OPINION: Don't take local natural wonders for granted

I feel like smaller waterways like creeks and marshy areas just don't get as much attention as they deserve. People wax poetic about the sheer size and beauty of the Great Lakes and even the amazing rivers like the Big and Little Manistee. But I haven't heard enough people getting excited about the little vernal pools or marshy spots. I recently spent some time along the Arcadia Marsh Nature Preserve. I reached out to a friend I met at the Kingsley Folk School Herb Fest and asked if she wanted to go on a plant walk to check out what was in bloom at the marsh. We admired the plants, birds and nature in general and turned a path that was less than 1 mile into a 2.5-hour adventure. We stopped at each new plant we saw, trying to figure out what it was and if it looked different than what all the guide book photos showed. The herbalist and author Guido Masé said it best in a Mountain Rose Herbs podcast recorded in 2016: 'Walking your way through a living landscape, herbalists do it differently than anybody else.' 'If you've ever been on an herb walk, you know sometimes we walk at like 5 feet per hour,' he said. "But that's because we're really so connected and immersed into this living, breathing landscape. These plants aren't just things we walk by that look cool." The neat thing is that you don't have to be an herbalist to walk like one, enjoying the natural world. It just takes intention and curiosity. We appreciated the giant elderberry bushes, saw heaps of flowering joe-pye weed, spotted the orange flowers of jewelweed against the emerald leaves, met the stinging nettle draped over parts of the boardwalk and smelled the blooming common milkweed. I saw my first great egret and kingfisher. I had been wanting so badly to see a kingfisher since I heard one early this spring. There were also goldfinches and plenty of waterfowl. A smattering of people visited the boardwalk looking out at the birds with binoculars in hand. It was fun to see so many folks out connecting over birds and plants. I went home reinvigorated, happy to have connected with a friend in such a beautiful setting in a place filled with life. A part of me felt a little guilty for not chasing my earlier goal of visiting most of the 50-plus Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy trails. Here I was revisiting one of those trails I keep coming back to. Meanwhile, there are others I have never visited. But the marsh is such a diamond, and it's nearby. So, I thought 'Do I really want to drive two hours to some of the farthest trails from me in Antrim County just because they are on my list?' Not that day, I didn't. To be fair, there are plenty of conservancy trails that are nearby. I was just getting caught up in tackling the list and missing sight of the reason for my actual goal. The next day, I made my way to the Ludington State Park after a grocery store trip and had a chance to stare in awe at the sprawling dunes that had changed so much since my last visit. The clouds framed the scene dramatically and the riverbanks of the Big Sauble were lush with vegetation. It was incredible to see how many pollinators were out lapping up the late summer flower nectars. People were out fishing, swimming and biking. I was proud that they were taking the time to get outdoors and bask in the season. I walked the winding paths around the park breathing in the fragrant white pine, looking out over the wetland grasses along the riverbank. When it got too busy with people for my tastes, I called it a day. After all, I had frozen mangoes melting in the parked truck to save. I hadn't planned to stop at the park after getting groceries, but I am glad I did. Apparently, nature has the ability to really reset our mind and spirit. And it doesn't take a two-hour drive to get those results. Whenever I talk with people about outdoor recreation of any kind, they always remark on how lucky we are to have all this natural splendor in our backyard. How many people travel here just to enjoy what we have within reach every day? With so many natural wonders close by, adding a short walk with a friend or a park visit after getting groceries is a great way to practice gratitude and get our nature reset. Arielle Breen is the assistant editor for the Manistee News Advocate and Benzie County Record Patriot. She can be reached at arielle.breen@pioneergroup.com or by leaving a message at 231-398-3109.