‘The Woodsman’ | Republic, WA

Why does wilderness matter to you?

Wilderness inspires me. Every wilderness is unique in its own way, always challenging, always primordial. Wilderness is a quiet place, a challenging place that gives me strength, gives me a feeling truly being alive and a comforting sense of belonging.

Why does wilderness matter to your community?

I live in a very rural area. And even so it is wilderness that is a step away into a different existence, into a culturally rich historic natural environment, where I am just part of the landscape, not dominating over it. I am aware of my limitations, I am aware of my strength and that there is so much more to life than material goods. In this rural community, each of us values our home as ours, yet wilderness is home for all of us. We don’t own it and our time there is impermanent, a love affair without bounds. This is why we live here.