Reflections on Restoration Work & Nature
By: Natalie Musolino
“They paved paradise, put up a parking lot…They took all the trees put 'em in a tree museum. And they charged the people a dollar an' a half just to see 'em.” These lyrics by Joni Mitchell were written as she arrived in the paradise that is Hawaii. It is said that she went to look out of her hotel window the next morning expecting to see a beautiful paradise, but was disheartened at the sight of a sterile parking lot.
Growing up in a suburban neighborhood, I never paid much attention to the wild patches of land nestled between our houses and the nearby park, but armed with gloves and hand tools, my mother and I decided one Saturday to set out with a local conservation group to remove invasive plants that were choking the life out of the delicate native flora. At first, I must admit, I was less than enthusiastic. The sun was scorching, the work was tedious, and the weeds seemed never-ending. However, as I continued to pull weeds, something magical happened. With each tug, I felt a connection to the land, as if I were helping to heal a wounded piece of nature. As the invasive plants gave way to the native ones, I watched the once-diminished ecosystem come back to life. The sight of wildflowers blooming, butterflies dancing, and birds returning to the area filled me with an indescribable sense of love, appreciation, accomplishment, and satisfaction. Along with healing mother nature, the restoration healed something in me as well. As I worked in the sun discarding invasive species, I felt my invasive thoughts start to dissolve. Instead, being surrounded by nature brought out a nurturing side of me I had never seen before.
The connection I felt with the Earth was unreal, and I recruited a few of my nature-loving friends to come and help with the project. Our time together has not only grown us individually closer to nature, but also with each other. We have spent hours chatting while pulling weeds and delighting in the beautiful native flowers that have begun growing in their place. The nurturing side in all of us has led us to transfer the little ladybugs from the weeds to the native species so they can survive and we each light up at the sight of a butterfly landing on a plant to rest. Something so simple, something that would have gone unnoticed in the past, yet something so important, has now ignited my soul.
The peace I feel with the South Bay Parkland Conservancy has woven its way throughout my entire life. I have noticed a switch in myself. After a long or difficult day, I find myself in my garden either pulling weeds or tending to my plants rather than automatically resorting to my phone. Nature has so many small components that tend to go unnoticed due to the hustle and bustle of today's society. I learned that if you “stop to smell the roses,” life becomes more beautiful than you could ever imagine.
Esplanade Bluffs volunteers from left to right: Jim Montgomery, Ava Grace Bree, Natalie Musolino, Naomi Cardenas, Chuck Nwachukwu