care of our world so that we can continue to learn about the vast species our world has to offer. While Thoreau spent time there he wrote a novel called Walden, which has contributed greatly to our natural history observations. Walden Pond has not changed dramatically over the years. According to Wilson much of if has stayed the same except for the surrounding areas, where there were once open fields for vegetation, now is abundant with trees and other plants. Another change at Walden Pond is the American Chestnut trees which no longer grow due to a fungus that acted as an invasive specie. Other than that, thankfully Walden Pond has remained itself. What as remained the same as the animals and plants that inhabit it. Although species such as the wolf and wolverine have long been extinct from the area, the same animals and plants that were there before have been preserved. Some of these plants that still surround Walden Pond are the Hickory and Red Maple trees. Animals that still inhabit Walden Pond are spiders that might eventually be extinct from the area because it is extremley difficult for them to camoflauge themselves.

           Wilson’s letter to Thoreau is to explain to him how our world is minute-by-minute deteriorating because of the population’s little knowledge of how much our actions affect everything that surrounds us. Wilson and Thoreau share a passion for natural history, however they differentiate in what they specialize in. Thoreau studied larger mammals such as deer, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and more. Whereas, Wilson was much more fascinated by smaller species namely his famous interest of ants. John Sawhill’s quote, “In the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create, but by what we refuse to destroy” relates very much to Thoreau and Wilson’s view of our environment. What we create on this earth can alter what our surroundings are like, but also the things that we already have contribute very much to our future. Thoreau and Wilson try to make a point that the things that exist on our earth right now are extremely important to what our future holds because they are very important factors to our environment. Wilson's letter to Thoreau ultimately is to proclaim that the way our world is going now is detrimental to our future.

KatieG, Assignment 01, Final Draft

Walden Pond holds a special place in the history of the environmental movement because Henry David Thoreau’s portrait of the area, in works such as Walden, was instrumental in altering how people perceived nature. Thoreau’s time spent on Walden Pond and his writings detailing the experience helped elevate the study of nature to an endeavor that was not only worthwhile but “spiritually rewarding”. His work convinced others that the natural world deserved our study and protection. Walden Pond became a symbol for the philosophy that man could find solace and truth through nature. In the prologue Wilson details Biodiversity Day, an excursion of Walden Pond, held in Thoreau’s honor of course, that challenged naturalists to catalogue all the species in the area in a single day. Events such as this, not to mention the thousands of visitors who visit the Walden Pond State Reservation each year, prove that Walden Pond still holds a special place in the environmental movement.

Although there have been many changes to the environmental movement in the past one hundred and fifty years the Walden Pond area has seen fewer changes. According to Wilson, the area, at a glance, is thought to look much like it did in Thoreau’s time save for the forest that has filled in the farmland that once surrounded the area. Wilson reports however that upon closer inspection there are minor changes. For example, the American Chestnut tree has disappeared due to a virulent European fungus. Wolverines, pumas and wolves have also disappeared. The Red Maple tree has proliferated and is now more abundant than it was during Thoreau’s lifetime. Although there are not any “new” species in the area, Wilson points out that many would be new to Thoreau because in his era the technology did not exist to see the microscopic organisms that populate the forest floor or decaying wood.

Although Walden Pond has remained largely unchanged, the same cannot be said for the rest of the planet. The earth’s population in the 1840’s was a little over one billion while today the figure stands at around six billion. However, there is a constant; Thoreau’s message of respect for the environment. His work at Walden Pond heralded nature as an important part of life, not just a backdrop to life. If we want to save nature for future generations we must work to preserve it now.

CaraM Assignment 01 Final Draft

In Edward O. Wilson’s prolog for The Future of Life, Wilson writes a letter to Henry Thoreau about the changes in the environment. For example, how the American Cedar is now extinct due to a European fungus, or how the habitat at his home, in Walden Pond, has begun to grow back but still is not the full beauty that it once was. The changes and damages are mentioned in this opening letter and will set the foundation to the book.

    The Walden Pond area is a special place in the environmental movement because it is a perfect example of deforestation. In 1800s, Walden forest’s trees were used for housing and ships and were cut down to until the forest was barren. Now Walden forest has grown back, although as Wilson pointed out that it is only a little bit better and still not like. Because of the progress at Walden Pond, more people are starting to restore other forests that our ancestors have cut down. However, the progress at Walden Pond shows how human can fix the environment when people sacrifice and work hard in improving the environment. Walden Pond is proof that humans can correct their mistakes.

    The times have changed from when Thoreau alive. Not only in the technological sense but also in the environmental sense too. When Thoreau was alive, there were species of plants that were thriving and now, for example, the American Cedar is gone. Cutting down trees was not thought of destroying a habitat but of progress of society. Although, places like Walden Pond has changed and remained the same since Thoreau. Even though people started to re plant the forest, the Walden Pond area remains not as full as it once was. Walden use to be a place where people would live but now it is a park.

Humans now know the damage that they have caused and are now trying to think of ways to fix the damage that they have done. If they see the errors of ancestors and choose to fix their mistakes then the future will be brighter for generations to come.

marlok, assignment1, finaldraft

    Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts is a state reservation and is home to many wildlife. It was also home to Henry David Thoreau, a writer and philosopher who lived his life in solitude in the Walden Pond area and lived in simplicity in order to study nature.The prologue in The Future of Life is a letter from E.O. Wilson to Henry David Thoreau.  He compares his life to Henry David Thoreau, but also the differences in Walden Pond from when Thoreau lived there to now, there are many changes but non are too drastic. Most of the animals are the same, but the plants, like the trees are different.

   Walden Pond has gone through many different phases throughout the years. But Thoreau who is considered one of the American masters, brought the pond to life. He brought the attention to the pond and its surroundings when he retreated the the woods to lived in solitude and study nature. When he wrote his popular books he showed the American people how important the environment is and made people realize how important the environment really is. When Thoreau lived at Walden Pond, the there were not too many trees because so many people lived there, but after he brought attention to the pond and how important the environment is, trees and forests have been restored there are also many fungi, mushrooms, and shrubs. Many of the animals from Thoreau's time are still found there today: squirrels, deer, birds, etc.

    Walden Pond has changed throughout the years, but mostly the environment is the same. The same species of plants and animals can be found there still. Still the major change is probably that Walden Pond is now a tourist attraction. The pond and its surroundings itself are still the same though. But, although Walden Pond has not changed, according to Edward O. Wilson, the rest of the world has. As he closes his letter to Thoreau, he describes how the six billion people on the earth are not taking care of the environment, and how he thinks the world's population will slowly destroy the planet. Wilson in his letter states how he wished that Thoreau lived longer, so he could have an even bigger impact on the world, so that the population will not destroy the world. But, Wilson's biggest question to Thoreau and to the world: Do we now have enough time to save the plant?

FeliciaF, Assignment 01, Final Draft

The prologue of The Future of Life by E.O Wilson is a letter by Wilson to Henry Thoreau about his experiences at Walden Pond and how the nature of the area is changing and evolving over time. Eventually Wilson becomes emotionallyattached to the area by continuing Thoreau's traditions and studies. This area of Walden Pond holds a significant part in the history of the environment as well as the evolvement of nature over time.

Walden Pond holds a special place in the history of the environmental movement, not only because of the vast amount of species and organisms contained in this area but the inspiration the area brought to Thoreau. Thoreau initially moved to the Walden area to explore the idea that a person can live in true solitude. That we humans can live and survive on very little, that we do not need money or material things. While in this solidarity he began to explore and study nature and his surroundings, including plants, animals and the environment. Unfortunately Thoreau did not live to see the outcome of most of his studies but after his death many scientists built on Thoreau's original theories. Even though these advances were made Wilson does explain that the natural world is slowly deteriorating because of the human race's little knowledge on how everything we do effects our surroundings. We see in the prologue that Wilson explains that the area of Walden Pond has not changed much. Edward Wilson explains to the reader that organic evolution moves at a slow pace, so the natural habitats remain unchanged from Thoreau's time to Wilson's. He comes across specific spiders and mushrooms that Thoreau studied, are still there and thriving in the same environment. The Walden Pond is also still surrounded by Red Maple, Hickory and Beech trees and shrubs. Wilson notices that some species that were ordinary findings for Thoreau have vanished. A great example is the American chestnut tree that has been attacked by a fungus, every time it takes root and tries to grow back the fungi attacks again. Certain trees are at a shortage now because of Americans consuming these for our own needs, an example is the Swamp Ceders.

In the closing of Wilson's letter we see that if the people of the world took as much appreciation and thought into what we did and its effect on the environment around us, the world would not be at as much of a rapid decline. Science and new technology may help us get out of the downfall. But what will be the Future of Life if we continue on this downward spiral?

gillianm, assignment 1, final draft

In the prologue of The Future of Life by Edward O. Wilson, the author pays homage to the deceased naturalist Henry David Thoreau by writing a letter to him relating Thoreau's life to his own life.  He talks about the similarities and differences between them, including Thoreau's interest in large organisms and Wilson's interests in the microscopic aspects of nature.  He also talks about how influential Thoreau's life and works were to many people including Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and even  Wilson himself.

Perhaps the most important thing that Wilson touches upon in the prologue is his discussion of the Walden Pond area, where Thoreau spent parts of his life living in solitude and studying the nature of the area.  The Walden Pond area is special for people in the scientific world because of Thoreau' description of the area, which influenced people to look at other parts of the natural world differently.  Wilson talks about visiting the area, and he describes all the things that have changed since Thoreau's time.  When Thoreau was alive, the area's forests were cut down in a lot of places to make room for more people to settle the area, but when Wilson visits he tells of how the forests have been restored with different types of trees.

Wilson then goes on to describe visiting the area where Thoreau's cabin once stood, and he wishes that Thoreau had lived longer because he feels that he could have been able to accomplish a lot more in his life.  He also takes the studies that Thoreau did in his life and applies his message to other areas of the world.  Wilson talks about the natural beauty of the pond and he wishes that people took better care of the whole world.  This is directly related to the quote by John C. Sawhill that appears just a couple pages before, " In the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create, but by what we refuse to destroy."  Sawhill is saying that eventually there will come a time when we as a society will have to focus our efforts on saving the planet instead of focusing on the less important things that we tend to pay more attention to.  This quote basically sums up the message of Thoreau, other naturalists, and the plot of Wilson's text:  Is it too late for us to start making efforts towards saving our world?  

NinaF, Assignment 01, Final Draft

 

    Walden Pond was the area where Thoreau lived in solitude in a cabin. It was to prove that it was possible to live without many things and live simply without depending on human interaction to survive. His actions are part of why the Walden Pond is such a special part of the environmental movement. His studies show that an area such as Walden Pond can influence the world even though it is just one place.

  Walden Pond has changed since the time of Thoreau, and some of it has remained the same. The American chestnut, according to Wilson, was taken down by a fungus, and despite roots growing again the fungus kept attacking. Trees that were once cut down for ship masts and left the forest bare are grown back and populating the space. Shrubs that have been there since the time of Thoreau are still there continuing to add vegetation to Walden Pond.

    The pond is a place of serenity. A rarely changing place filled with different types of life. It is a place that is harvesting life. A place trees continue to grow.  While that is all and well, the rest of the world is in danger despite the growth of an area. Wilson believes that the fate of the world will be ruined by its inhabitants. That if we do not do something now the world will be doomed. Even though he believes the world will reach this grim fate, Walden Pond is still there, its presence becoming more known because of Thoreau’s studies, a place of hope.

DanielleQ, Assignment01, Final Draft.

In The Future of Life by Edward O. Wilson the Walden Pond becomes the temporary home for Thoreau in order to prove that a person can in fact live a life of solitude. The Pond provided everything that Thoreau could have asked for and more. There were specimens to study, a pond full of fish, and enough trees to protect his cabin from being torn away by the wind. However, just like all good things this time of happiness had to come to a gloomy end.

    As Wilson writes a letter to his deceased friend he makes notes of everything that has changed since his demise. The one beautiful Chestnut tree has been rotted away from the inside by a European fungus. The remaining trees have been cut down and trimmed into masts for ships, and the cedars of the swamp have been made into roof shingles. All of this looked like Walden Pond would go down with Thoreau but eventually the area has started to invigorate once again. There is still a mushroom and a spider that Wilson brings upon himself to study in order to force himself there is still hopes.

    Wilson muses to himself at the pond that in 2001 that the hopes that he has will be gone. The malicious treatment of nature by the barbaric humans will bring upon the end of the world that struggled to protect its inhabitants from their own faults in their designs. Wilson is the only one who sees this because he is looking towards the future while the others are only looking at the present. Wilson sees the world ending in a horrible fashion while others see a dove singing early in the morning. Wilson sees a beautiful pond that will be lost along with all those who love it and the others see a frog croaking ready to start its day of just trying to survive.

Assignment 01 Final Draft LovingI.

       Edward Wilson, author of The Future of  life beings his novel with a prologue reminiscing of the past and present history of Walden Pond. He writes specifically about the pond and shows a special admiration and dedication in a way towards Thoreau who used to inhabit this area. The author enlightens us about the pond’s special history and place in the world of natural science telling us how much the pond really affected our environment. It held a special place in the environmental movement and although many things have changed about the pond, its natural beauty and mystery remains today.
           Wilson describes Walden Pond as a place where Thoreau lived in peace and his curiosity inspired him to study the nature of the environment around him. The Walden Pond holds a special place in the history of the environmental movement because it was a central place to explore our habitat and complex environment. Walden Pond was a threatened oasis as Wilson refers to it in the reading. Wilson describes how in Thoreau’s time the forest was almost gone. He says how the tallest white pines had been cut and taken away to Boston to be trimmed into ship masts and how other timber was harvested for things such as houses, railroad ties, and fuel. Also, he tells the reader how most of the swamp cedars had become roof shingles and how  wood began to run short with Americans consuming it for their own needs. It was an area being taken over and consumed by not only its enemies that shared its land in nature, but humans as well. Through Thoreau’s study of Walden Pond, he made it a cause worth doing continuous research on that encouraged others to explore its many mysteries.
              Walden Pond back then was and still is now an endangered area.  Its terrain is still surrounded by different species of trees and shrubs the author describes in the book such as red maple, hickory, and beech trees. But many of these trees have been destroyed by human hand with axes and saws leaving Walden Pond not the same rich abundance of trees it was once surrounded by. Although many years will and have passed, Walden Pond will remain the same but not completely so. Sprouts still struggle up from old stumps, and the tress surrounding Walden Pond are still scraggly but other things no longer remain such as the America Chestnut tree that was according to Wilson “done in” by an overzealous European fungus. Its beauty was brought to life through the genius of Thoreau. Walden Pond has been taken care of and remains the same as it was before although some damage has been done to it so proving John C. Sawhill's statement " In the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create, but what we refuse to destroy". Walden Pond was created to show a definite beauty of nature and it's beauty has been preserved through many today who refuse to let it diminish into nothing. Thoreau’s brilliance and dedication to the study of such beautiful terrain influenced Wilson to delve into the past and show us the beauty of nature through his words in the novel The Future of Life.

     
                   

FeliciaF, Assignment 01, Draft

The prologue of “The Future of Life” by E.O Wilson is a letter by Wilson to Henry Thoreau about his experiences at Walden Pond and how the nature of the area is changing and evolving over time.   Eventually Wilson becomes emotionally attached to the area by continuing Thoreau’s traditions and studies. This area of Walden Pond holds a significant part in the history of the environment as well as the evolvement of nature over time.

    Walden Pond holds a special place in the history of the environmental movement, not only because of the vast amount of species and organism contained in this area but the inspiration the area brought to Thoreau.  Thoreau initially moved to the Walden area to explore the idea that I person can live in true solitude. That we as humans can live and survive on very little, that we do not need money or material things.  While in this solidarity he began to explore and study nature and his surroundings, including plants, animals and the environment. Unfortunately Thoreau did not live to see the outcome of most of his advances but after his death many scientists built on Thoreau’s original theories.  Even though these advances were made Wilson does explain that the natural world is slowly deteriorating because of the human race’s little knowledge on how everything we do affects our surroundings.  We do see in the prologue that Wilson explains that the area of Walden Pond has not changed much. Edward Wilson explains to the reader that organic evolution moves at a slow pace, so the natural habitats remain unchanged from Thoreau’s time to Wilson’s.  The actual area has not changed all that much, it is still a place of vase amount of species. Even though some species that were ordinary findings for Thoreau have vanished from this forest of Massachusetts but the general environment has stayed the same.

    In the closing of Wilson’s letter we see that if the people of the world took as much appreciation and thought into what we did and its affect of the environment around us, the world would not be at a rapid decline. Science and new technology may help us get out of the downfall. But what will be “The Future of Life” if we continue our lives on this downward spiral?

BetsyO Assignment 01 Draft

    Walden Pond, in the minds of modern day ecologists, is one of the many areas which had a substantial impact on the environmental movement. Many credit this to Henry David Thoreau. Back in the 1800’s Henry David Thoreau lived at the edge of the pond. Thoreau built a one room shack and lived in the shack in the fall, spring and summer. He was within walking distance of his mother’s house, where he lived during the colder months. While living at Walden Pond, Thoreau studied plants and animals. He took notice of their migration patterns and how they interacted with nature, and each other.

Walden Pond has had an impact in the place of the environmental movement. Many say it is because of Henry Thoreau who lived on the edge of Walden Pond. Thoreau built himself a one room shack and lived in the shack in the fall, spring and summer, he was within walking distance of his mother’s house and the town center. Which during the colder winter months he lived and was able to stay warm. Thoreau studied plants and animals; he noticed how they interact with each other. Thoreau wrote a book about his years living on the pond he believed that no trees should be wasted and we all must be careful with our treatment of nature. Walden Pond was once barren if anymore trees were to be cut down then habitats and animals would die out. Today wildlife and the many types of trees have been replanted; animals Thoreau never would have seen in the woods are calling Walden Pond its home.

    When Thoreau was alive the area of Walden Pond was beginning to be cut down for fuel. Thoreau was alive when America was a wood burning nation; Americans were cutting down trees and not replanting new trees to replenish the woods. Also Americans were burning more fossil fuels which can never be replenished. In his time Walden woods was mainly a treeless terrain. The area around the pond remains the same; unplowed. The trees are now the second generation of trees which once stood tall over Thoreau, many small whereas the trees in Thoreau’s time would have been huge and thick. Some trees have gone extinct because of invasive species the American chestnut has been done in by a fierce European fungus. Many trees have begun to flourish such as the red maple.

Humans are said to be the main cause of the destruction of forest. Its true many people would rather see a state park turned into a strip mall. All of us have to put the environment as a priority, with many species dying out or in the risk if dying out because of the lost of their ecosystem and habitat. If we see what we are all doing to our planet then change is soon to come.

EdnaG, Assignment 01, Draft

        Thoreau's presence and the work accomplished at Walden grant it a significant  place in the history of the environmental movement. Henry Thoreau was a natural historian and prophet of the conservation movement from the early 1800's. He migrated to the wilderness of Walden to prove that one could survive without many material things. In the solitude of these woods Thoreau reached enlightenment as he had revelations about himself, and in doing so gained great wisdom. In his written works he shared this wisdom and his experience with the others.

        In civil disobedience Thoreau's values are shown, and his beliefs on what people's duty is as well. In other works such as "Walden" these values are equally evident, even as he focuses on his study of the nature around him at Walden. He came upon the realization that human beings are naturally inclined to embrace the natural world, and his work served as inspiration and reminders to those who may have forgotten.

        The amount of people and societies who have indeed forgotten this is evident in the many destructive actions taken over the past one hundred and fifty years. Humans have reached virtually every frontier in the world, stripped lands of their original landscape to make way for their lives and technology. In Thoreau's time the land beyond the quarter-mile radius surrounding Walden pond had already been cultivated. Even the woods of Walden had been begun to suffer as its lumber was harvested for shipbuilding.

        Fortunately the majority of human inference ceased and Walden has survived with its terrain intact.  Some changes are noticeable like the elimination of the American Chestnut by an invasive fungus from Europe.Although overall the Walden that Wilson sees seems to be quite similar to the Walden depicted by Thoreau.

        The land that inspired passion in Thoreau radiates from his work. Instilled in him were ethics and beliefs, ones that have obviously been passed onto Wilson and many other naturalists. Passion for the natural world, and the awareness to recognize the immense necessity to save it.

        Thoreau's presence and the work accomplished at Walden grant it a significant  place in the history of the environmental movement. Henry Thoreau was a natural historian and prophet of the conservation movement from the early 1800's. He migrated to the wilderness of Walden to prove that one could survive without many material things. In the solitude of these woods Thoreau reached enlightenment as he had revelations about himself, and in doing so gained great wisdom. In his written works he shared this wisdom and his experience with the others.

        In civil disobedience Thoreau's values are shown, and his beliefs on what people's duty is as well. In other works such as "Walden" these values are equally evident, even as he focuses on his study of the nature around him at Walden. He came upon the realization that human beings are naturally inclined to embrace the natural world, and his work served as inspiration and reminders to those who may have forgotten.

        The amount of people and societies who have indeed forgotten this is evident in the many destructive actions taken over the past one hundred and fifty years. Humans have reached virtually every frontier in the world, stripped lands of their original landscape to make way for their lives and technology. In Thoreau's time the land beyond the quarter-mile radius surrounding Walden pond had already been cultivated. Even the woods of Walden had been begun to suffer as its lumber was harvested for shipbuilding.

        Fortunately the majority of human inference ceased and Walden has survived with its terrain intact.  Some changes are noticeable like the elimination of the American Chestnut by an invasive fungus from Europe.Although overall the Walden that Wilson sees seems to be quite similar to the Walden depicted by Thoreau.

        The land that inspired passion in Thoreau radiates from his work. Instilled in him were ethics and beliefs, ones that have obviously been passed onto Wilson and many other naturalists. Passion for the natural world, and the awareness to recognize the immense necessity to save it.

CaraM Assignment 01 first draft

CaraM

Ecology and Natural History

9/21

Assignment 01

  In Edward O. Wilson’s prolog for The Future of Life, Wilson writes a letter to D. H. Thoreau about the changes in the environment. For example, how the American Cedar is now extinct due to a European fungus, or how the habitat at his home, in Walden Pond, has begun to grow back. The changes and damages are mentioned in this opening letter and will set the foundation to the book.

   The Walden Pond area is a special place in the environmental movement because it is a perfect example of deforestation. In 1800s, Walden forest’s trees were used for housing and ships and were cut down to until the forest was barren. Now Walden forest has grown back, although as Wilson pointed out that it is only a little bit better. However, the progress at Walden Pond shows how human can fix the environment when people sacrifice and work hard in improving the environment. Walden Pond is proof that humans can correct their mistakes.

    The times have changed from when Thoreau alive. Not only in the technological sense but also in the environmental sense too. When Thoreau was alive, there were species of plants that were thriving and now the American Cedar is gone. Cutting down trees was not thought of destroying a habitat but of progress of society.

Humans now know the damage that they have caused and are now trying to think of ways to fix the damage that they have done. If they see the errors of ancestors and choose to fix their mistakes then the future will be brighter for generations to come.

NadaE Assignment01 Draft

The prologue of The Future of Life by Edward O. Wilson stages the background history of Walden Pond and Thoreau’s lifestyle for the reader. Walden Pond is an important body of water and surrounding landscape; having been one of the suppliers to assist in the environmental revolution.   Wilson, having the upper hand of modern knowledge, describes the massive change Walden Pond and woods have undergone, and the damage time has wrought upon its inhabitants. Wilson, using Thoreau’s life and his studies as his prime example, is trying to show us how the world is decaying environmentally and how we should act to aid in the restoration of our originally diverse ecosystems.

                Today, Walden Pond and Woods are the opposite of how they were in Thoreau’s time. Today, a preserved forest wraps around an ample water source with thousands of organisms residing between the two. While some organisms have been eliminated by invasive species, like the American Chestnut to a foreign, European fungus; Many more have thrived and repopulated a once barren plain. Long ago, trees were cut down in masses to fuel logging and shipping industries and leveled parts of Walden Woods to empty land. The forest progressively lost more and more until the rest was abandoned. The forest repopulated and became a reserved forest, to maintain what was once lost in past years.

                Thoreau’s life of solitude was meant for him to be away from the life of cities and people to study the natural history of Walden Pond, with a focus on larger organisms. These studies play a major role in just what the forest held and lost between the time of Thoreau and Wilson, and show just how vital life in the natural world is. As the population of humans increase, the population of other organisms seem to decrease. The studies  conducted by both Thoreau and Wilson are meant to display to the world just how important nature is to the life of humans, as well as the life of the planet in general. Saving forests and ponds like that of Walden can happen worldwide with mass collaboration, change and effort; molding the world drastically for the better.

GabriellaM, Assignment 1, draft

The Future of Life, written by Edward O. Wilson, is a novel concerning the way we are treating our environment. In the prologue, E.O Wilson writes a letter to Henry David Thoreau describing the new and improved state of Walden Pond but also discusses his predictions for the hazardous future of the pond. In the letter, Wilson explains his reason to believe the Walden Pond area has flourished since Thoreau’s time. He compares the condition of the Pond from Thoreau’s era; covered in farmland cleared of trees, to its present day condition; abundant of trees and wild life. But, though the pond has made progress from one hundred fifty years post of Thoreau’s time, E.O Wilson has his doubts of the pond’s future if our neglect as a human race continues.

Located in Concord, Massachusetts, Walden Pond is a natural reservation preserved for wild life. Walden Pond is also the place Thoreau decided to live his two years of simplicity upon. During Thoreau’s time living there, the landscape was vastly different. There were no trees. The entire forest was nearly shipped up to Boston. When E.O Wilson visited Walden Pond, he is proud to let Thoreau know that the trees are growing in. Although they are struggling to prosper due to the lack of sustenance from the original trees, they are attempting to line the lake beds once again.  With all the good news also comes bad news. The way people are treating nature once again is sure to disrupt the wild life habitats of Walden Pond. It is unfortunate that we choose to neglect the precious gift of natural beauty God blessed us with.

The area of Walden Pond has changed drastically but has also remained the same in a few ways. The species that call Walden Pond their home have evolved over the years. The tall white pines are beginning to grow again along with the red maple, which dominates most of the forest now more than ever. Also, the red-tailed hawk is still circling the sky as it did when Thoreau’s sister Sophia would sketch him gazing at it on his front door step. But, a few species were not capable of surviving in the wilderness there at Walden Pond. A classic, the American chestnut, is gone because of an, ”overzealous European fungus” (Wilson xiii). Also, wolves and pumas are no longer existent in the forests of Walden Pond.

Even though our environment has grown tremendously since the time of Thoreau, that does not mean it will continue to flourish. Walden Pond is the place where Thoreau decided to make an endeavor on living a life stripped of delicacies and just living as simple as he can. He did this by living in a small one room cabin with no heat, electricity, or running water. Thoreau truly demonstrated his love for nature. Nature is so delicate; it can begin to decline in growth much faster than it can take to grow. The future of Walden Pond lies in the hands of human beings. Although animals, plants, and other species live in and around Walden Pond, they are not to blame for the recent avoidance and care of nature. We, the human race, are to blame for the slow suffocation of the forest and habitats of Walden Pond.

 

ClaireC, Assignment 01, rough draft

                The Future of Life is a novel written by Edward O. Wilson, a scientist and writer who currently works at Harvard University. In The Future of Life, E.O. Wilson desperately writes to his readers that the world is in a bad state right now, but if we work quickly we will be able to fix it. In the prologue of this novel E.O. Wilson begins by writing a letter to Henry David Thoreau, namely about his experience at Walden Pond. Walden Pond is located in Massachusetts and is where Thoreau spent the last years of his life in solitude. Thoreau studied various animals, but also tried to prove the point that a person can survive living a very simple solitary life.

            Walden Pond holds a special place in the environmental world because of its vast types of animals and plants that have been studied there. Wilson even says that on Biodiversity Day researchers still visit Walden Pond to broaden their knowledge on the natural history that lies in front of them. While Thoreau spent time there he wrote a novel called Walden, which has contributed greatly to our natural history observations. Walden Pond has not changed dramatically over the years. According to Wilson much of if has stayed the same except for the surrounding areas, where there were once open fields for vegetation, now is abundant with trees and other plants. Another change at Walden Pond is the American Chestnut trees which no longer grow due to a fungus that acted as an invasive specie. Other than that, thankfully Walden Pond has remained itself. 

            Wilson’s letter to Thoreau is to explain to him how our world is minute-by-minute deteriorating because of the population’s little knowledge of how much our actions affect everything that surrounds us. Wilson and Thoreau share a passion for natural history, however they differentiate in what they specialize in. Thoreau studied larger mammals such as deer, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and more. Whereas, Wilson was much more fascinated by smaller species namely his famous interest of ants. John Sawhill’s quote, “In the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create, but by what we refuse to destroy” relates very much to Thoreau and Wilson’s view of our environment. What we create on this earth can alter what our surroundings are like, but also the things that we already have contribute very much to our future. Thoreau and Wilson try to make a point that the things that exist on our earth right now are extremely important to  what our future holds because they are very important factors to our environment. Wilson's letter to Thoreau ultimately is to proclaim that the way our world is going now is detrimental to our future.

NinaF, Assignment 1, Draft 1

 

    Walden Pond was the area where Thoreau lived in solitude in a cabin. It was to prove that it was possible to live without many things and live simply without depending on human interaction to survive, that you do not need much to live off of. His actions are part of why the Walden Pond is such a special part of the environmental movement.

  Walden Pond has changed since the time of Thoreau, and some of it has remained the same. The American chestnut was taken down by a fungus, and despite roots growing again the fungus kept attacking. The other trees and shrubs that were there still populate that area and continue to grow according to Wilson.

    The pond is a place of serenity. A rarely changing place filled with different types of life. It is a place that is harvesting life. While that is all and well, the rest of the world is in danger despite the growth of an area. Wilson believes that the fate of the world will be ruined by its inhabitants. That if we do not do something now the world will be doomed. Even though he believes the world will reach this grim fate, Walden Pond is still there, its presence becoming more known because of Thoreau’s studies, a place of hope.

 

CaitlinD, Assignment 01, Draft

Walden Pond is significant in the history of the environmental movement. Henry David Thoreau wanted to show others the importance of nature and to change their opinions by writing about his experiences of not only vigorously studying the areas of nature, but also by living in solitude and relying only on what nature could provide him with. Thoreau's writings, such as Walden, along with his physical and spiritual experiences at Walden Pond, helped influence others to recognize the importance of the study and preservation of the natural world.

    Wilson writes that Walden Pond has not seen any significantly major changes to the area since Thoreau's time. One change that has occurred that Wilson notes is the problems with the Chestnut trees, funguses have taken the remaining trees over and cause them to rot away. Wilson states that when he looks at Walden Pond, he sees more or less the same Walden Pond Thoreau would have seen one hundred and fifty years ago.

    The studies conducted by Thoreau are very vital pieces of information used by Ecologists and Naturalists today all over the world. Today, the most dangerous predator to the natural enviorment is the rapid increase of the human population. By using the works, and studies of Thoreau, the natural world of today has a chance at surviving and flourishing as it once did many years ago. Thoreau shows, through his work, how important the natural world is to all living on the planet, and that if people don't appreciate and care for it, not only will its beauty be demolished,but it's benefits will be scarce, and all living will be at harm.

Gillian M, Assignment 01, Draft 1

    In the prologue of The Future of Life by Edward O. Wilson, the author pays homage to the deceased naturalist Henry Thoreau by writing a letter to him relating his own life to Thoureau's life.  He talks about the similarities and differences between them like the different things they studied, for Thoreau it was large organisms while Wilson enjoys studying the microscopic aspects of nature.  He also talks about how influential Thoreau's life and ideals were to others like Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and even Wilson himself.  Perhaps the most important thing that Wilson talks about in his prologue is the Walden Pond area, where Thoreau spent certain parts of his life living in solitude and studying the ecology of the area.  Wilson describes going to the area, whose forests have been restored since Thoreau has passed, and seeing the place where Thoreau once lived.  He wishes that Thoreau had lived longer than he did, because he feels he could have accomplished a lot more in his life.  He also relates studying the Walden Pond area to the whole world.  He sees the natural beauty of the pond and the surrounding forests and tells how he wishes people took better care of other areas of the world like the way the Walden Pond has been preserved.  This idea is directly related to the quote that appears just a few pages before by John C. Sawhill, "In the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create, but by what we refuse to destroy."  He is saying that eventually there will come a time when we, as a society, will have to work together to save the natural parts of our environment, instead of spending all of our efforts on creating and inventing new aspects of our unnatural environment.  This quote describes the basic idea of what Wilson's concerns about the world are, Is it too late for us to start making efforts towards preserving the world?

DanielleQ, Assignment 1, Draft

The Walden Pond is what would become Thoreau’s home of solitude. Thoreau proves to himself and society that it is possible to survive without relying on anyone who isn’t you. However, as time goes on Walden Pond dramatically changes from protecting only one person to protecting almost all the people of Boston.

Wilson himself states that all of the beautiful trees have been trimmed down and made into the masts of ships. The cedars of the swamp have been made into shingles to protect its roof against the cruel elements of the world. Funguses have taken over the remaining Chestnut tree causing it to rot away from the inside. All of this is happening and Thoreau is not there to see it, but Wilson still holds some hope that all will become well again. He is still able to study a spider make its way across a mushroom insisting that even if it looks horrible now there is a chance that the world can be saved.

Even with the small glimmer of hope in front of his eyes Wilson regrets to inform the now deceased Thoreau that by 2001 the living world will die from the malicious treatment of its people. In true irony the end of the world will be brought on by the very people that the pond helped to save. The truth is hidden behind the inhabitants of the pond, as a frog gently croaks and a morning dove sings a sorrowful song.  The hideous fate of the world for now is concealed behind the gorgeous image of a pond at peace with itself and nature.

KatieG, Assignment 01, Draft

Walden Pond holds a special place in the history of the environmental movement because Henry David Thoreau’s portrait of the area, in works such as Walden, was instrumental in altering how people perceived nature. Thoreau’s time spent on Walden Pond and his writings detailing the experience helped elevate the study of nature to an endeavor that was not only worthwhile but “spiritually rewarding”. His work convinced others that the natural world deserved our study and protection.

    Although the study of nature has changed dramatically in the past roughly one hundred and fifty years, the Walden Pond area has gone through less drastic changes. According to Wilson, the area is thought to, at a glance, look much like it did in Thoreau’s time save for the forest that has filled in the farmland that once surrounded the area. Wilson reports however that upon closer inspection there are minor changes. For example, the American Chestnut tree has disappeared due to a virulent European fungus. Also the Red Maple is now more abundant than it was during Thoreau’s lifetime.

    Although Walden Pond has remained largely unchanged, the same cannot be said for the rest of the planet. The earth’s population in the 1840’s was a little over one billion while today the figure stands at around six billion. The strains to the environment this increase has brought however, reveal a constant; Thoreau’s message, which is still relevant today. His work at Walden Pond announced nature as not a backdrop to life but an important part of life, an idea we should seriously consider before it is too late.

Assignment 01 First Draft LovingI

          Edward Wilson, author of The Future of  life beings his novel with a prologue reminiscing of the past and present history of Walden Pond. He writes specifically about the pond and shows a special admiration and dedication in a way towards Thoreau who used to inhabit this area. The author enlightens us about the pond’s special history and place in the world of natural science telling us how much the pond really affected our environment. It held a special place in the environmental movement and although many things have changed about the pond its natural beauty and mystery remains today.
           Wilson describes Walden Pond as a place where Thoreau lived in peace and his curiosity inspired him to study the nature of the environment around him. The Walden Pond holds a special place in he history of the environmental movement because it was a central place to explore our habitat and complex environment. Walden Pond was a threatened oasis as Wilson refers to it in the reading. It was an area being taken over and consumed by not only its enemies that shared its land in nature, but humans as well. Through Thoreau’s study of Walden Pond, he made it a cause worth doing continuous research on that encouraged others to explore its many mysteries.
              Walden Pond back then was and still is now an endangered area. Its terrain is still surrounded by different species of trees and shrubs the author describes in the book such as red maple, hickory, and beech trees. But many of these trees have been destroyed by human hand with axes and saws leaving Walden Pond not the same rich abundance of trees it was once surrounded by. Although many years will and have passed, Walden Pond will remain the same but not completely so. Its beauty was brought to life through the genius of Thoreau. Thoreau’s brilliance and dedication to the study of such beautiful terrain influenced Wilson to delve into the past and show us the beauty of nature through his words in the novel The Future of Life.

MarloK, Assignment 1, draft 1

  Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts is a state reservation and is home to many wildlife. It was also home to Henry David Thoreau, a writer and philosopher who lived his life in solitude in the Walden Pond area and lived in simplicity in order to study nature. In Thoreau's day there were many forests, and many wild animals. Now today, the forests have been cut down and only the vegetation has grow back. Although many of the animals that were found during Thoreau's time are still here today, Walden Pond has changed drastically over the years.

   Walden Pond has gone through many different phases throughout the years. But Thoreau who is considered one of the American masters, brought the pond to life. He brought the attention to the pond and its surroundings when he retreated the the woods to lived in solitude and study nature. When he wrote his popular books he showed the American people how important the environment is and made people realize how important the environment really is.

    Walden Pond has changed throughout the years, but mostly the environment is the same. The same species of plants and animals can be found there still. Still the major change is probably that Walden Pond is now a tourist attraction. The pond and its surroundings itself are still the same though. But, although Walden Pond has not changed, according to Edward O. Wilson, the rest of the world has. As he closes his letter to Thoreau, he describes how the six billion people on the earth are not taking care of the environment.