By Croft McLean
I’ve always been a beach person. Growing up on the coast of North Carolina, the ocean was my playground and the place where I felt the most connected to nature. The sound of crashing waves, and smell of salty air is home!
In December, I found myself in Montana, suddenly, trading warm sea breezes for frigid temperatures, bundled up against the sharp bite of winter air. My sister had moved out there a few months ago, and my whole family saw it as the perfect excuse to explore somewhere completely new. Instead of sand, there were piles of snow, stretching endlessly across the mountains. It was a complete shift from everything I knew, and yet it still took my breath away.
This trip wasn’t just a vacation. As cliche as it sounds, it was a wake-up call. An awakening to the importance of stepping outside my comfort zone, keeping an open mind, and discovering that every environment, no matter how different from what I may be used to, deserves to be protected.
Why Our Natural Wonders Need Us
It’s funny how we get so used to our surroundings that we forget how big the world really is. At home, I see the ocean every day, and it never fails to amaze me. But Montana? That was a whole new kind of awe.
Standing at the base of a mountain, looking up at snow-covered peaks– which seemed to go on forever– I felt that same small-but-mighty feeling I get when I stand on the shoreline watching the waves roll in. Nature has a way of humbling you, no matter where you are.
Being in Montana reminded me that nature isn’t just one thing, it’s a million different landscapes, each playing their own role in sustaining the balance of our planet’s ecosystems. The United States. is home to over 423 national park sites, covering more than 84 million acres of protected land (National Park Service). Each one has its own delicate ecosystem, its own story, and its own challenges when it comes to conservation.
And the reality? Many of these places are at risk. Rising global temperatures are shrinking glaciers in Glacier National Park, once home to over 150 glaciers, now reduced to fewer than 25 (USGS). Meanwhile, coastal areas like my hometown are battling stronger storms and rising sea levels every year.
While the ocean and the mountains may look nothing alike, they’re both fighting the same battle and are in need of our protection.
I Had To See It To Believe It
I’ve always been passionate about conservation, but something about being in a completely new environment made it feel even more real.
When you see a place with your own eyes, when you breathe in the crisp air or hear the silence of snow-covered forests, it hits differently. It’s one thing to know that these landscapes exist, but it’s another to be standing in the middle of them– realizing just how fragile they are.
More than one million species are at risk of extinction due to habitat loss, pollution, and climate change according to the United Nations. It’s a frightening statistic, but it’s not just about faraway rainforests or remote ice caps. It's happening here in the U.S. too. The places where we hike, swim, ski, and explore are all facing challenges that require action. Now.
Montana made me realize the responsibility we all have. Not just to protect the places we call home, but to care for the ones we may never see again.
Pushing Myself Out of My Comfort Zone
I’m not really a cold-weather person. Bundling up in multiple layers just to step outside? Definitely not something that excites me to be honest, but on this trip, I decided to lean into the newness of it all.
I gave skiing a shot. I trudged through snow so deep it almost swallowed my boots. I let myself embrace the freezing air and appreciate the way the snow sparkled under the sun. You know what? It gave me a newfound appreciation for nature.
Stepping outside my comfort zone reminded me that adventure and conservation go hand in hand. Outdoor recreation contributes over $887 billion annually to the U.S. economy, but it also comes with environmental costs (Outdoor Industry Association). The more we explore, the more we appreciate. The more we appreciate, the more we want to protect.
Keeping an Open Mind, Keeping an Open Heart
Montana taught me that protecting the planet isn’t just about saving the places we’re familiar with, it’s about valuing the ones we haven’t even experienced yet.
The U.S. alone has such an incredible range of environments, each one offering something unique. The ocean and the mountains may be different, but they both leave me feeling the same thing: gratitude. Gratitude for the beauty that exists in so many different forms. Gratitude for the chance to see it, even if just for a moment. And gratitude for the responsibility to keep it safe.
As my plane took off and I watched the powder covered mountains disappear from my view, I promised myself something: I won’t just be a beach person. I’ll be a mountain person, a forest person, a desert person. I will be a person who cares about the planet in all its forms. Because at the end of the day, on Earth, it’s all connected and every part of it deserves to be protected.
Want to explore and protect different environments? Check out these organizations doing great work: Leave No Trace (lnt.org) – Tips on sustainable outdoor recreationNational Park Foundation (nationalparks.org) – Support and protect our national parks
All images courtesy of author
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