"The Amazon rain forest is not virgin forest--rather it is a vast garden, cultivated by Indigenous people."
YES!
Europeans, used to a European model of land usage, arrived in the Western Hemisphere and didn't recognize that the woodlands and grasslands of North America and the rain forests of South America were not wildernesses, but managed lands.
This is one of my favorite shots from a recent photo shoot. In the center at the end is the Starorobocinski Wierch, the highest peak in the Western Tatras in Poland.
Gear:
• Yashica TL Electro X ITS (~1971)
• Yashica Yashinon-DS 50 mm f/1.7
• Kodak Professional Portra 400/36
The stunning Whitby Abbey, North Yorkshire.
On the site of the original Abbey built by the Incredible Hilda, a Northumbrian Princess c657. She called the famous Synod of Whitby here in 664.
It's not a yellow brick road, and it doesn't lead to the Emerald City: it's better than that. It's a quiet, winding path through country fields, leading to and through a place of peace where you can stop and think awhile.
Lessons from a friend's wilderness misadventure yesterday:
Having multiple communications devices (ham radio + Inreach Mini) absolutely made the difference between being completely lost in the woods, and not being lost.
Always pack more water than you think you need, in case of getting lost.
Do not cross country travel when lost, backtrack instead.
Know your limits, accept when you need help, rather than making a situation go from bad to worse. #wilderness#safety#lessons