David Touchon, The Cibolo Land Manager
A very long time ago in a cave near modern day Lascaux France, naturalists made fantastic records of European megafauna. While the pre-French naturalists were painting by torch light, the same thing was occurring in the Southwest area of the now United States. Why? At some point between certain parallels, temperate conditions reached a “tipping point” and food was plentiful! So, Cave Art and Petroglyphs served as a type of journal entry for future generations describing the natural bounty.
Being a Naturalist is not by design but rather a deep branding of memorable experiences, sense of place and immense curiosity. Certain names like Linnaeus, Darwin, Zola, Newton, Cezan, Thoreau, Audubon, Homer, Touchon, Remmington, Muir, Carson, Pichot, Leopold, Lindheimer and Cuvier might ring a bell when thinking about naturalistic things.
The bare bones of the Naturalist movement have been woven into the human condition since the dawn of time. The modern Naturalist movement came to prominence during the 18th,19th and 20th centuries in the form of Art and Scientific literature. Why then? European colonialism! Every sea going vessel was assigned a team of naturalists to bolster the scientific record. After long periods at sea, exotic seaport street food, certain diseases, challenging long term ailments, scurvy and sunburn. These Naturalist somehow made it back home to share their experience and information.
The information was shared with scientific societies throughout Europe and entered into the scientific record. One of the more well-known shipboard naturalists was Charles Darwin who traveled upon the HMS Beagle. The earliest days of Naturalist adventures were commonly based out of Europe but there were lands yet explored.
The Americana style of Naturalist could point toward the Lewis and Clark expedition in the early 1800’s, in search of the westward passage. What else could happen when you are paddling or dragging a boat upstream? Collect plants, make maps, journal and run for your life! Thomas Jeffersons home at Monticello is proof of this plant collecting effort to this day.
When you read anything from the Naturalist Period you will quickly learn that everything rotated around the great ability to journal. Some writings were made from far and distant lands while other journal entries were made from their front porch. The ever-present addition to the journal entries were drawings and sketches that were highly notated for future speaking points. If you did not sketch or draw, you painted. The Naturalist movement of painting focused highly on the homestead motif which incorporated beauty and toil. Painting was regional which is apparent in Georgia O’Keefe’s and Winslow Homers work. Modern day photography is evident from Ansel Adams work throughout the American West.
Aldo Leopold, Gifford Pinchot and John Muir are considered the father’s North American conservation and incidental naturalist due to the nature of their work. It is important to note that much of their work was born out of the Dust Bowl era and the effects upon the land.
Texas. The wild untamed frontier that was somewhat undiscovered attracted the interest of many early Naturalist. One of the most notable names was the famous botanist Ferdinand Lindheimer who walked great distances cataloging hundreds of plant species in the Texas Hill Country and West Texas.
Where are the Naturalists? Has technology moved past the true humanistic efforts? When was the last time you saw someone painting watercolor at River Road, writing a manuscript with quill/ink or sharing a journal entry? When does the ease of technology override certain core learning centers of the brain? When was the last time you attended a private herbarium viewing?
The Naturalist movement is alive and well within the burgeoning urban interface! The Hill Country Master Naturalist, Native Plant Society of Texas Boerne chapter and many Private citizens are major resources to pretty much everything in the Texas Hill Country and beyond! Within these groups you will find your bird nerds, plant snobs, flower masters, foresters, insect aficionados, engineers, geologists, cellists, painters, accomplished pianists, singers, song writer and much more! The world has come a long way from ocean going sail boats and certain Leprosy. The safe harbors of the Texas Hill Country offer many resources for Naturalist and many discoveries yet to be seen! Keep an eye out for “The Naturalist Series” this fall because it is going to be awesome!
See you in the field!
