Save the Boundary Waters for Them
Below are excerpts from a blog post about Bobby and Maura Marko's September Boundary Waters trip, which they shared on their We Found Adventure blog. Read the full blog.
When I entered the Wilderness for the first time as a confused and lost 19-year-old girl, I had no idea the path life would take me on. Now, 11 years later, I am a wife, a mother to a son and I am expecting a daughter. The Wilderness used to be my sanctuary. After meeting my husband, Bobby, the Wilderness became a setting of bonding and discovery. As we were starting our lives together, we entered the Wilderness and did extraordinary things. We learned about each other, we learned the importance of communication, we learned to care for one another and we learned to trust one another. We had conversations within the sanctuary of Mother Nature that would never have been able to take place in a bar, restaurant or even the comforts of our own home. When out exploring the Wilderness, a closeness and a bond is formed that nothing else can possibly duplicate.
Now it has become a classroom for our children. A place for us to take our children to help them learn life lessons, learn about ecosystems, learn about history, learn about the importance of preservation, learn Leave No Trace principles and learn to be thoughtful and caring human beings.
At the age of two, our son, Jack, has entered two wilderness areas--one of which is the Boundary Waters. During his third trip into the Boundary Waters, he was accompanied by his loving and doting grandparents.
Jack was able to be a part of a multigenerational trip into an area that has been protected since 1926. He was given a glimpse into what life was like for a voyageur traveling the area 200 years ago. These wilderness areas are truly precious and deserve our respect and protection.
When I think of my children, I imagine all of the adventures we will have with them throughout their lives. I think of the memories made. The photographs taken. The tears shed. The laughter shared.
I imagine them setting forth on their own as a young woman and a young man seeking adventure by themselves, with friends or with families of their own. I picture them emulating trips we have done in the past. Being able to experience the same campsites. The same lakes. The same paths. When our wilderness is threatened, the opportunities for outdoor recreation of future generations are threatened.
President Lyndon B. Johnson said it beautifully when talking of the importance of protecting wilderness areas for future generations. He said, “If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them something more than the miracles of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it.”
The Boundary Waters is a profoundly important stretch of wilderness that must be protected. This includes protection from within and without. As we--the visitors--enter the Wilderness, we must educate ourselves. We must practice and respect all Leave No Trace principles. Protecting this area from exterior threats, like disruptive and environmentally toxic mining operations, should have every one of us standing up, speaking out and working hard to protect this vital natural resource for generations to come. President Theodore Roosevelt said, “We have fallen heirs to the most glorious heritage a people ever received, and each one must do his part if we wish to show that the nation is worthy of its good fortune.”
Please, stand with us and speak out against the proposed mines. Sign the petition today, contact your local representative, educate others, or share your own personal stories. There are so many ways in which you can stand up and protect this scenic area for this generation and all those to come.
Bobby and Maura Marko live in Excelsior, Minnesota, with their two-year-old son, Jack, and newborn daughter, Rowan. Bobby works as a UX Designer for Amazon while Maura is a stay-at-home mom and writer for their blog, We Found Adventure. Both are avid outdoor enthusiasts who are passionate about protecting the wild places of our planet as well as encouraging parents to get outdoors and experience wilderness with their children. Though newbies to the Boundary Waters and canoe-camping in general, the family was hooked after their first trip in and have many more trips planned! They feel that protecting a national treasure like the Boundary Waters should be a priority for every person who believes that future generations deserve to inherit accessible and outstanding opportunities for outdoor recreation.
