Harrowsmith – June 2019

EDITOR’S LETTER

Walk on the

Wild Side

S

ome months ago, I had the pleasure of speaking

with two fascinating people who brought me to

tears with their inspiring stories.

Joe Wilkins is a former mathematics professor

who volunteers with the U.S. National Park Service,

an experience he chronicles in his new book, Gates of

the Arctic National Park: Twelve Years of Wilderness

Exploration. Wilkins spoke with me about his love of

the park, which protects portions of the Brooks Range

in northern Alaska and is situated entirely north of

the Arctic Circle. But it was his passion for nature and

the wild that truly captured my heart, and that I’m

certain will light up yours as well. (Turn to page 87

for his story.)

Laura Zerra is another “wild child,” who is so

enamoured with nature that it’s her preferred living

space, the great outdoors being the only true home for

this modern-day nomad. As a child, Zerra befriended all

animals, but in particular a pack of coyotes who lived

near her family home. Setting out on adventures for days

on end, often without anything but a knife, Zerra has

made a hobby out of surviving in the wild, and her story

(page 81), along with Wilkins’, will surely resonate

with Harrowsmith’s environment-loving readers.

While Zerra’s and Wilkins’ lifestyles might be a

little ambitious for some, you can still explore the

great outdoors and make the most of summer with an

adventure of your own. Whether it’s striking out to

finally build your own homestead, like Claire and Ken

Dam (page 42), travelling across Canada on a staycation

(if so, check out our stories on Halifax, page 12, and

Kingston, Ontario, page 83) or checking out the night

skies (turn to page 40 for Robert Dick’s tips), summer

is the perfect time to tackle your outdoor wish list.

Our country’s geography is changing, as Vanessa

Farnsworth explores (page 30). And there will never

be another day like today. So get out there.

Catalina Margulis

Editor

[email protected]