Student Perspectives: This blog series was written by San Francisco State University students for the Recreational Use of Parks and Protected Areas course. The goal of the blog assignment was to show how student support of redwood parks can create new ways to foster equal access to nature by diverse communities. For this assignment, each student visited a local redwood park and wrote about their experience. Enjoy!
In the woods and the mountains is a good place to begin
Where the giants sit and smile looking down with peaceful grins
A baby black-tailed deer and its mother cross the creek
Feeling moments like these is what makes my knees weak
I’m doing all the things a visitor just might do
Hiking, picnicking, meditating, and some camping too
The simplicity of solitude is such a hard task to perfect
But in the redwoods this kind of loneliness doesn’t feel like such a threat
You see, the redwoods know what they’re doing
They’ve got it figured out
They stand tranquil, strong, and proud
Rising hundreds of feet from ground
While I still stand here doing all the things a visitor just might do
This includes escaping to find some solitude too
And that’s a gift to all from Mother Earth herself
To realize you have all the comfort you need between the redwoods and yourself
Shores reflect fruity colors from the sky
For the coastal redwoods to enjoy without having to try
When the orange sun set below it all
And to the den, baby deer follows its mum
I then knew it felt so lovely
To share this moment between the redwoods and me
You see, you’ve got to do all the things a visitor just might do
This includes putting yourself in the ways of beauty too
But knowing this beauty also happens without anyone to see
Is also such a comforting thought for me
And when the moon rises amongst
Then all the animals sleep to rest
I’ll lay in bed wishing to join them in the forest
I’m doing all the things a visitor just might do
Maybe in your life time you can visit the redwoods too