"Mona Staats' Environmental Notes 1999"

My environmental knowledge began as a small child about five years old and is still continuing today (in my seventieth year).

My father [] had a one hundred acres of land [] cleared land and one greater [].

My parents always taught us, my twin brother [] and older sister Joyce, to be tidy with indoor activities (games) and also our outdoor activities, always cleaning our toys. etc before bringing them back into the house. And I still to this today, putting items back in the proper places, native artifacts, etc.

The environment, old through the eyes has been very very important, to native peoples and should continue today, with everyone, native and non native. I was also taught as a young person by my parents and grandparents to be thankful for what we have - from land, gardens, from animals etc: we lived off the land. By that I mean planting a large garden, for [] use and preserving, farm land [], fields of agriculture, hay for the animals, grains for animals and fowl. (turkeys, chickens etc.

We were also taught how to plant, when to plant, caring for the gardens, weeding and watering + [].

My father also taught my twin brother and I to pull the bad weeds, such as wild carrot, especially, that weed [] so quickly, with each [] head having a large [] of seeds, which will [] and spread, the year following, we would do this when we went off for the cattle that were generally in the wooded area, we would [] each having a large bundle of the wild carrot plants under our arms and give it to our father, actually when I think of this today. I said not watch what [] with these weeds.

The wonderful bringing up I had, tells me that I was being taught to take care of the environment, which I can still [] today, and also including this in my teachings to the groups that come on my wildlife trail cabin.

We have had the [], all through the ages take care of us, by providing us with clean water, clean air, and the earth, our mother providing our foods and herbs and trees, etc, and today and the future we all must take good care of our Mother earth.

In my one generation this issue of taking good care of our environment has changed so much, I am [] to say. The pollution today is very [] to me, the trees, (sugar maples) etc have acid on their leaves, the [] especially are being [] having [] etc from the polluted swamps and waters. I was told at a [] on amphibians when the [], etc became deformed, we will be next, and probably within fifty years we will no longer exist, every thing on our planet earth will not be able to survive.

The heading I am using - Preservation not reservation - tells me that both native and non-natives must teach the young folk and family members, nieces and nephews, to-to please take care of what we have today (preserve) be thankful every morning - every night for each day and night we are [] to do our duty of taking care of ourselves - no substance abuse etc, which provides clear minds, clean bodies and clean minds, then we will be pleasing the Creator, who created us to take care of all that has been created - wild animals, wild [], trees, [](wild) and one another. I know this will have us to be happier within ourselves as well as with our families, neighbors and friends.

[] - I know some people or families will through their [] [], etc along the road sick, which is [], when the rains come will probably wash the chemicals from the [] Mother Earth. Sometimes young folks, etc will [] tree [] (small) etc. and think they are having fun ([])

In closing, this [] has been a pleasure to submit to your office (Environment). My thoughts have again gone back in time. Remembering very very happy [] life, and growing up.

Nya:weh