Randy Laurence

I was born and educated in the Corpus Christi area of South Texas, my parents and grandparents the same. I was raised in the city, but all my recreational time was spent fishing or hunting; there are pictures of me in diapers fishing with my dad and grandfather. As I grew up in Robstown, at least two weekends a month year-round were spent on the Laguna Madre, Corpus Christi Bay, Redfish Bay, Copano Bay or the Gulf of Mexico. The only thing that interrupted this tradition was hunting seasons. My dad taught me to fish and hunt every game fish or animal; his motto was "if you take it, you have to eat it".

As I grew older and the resources that I tapped when I was young faded or disappeared, I realized that as a society we were losing something that might not be restorable in the future. My fervor for fishing and hunting started to change to catch-and-release and wildlife observation. I rarely take from the environment anymore; I have had my fair share. I have become one of Ishmael's "leavers".

When I relate my observations to likewise reflecting individuals, I find that very few have even realized the difference; those who never experienced the environment as I had thought it had always been the way that they see it now. I think most humans have a fatal weakness when it comes to the environment; they think the way the natural surroundings are now, is the same as it has always been, possibly because they never were taught to notice the details that are only noticed by slowing down and taking the time in the field away from technology, television, and other distractions of today. They fail to see the gradual degradation of our resources/environment.

I strive to get students into the outdoors so that they can create those lasting memories of how things are presently. When the students develop a current sense of nature, then I expose them to the way older people remember their surroundings by arranging encounters with these knowledgeable stewards of the environment. These experiences and memories serve as environmental mileposts that students can relate to in the future. Hopefully I am creating educated and cognizant voters of the future who can have the effect on policy making that will preserve our environment as our population swells.

The Eagle Pass area is rich in natural heritage. Documents exist from the days of the conquistadors describing the nature of our area. It's hard to believe that the area they are describing is the same place that I now inhabit. By supporting the Rio Bravo Nature Center, I hope to restore and preserve the natural heritage of our community and establish a facility so that current and future generations can experience nature and learn to appreciate the environment. Otherwise, how can someone remember something that never existed in their lives?