Explore Transition Zones

Explore Transition Zones

There are some places in nature of such exquisite beauty and fecundity of life, that you just have to stop and take off your shoes and become a kid again to explore. For me, tidepools are like this. For most children I know, and adults who will allow themselves to be child-like, they are irresistible. When we take people out into nature, if at all possible, we like to get them near tidepools. Those creatures in the picture–do you know what it feels like to touch them? If you have, the moment I ask that question will take you back to the sensory memory of what it feels like to stroke those squishy tentacles. And if you have yet to experience it, no word-smithing will do it justice. You have to get out there and experience it for yourself.

Tidepools are one example, but a transition zone is any place where two distinct ecological zones interface. The transition from a forest to a field is another such place. These are boundary areas, often characterized by the greatest density and variety of life. These are places that you can engage your senses, practice mindful awareness in nature, or make into a Sit Spot.