By Naturalist Poet Pete

What’s it worth?

What’s the worth in protecting the great outdoors? What dollar amount can be assigned

To open meadows, rolling hills, and swift streams? What are they worth

Once they are caught and defined? What is the profit of seeing the Grand Canyon strip-mined?

In blasting the mountains and depleting the veins? in taking the treasures beneath the earth?

There is something golden on the surface. There are green treasures that tower above,

Ancient giants from ages past, enduring symbols that are the heart of the forest.

They are the guardians of the old worlds and sentinels of life, creatures deserving of our love.

We must defend them; we must not soften. We must be undaunted in our noble quest.

There is a value in the untouched world, not in dollars but in the human soul.

Editor: Charles Schnell