Pond Perception

The more time I spend at Schumaker Pond, the more its waters, brimming over with life, speak to me. The surrounding trees burst with color as their fall leaves turn to shades of light yellow, pinkish reds, and soft oranges, just like pastels on canvas. The thunderous calls of Canadian Geese (Branta canadensis) permeate the air as gaggle after gaggle swoops in and gracefully touch down on the surface of the pond. A well deserved layover during their long and arduous migration. My nose picks up the strong musky odor of wet marsh grasses and pond scum floating on the surface of the water along the edges of the pond. The intensity and gentleness of the late cold evening breeze hits my hands and face, chilling my very bones. I am awestruck at how this very wind moves beyond me to create small ripples in the water that catch the waning light and burst like flat vibrating waves of color across the surface of the water, like a symphony of liquid light. These observations are the result of a heightened state of perception of nature in which I find I am not merely an outside observer but an inherent part of the natural world around me.

This heightened and more personal perception of the natural world that I have found through my time at the pond first required me to let go my preconceived notions of the landscape. The first observations at the pond left me in a whirlwind of stress and anxiety. I wasn’t at the pond so much as still preoccupied by other class assignments and various things I had to do for school. This stress and anxiety negatively affected my outlook on the pond and hindered my ability to truly notice what was going on around me. This outcome, it turns out, is not atypical. One study performed at the University of Toronto found that subjects who were observing a natural environment with a positive attitude or in a good emotional state displayed a wider field of vision and were able to perceive more clearly than those observing nature in a bad mood (Rossi 2015). The pond even began reflecting my emotions as the marsh grasses began to appear deathly ill and lifeless as they hug limply down, and a swarm of gnats felt like they were attacking me with relentless fury.

To combat this mindset I decided to take deep breaths, close my eyes, and relax for a few seconds before my observations to experience and perceive the pond more fully and naturally. This helped me step back from the preoccupations that, it turns out, were obscuring my sensitivity to what was going on around me. As a result, the trees took on new fantastic shades and colors as the light reflected off them. The different birdcalls began to sound distinguishable. Belted Kingfishers (Megaceryle alcyoncackled) rattled and warbled as they perched in snags over the water. Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) chirped poetic love songs as mating pairs teasingly chased each other through the air. These new perceptions let me enter into the life of the pond. Now that I could perceive the pond as an equal part of my own self I wanted to explore the bigger picture and how this splendid body of water could possibly connect to the human element of nature.

            Whether in the swishing sound of fishing line being cast out over the shallow water in search of prey, or a staring contest between a birder’s binoculars and the haunting yellow eyes of a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), Schumaker Pond has the ability to bring the natural world and humans together. The famous environmentalist, Aldo Leopold, addressed the connections between humans and the living world in his book, The Sand County Almanac, when he writes, “When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect” (viii).  This concept of nature being a “community,” calls people to see that we as humans are part of the living world and what we do and make directly alters and impacts the natural world along with ourselves. In the case of Schumaker pond, human contact has directly shaped the pond it is today. According to local residents, these waters were initially just a small stream until a dam was established that controlled the flow of water to power a mill. Today the mill is gone, but the pond remains, its surface marked by the constant ebb and flow of the natural current running through it. Although the pond no longer powers any machinery, it’s not a purposeless relic of the past but rather a living shelter that continues to benefit both the environment and the local community surrounding it.

That this pristine sanctuary for wildlife was once a just a fabrication of the natural landscape to fit the mold of human will is hard to believe. Ever since the establishment of the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art the pond has been transformed into a carefully maintained, vibrant habitat that supports/sustains the life of both humans and wildlife alike. Walking along the path adjacent to the pond there is a wide variety of brilliantly colored native wetland grasses, trees, and other vegetation filling up the 11-acre park that extends the full length of the pond.  This vegetation was planted by local volunteers to act as a natural filter for the water in the pond as it travels further downstream. This process improves water quality by removing excess levels of nitrogen and phosphorous that would be dangerous for people and wildlife alike (Stribling Talk, Harrison 2009). The trees and shrubs establish a natural corridor where both migratory songbirds and native species such as the Redwing Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) can build their nests to contain the great miracle or birth and a new generation of life (Wood 2012). The dam in the pond has also played a key role in the created habitat by controlling the flow of water to create a stable marshy area that various species of fish and waterfowl, like Great Blue Herons (Ardea Herodias) and Mallard Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos), call home. The dam also prevents flooding downstream during major storm events that could erode and do damage to the surrounding area (NOAA). Essentially the pond has now been engineered to create a natural habitat the supports biodiversity while also protecting the quality and level of water for both humans and wildlife.

This deeper perception of humans being a part of the natural “community” deals with the principle of local culture and how the environment and local people interact and affect one another. For example, due to the abundance of waterfowl in the pond along with the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art centering around the art form and history of handcrafted decoy ducks, the pond attracts a lot of local hunters and fishermen. Burly men gifted with nature’s strength do not come to the museum to hunt prey but rather to celebrate and rejoice in the splendor of the natural world that support the creatures that their pursuits depend on. One fine brisk Sunday afternoon I found myself in the middle of the 2015 Chesapeake Wildfowl Expo hosted at the museum where collectors, artists, and enthusiasts of decoy ducks showed up to sell ducks, tell stories, and compete for the title of best decoy for the year. Almost all of the people there were also duck hunters. But you could see from the details that went into their decoys and from the stories they told that they truly loved nature and appreciated the ducks, whose presence they covet for their sport. Lex Levoe, a local environmentalist at the event, said, “Hunters and watermen usually have a greater sense of connection with the natural world due to their understanding and patience of the natural world as they peruse their prey (2015).” Thus the area is well protected, funded, and supported by local hunting community that has centered their culture and way of life on the wildlife that calls Schumaker Pond their home.

Standing at the edge of the water, the faint laughter of a small child echoes out over the pond.  The laughter increases and a family comes into view, with two young children staring through a scope at some bird out on the water. Their eyes light up with joy, and it is clear that this pond is more than just a habitat. Before me lies a marshy interactive classroom for learning. I spoke with Mark Bushman, the Educational Director of the Ward Museum, about the programs the museum has to educate visitors and students about the environment (2015). He discussed how museum personnel travel throughout three counties to give presentations to kindergarten classes about the importance of keeping their local watershed clean for the benefit of both humans and wildlife. He also mentioned how local elementary schools take field trips to learn about the history and the natural beauty of the area both in the museum and on the nature walks along the pond. Finally he mentioned that students from the local high school and from Salisbury University perform research and do maintenance on the pond.  Their tasks are varied: one group sinks its test tubes into the shallow depths of the pond to get samples, while another follows the contours of the bank to create an electronic map using GIS mapping technology. Some students play the role of tiny fishermen as they collect micro-invertebrates. Finally the last group breaks a sweat as they diligently work to reestablish the walking trails to their former glory. Research has shown that educating youth about environmentalism helps develop a deeper love and respect for the environment and willingness to make an effort to protect it (Meyer 2015, Franz 2014). All of these programs help to create a culture of environmental awareness and love for the natural world with increased understanding.

Gazing out over the shimmering water of Schumaker Pond I think back to the many sensations and experiences I have had over the last few months at this wonderful site. Memories of the hearty hunters as they swap tall tales of the ducks they shot and the children laughing and pointing wildly at every bird that passes into their field of vision. I picture what the pond once must have looked like before man ever touched its waters. I ask myself if mans contribution actually improved the ecological role that the pond plays. There is no denying that the pond is a perfect example of positive, synergistic relationship between the natural world and humanity as they respectively work together in a larger community to benefit both parties. Finally, I think of how I went from seeing the pond as just another pretty picture to a blossoming tapestry of sight, sounds, feelings, smells, and life. Turning to leave the pond for the day the definitive quack of a male Mallard Duck (Anas platyrhynchos) rings out, wishing me well and inviting me back to the home, which we now share on Schumaker Pond.

Chase Douglas

Work Cited

"An Introduction and User's Guide To Wetland Restoration, Creation, and Enhancement." Habitat.noaa.gov. Interagency Workshop on Wetland Restoration. Web. 05 Nov. 2015.

Bushman, Mark. Personal Interview. 11 Oct. 2015. 

Frantz, M. Cynthia, Mayer F. Stephan, “The importance of connection to nature in          assessing environmental education programs,” Studies in Educational Evaluation           (2014): 85-89. Web. 17 Oct. 2015.

Harrison A. John. “The Regional and Global Significance of Nitrogen Removal in Lakes     and Reservoirs.” Biogeochemistry 93.5 (2009):143-157. Web. 17 Oct. 2015.

Leopold, Aldo. “A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There.” Oxford University Press: New York, 1949. Print.

Levoe, Lex. Personal Interview. 11 Oct. 2015.

Meyer Andrew. “Does education increase pro-environmental behavior? Evidence from                  Europe.” Ecological Economics 116 (2015): 108-121. Web. 17 Oct. 2015.

Rossi D. Sebastian, Byrne A. Jason, Pickering M. Catherine, and Reser, Joseph.    “‘Seeing red’ in national parks: How visitors’ values affect perceptions and      park experiences.” Geoforum 66 (2015): 41-52. Web. 17 Oct. 2015.

Stribling, Judith. Wicomico Creek Watchers Schumaker Pond Water Quality Summery.      26 Oct. 2015.

Wood M. Eric, Pidgeon M. Anna, Feng Liu, and Mladenoff J. David. “Birds see the trees             inside the forest: The potential impacts of changes in forest composition on             songbirds during spring migration.” Forest Ecology and Management 280 (2012):   176-186. Web. 17 Oct. 2015.