Columnist Barb Henderson: Beauty and the beast compete outdoors

Barb Henderson

Friday, July 18, 2003 | 10:05 a.m.

Barb Henderson is an outdoors enthusiast, freelance writer and producer/host of outdoors radio television programming. Her column appears Friday in the Sun.

Beauty is often found in the eye of the beholder -- so they say.

For the most part, I agree.

Especially, in the great outdoors where you'll find a multitude of spectacular beauty to behold.

Unfortunately, this beauty can be destroyed by a thoughtless individual and with one careless act -- the outdoors quickly becomes an eyesore.

One scenario might be the beauty and the beast; the beauty being the magnificent scenery that the outdoor offers, and the beast being ugly, trashy litter that has traveled a long journey to the wilderness.

Although, the weather can create windy conditions, which can be partly responsible for lifting and carrying garbage from one location to another, litter can also be found outdoors that has been left by individuals who must not have an appreciation for habitat and/or wildlife. Why else would they leave a trail of destruction and devastation behind?

Most of us, at one time or another have arrived at a favorite campsite, excited about our camping adventure, only to find garbage that was left behind by previous visitors. A trashy atmosphere such as this will quickly alter any outdoorsy mood from serenity to sadness.

Perhaps the true beauty of the outdoors is found by the many volunteers who make a difference, such as those who participate in organizations' clean-up projects, anglers who pick up trash along a shoreline, hunters who find trash in the field and carry it out in their backpack, campers who clean up additional campsites, scuba divers who'll retrieve trash from underneath the water surface or hikers who pick up litter along a trail.

This remarkable type of volunteerism allows folks to enjoy an outdoor experience today while it captures the beauty for future generations to appreciate tomorrow.

NAME CHANGE: The Nevada Division of Wildlife has officially changed its name to the Nevada Department of Wildlife.com