To Take Wilderness in Hand - Michelle Nijhuis

In her article entitled "To Take Wilderness in Hand," Michelle Nijhuis discusses the endangered population of a tree species called the Torreya taxifolia that is native to the Florida Panhandle. There are many possible reasons and causes for its decreasing population such as disease, drought, and invading animals, but the most pervasive of causes is that of climate change. Naturalist Connie Barlow decided that the tree should be moved to a climate further north for the cool temperatures and lesser amount of disease. Many efforts to save the tree species have been futile, so she sees no other solution other than to physically move the trees to a more suitable climate in order to promote their survival. This concept has been coined the term assisted migration. The example of the Torreya taxifolia is only one instance of vegetation that is being moved to a more suitable climate by human beings. Some are on board with Barlow's proposition while others think the idea of carrying plants to a different environment is simply ludicrous. To Barlow and many other environmentally-aware individuals, assisted migration is essential for the survival of many plant and animal species as the earth undergoes climate change. To others, tinkering with Nature is unethical and almost non-nonsensical. Nijhuis's article does a proficient job of describing both ends of the spectrum in terms of plant and animal conservation. The author does assume that global warming is a real presence evident in the world today, which others may argue against. She centers her argument around climate change, which is a highly debatable topic. Nonetheless, Nijhuis raises the important question: To intervene or not to intervene with Nature's right of passage?