The Balance of Nature
The Balance
In life it is said that good cannot exist without evil. The sun rises, but also sets, signaling the night's fall. These are just a few small examples of balancing forces in our world. Rangers know all too well the importance of balance, and what role it plays in our daily lives. You may be wondering how a Ranger maintains balance in his home, the wilderness, when there is so much chaos and anarchy around him. I will attempt to explain this to you now.
As a Ranger, it is not only our job to protect the forests and it's visitors, but to also maintain a certain balance within it. What I mean by this is we help not only control the growth and spread of certain wild animals, but also help maintain their survival. We take from these woods and these streams, but we also give life back to nature. Should we require meat from an animal, we will be sure to thank nature for it's gift to us, but also use the whole animal and not waste. Just as we were given a gift, we must then in turn give something back. We may plant several trees, or help repair damaged ones. This is a part of the never ending relationship between the Rangers and their home.
Now, true balance is hard to definine in just one way. One could simply sum it up by saying that life creates death, and in turn, death creates new life. Where a tree once fell from old age or decay, so soon will a new one grow in it's place. Predators, also, are an example of balance in our lands. When a predator takes it's prey, it is helping to maintain a balance in it's own way. This predator will then later on be hunted by one of us, or by another predator itself. The circle of life never ends, and this is the most accurate depiction of true balance that I could ever give you.
Durant Wiegraf
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