
Greater Chattanooga
Season 6 Episode 602 | 26m 46sVideo has Closed Captions
Learn about the Children's Holocaust Memorial, and Sandhill Crane Festival goes online.
An after-school project was created for middle school students in Whitwell, Tennessee, with the purpose of teaching tolerance and expanding the worldview of students in the small town. From that simple idea, the Children’s Holocaust Memorial was born. Plus, sometimes, even outdoor activities have to adjust due the the Coronavirus Pandemic. That’s what happened to the Sandhill Crane Festival.
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Greater Chattanooga is a local public television program presented by WTCI PBS
Funding for this broadcast of Greater Chattanooga is provided by EPB Fiber Optics.

Greater Chattanooga
Season 6 Episode 602 | 26m 46sVideo has Closed Captions
An after-school project was created for middle school students in Whitwell, Tennessee, with the purpose of teaching tolerance and expanding the worldview of students in the small town. From that simple idea, the Children’s Holocaust Memorial was born. Plus, sometimes, even outdoor activities have to adjust due the the Coronavirus Pandemic. That’s what happened to the Sandhill Crane Festival.
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipComing up, we'll visit Whitwell Tennessee and a special memorial that's had a profound effect on the town.
We were hoping to not only change lives, but even change a culture.
And we'll celebrate the return of those great speckled birds, the Sandhill cranes.
To have such a majestic bird in mass like that to me, is how it should be.
That's all coming up on Greater Chattanooga.
Funding for this broadcast of Greater Chattanooga is provided by.
EPB fiber optics.
Hi, I'm Briana Garcia.
Welcome to Greater Chattanooga.
In 1997, an after school project was created for middle school students in Whitwell, Tennessee, with the purpose of teaching tolerance and expanding the worldview of students in this small town From that simple idea, the Children's Holocaust Memorial was born.
Check out the impact of this legacy of love.
WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROJECT I HAD NO EARTHLY IDEA THAT IT WOULD HAVE THE IMPACT AND THAT IT WOULD REACH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IT'S REACHED.
THE CHILDREN'S HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL GREW OUT OF I THINK THAT DESIRE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE TO OUR SIMILARITIES AND OUR NEEDS FOR EACH OTHER AND THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO BRING ABOUT A COHESIVE WORLD, A WORLD THAT RESPECTS EACH OTHER.
DID WE HAVE A PLAN?
DID I HAVE A PLAN?
NAW.
THERE WAS A MUCH HIGHER POWER IN CHARGE AND THERE WAS THIS HARD-HEADED OLD LADY WHO SAID, IF YOU DECIDED YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING, YOU CAN DO IT.
YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.
THIS ORIGINAL PROJECT STARTED IN THE FALL OF 1997, AND AT THAT TIME IT WAS MERELY A HOLOCAUST STUDY.
IT WAS DESIGNED TO MAKE CHILDREN AWARE OF HOW EASY IT IS TO GO OUT INTO THE WORLD, SEE SOMEONE WHO LOOKS DIFFERENTLY, THINKS DIFFERENTLY, PRAYS DIFFERENTLY, AND NOT BE, OH MY GOSH, I'M AFRAID.
YOU KNOW THIS COMMUNITY IS OVER 99% WHITE, ANGLO-SAXON, EVANGELICAL PROTESTANT.
AND SO WE HAD KIDS WHO HAD NOT BEEN OUTSIDE OF MARION COUNTY, AND THEY'D NEVER REALLY INTERACTED WITH PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT LIKE THEM.
IT WASN'T REALLY INTOLERANCE, IT WAS MORE WE JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.
I MEAN BEFORE THE PROJECT STARTED, WE REALLY JUST KIND OF ONLY KNEW OUR OWN LITTLE BUBBLE.
YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THERE WAS LIKE A GREAT, BIG WORLD OUT THERE.
I TALKED TO OUR PARENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, I TALKED TO OUR TEACHERS, AND I WENT TO SANDRA ROBERTS AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE FOR US TO START AN AFTER-SCHOOL PROJECT, A STUDY OF THE HOLOCAUST.
THE REASON WE STUDIED THE HOLOCAUST, NUMBER ONE, BECAUSE IT WAS DEFINITELY A DIFFERENT CULTURE, AND YET NOT SO DIFFERENT BECAUSE THE TWO RELIGIONS GROW OUT OF EACH OTHER AND SHARE COMMON BONDS.
THE OTHER WAS IT WOULD DEFINITELY GIVE THEM A WORLDVIEW, AND IT WOULD ALSO ALLOW KIDS TO SEE HOW YOUR TINIEST WORDS, YOUR TINIEST ACTIONS IMPACT OTHER PEOPLE.
THE FIRST YEAR WE REQUIRED AN ADULT FROM THE FAMILY TO COME WITH THE CHILD TO THESE STUDIES.
WE KNEW THAT WE WERE NOT JUST EDUCATING THOSE CHILDREN, WE WERE EDUCATING THOSE FAMILIES.
FOR US, A LOT OF FAMILIES NEVER LEAVE HERE.
THEIR ROOTS RUN VERY DEEP.
AND SO BY EDUCATING THOSE PARENTS, WE WERE HOPING TO NOT ONLY CHANGE LIVES, BUT EVEN CHANGE A CULTURE.
IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST EXPERIENCES I'VE EVER HAD SEEING THOSE CHILDREN AND THOSE FAMILIES LEARN ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST.
I LOVE TO SEE CHILDREN EXCITED, TO GET THAT HOOK.
AND THE GREATEST THING I THINK WE EVER DID WAS MAKE THIS PERSONAL.
WHEN THEY STARTED PUTTING A FACE WITH THE STORY, THEN YOU KIND OF CONNECT TO IT MORE THAN YOU WOULD IF YOU'RE JUST LOOKING AT A HISTORY BOOK AND YOU HAVE ALL THESE FACTS.
ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, ALL THESE BOOKS WE'RE READING, ALL THE PICTURES WE'RE LOOKING AT, THEY WERE PEOPLE THAT HAD A STORY.
THE FALL OF '98 FINDS US WRITING LETTERS TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE.
THEY WROTE CELEBRITIES, THEY WOULD JUST FIND ADDRESSES FOR CHURCHES AND THEY WOULD SEND A REQUEST.
I THOUGHT, EH, WE MIGHT GET A COUPLE THOUSAND PAPERCLIPS, YOU KNOW?
AND WE CAN MANAGE THAT, IT'LL BE OKAY.
WE STOPPED COUNTING PAPERCLIPS AT 30 MILLION.
EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY COUNTED PAPERCLIPS, FROM THE SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER TO, I THINK MY NIECE WAS ABOUT THREE WHEN SHE WAS AT LEAST MOVING THEM ACROSS THE TABLE.
SO BY EDUCATING AND GETTING EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED, THIS WAS NOT OUR PROJECT.
THIS WAS WHITWELL'S PROJECT.
ONE EVENING, WE WERE ALL JUST SITTING AROUND AND WE WERE SAYING, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THESE PAPERCLIPS?
AND I SAID, WOULDN'T IT BE A WONDERFUL THING IF WE COULD SECURE AN AUTHENTIC GERMAN RAILCAR THAT TRANSPORTED PEOPLE TO THESE CAMPS, AND WE COULD TRANSFORM THAT CAR INTO A CAR OF LIFE AND HOPE?
WHAT WE WANTED TO DO THEN, AND WE GOT OUR PARENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS INVOLVED, IN CREATING A PLACE FOR THE CAR.
FROM CSX RAILROAD, B&B CRANE, THE MEN AND WOMEN IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO PLANTED TREES AND MADE THE BUTTERFLIES TO GO AROUND IT, AND THE KIDS WHO PUT THOSE PAPERCLIPS IN THERE, THAT'S HOW WE CAME TO THIS MEMORIAL.
AND AT SOME POINT I SAID OKAY, WE HAVE SO MANY ARTIFACTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE SENT US FROM EVERYWHERE, BUT WE WANTED TO HAVE A PLACE FOR THESE ARTIFACTS, AND A PLACE THAT WAS ACCESSIBLE.
SO WHEN WE PLANNED OUR NEW SCHOOL, WE PLANNED A ROOM SPECIFICALLY FOR THESE ARTIFACTS.
JUST WHAT WE HAVE IN HERE THAT TELLS THE STORY, JUST THE DOCUMENTATION OF ALL OF THOSE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE KILLED IN THE HOLOCAUST, IS OUTSTANDING IN ITSELF, BECAUSE ONE DAY THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE HERE FOR US TO SEE.
SO THAT'S THE POWERFUL PART THAT I THINK COMES FROM JUST EVEN SITTING IN THIS LIBRARY.
I MEAN WE HAVE ONE OF THE LARGEST HOLOCAUST LIBRARIES IN THE UNITED STATES, IN THE SOUTHEAST.
WE HAVE ENOUGH TO TEACH THE NEXT GENERATION THAT THIS DID HAPPEN AND THAT IT DOESN'T NEED TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
OUR VERY FIRST GROUP OF CHILDREN, THERE WERE 16.
12 OF THEM HAVE COLLEGE DEGREES.
THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
THE NEXT GROUP, ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER.
SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT 80% OF THE KIDS THAT GO THROUGH OUR PROJECT GO TO COLLEGE, AND THEY FINISH.
I DO HAVE MY DEGREE.
MY UNDERGRAD IS IN HISTORY WITH EDUCATION TACKED ON, AND I JUST COMPLETED MY MASTERS IN HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE STUDIES.
I GRADUATED AUGUST 30TH.
SO IT KIND OF LITERALLY MADE ME WHO I AM, THE PROJECT DID.
ON YOUR PAPER, EXPLAIN OR DRAW WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT GENOCIDE.
HERE'S A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT WILL HELP YOU GET YOU STARTED.
IT'S JUST AMAZING TO SEE HOW THEIR...
I LOVE SEEING THE LIGHTBULB GO OFF, YOU KNOW?
IT'S LIKE, GOSH, LOOK WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED.
YOU KNOW, LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS THEY'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE, AND LOOK HOW IT'S CHANGED THEIR VIEW.
THEIR WORLD WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.
THEY WILL NEVER SEE THE WORLD AS ONLY THIS BEAUTIFUL VALLEY.
THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THE WORLD AND BE HEARD.
WHAT'S AMAZING ABOUT THIS PROJECT TO ME IS THE FACT THAT OVER TWENTY YEARS LATER, PEOPLE ARE STILL TALKING ABOUT IT.
THERE IS SUCH A PRIDE IN THIS AND THE FACT THAT SO MANY FAMILIES HAVE HAD CHILDREN, OR THEY'VE BEEN INVOLVED, OR THEY'VE HELPED WITH THE PROJECT, REGARDLESS OF WHAT IT IS, IT HAS JUST BROUGHT, IN MY OPINION, SUCH A SENSE OF UNITY TOWARDS A CAUSE.
BRIDGES FOR PEACE, THAT'S WHAT I THINK ABOUT.
JUST A LITTLE PAPERCLIP MADE A BRIDGE FROM A SMALL TOWN IN TENNESSEE TO PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD.
AND IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF THE WORK OF OUR CHILDREN AND THIS COMMUNITY.
THE LEGACY THAT WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE BEHIND ONE DAY IS GOING TO BE ONE THAT IS OF LOVE AND NOT HATE, ONE THAT IS OF TOLERANCE, AND ONE THAT I CAN SAY MY KIDS LEARNED SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST WHAT WAS IN THE TEXTBOOK.
I THINK THAT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CHILDREN'S HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL IN TODAY'S CLIMATE, ITS PURPOSE, ITS MISSION NOW IS TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE WORLD THAT PEOPLE OF VERY DIVERSE BELIEFS CAN COME TOGETHER AND CREATE A PROJECT THAT DEMONSTRATES LOVE AND RESPECT.
AND I THINK THAT'S SO IMPORTANT NOW.
LOVE AND RESPECT WILL CONQUER ANYTHING.
AND ADD INTEGRITY INTO THAT, AND CARING, AND COMPASSION, AND YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.
ONE CLIP AT A TIME, ONE ACTION AT A TIME, ONE SPOKEN WORD AT A TIME.
IT ONLY TAKES ONE.
AND THIS COMMUNITY IS ONE.
Many of us have enjoyed spending time outdoors during the pandemic, but sometimes even outdoor events are forced to change.
That's what happened to the Sandhill Cranes Festival in Birchwood, Tennessee.
But the organizers found a way to celebrate the return of this majestic species.
ITS CALL, IT'S VERY UNIQUE YOU'LL NEVER FORGET THAT SOUND.
ONCE YOU HEAR IT, YOU'LL NEVER FORGET IT.
IF YOU'RE WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER SEEN THIS BIRD UP CLOSE, OR NEVER HEARD ITS CALL, OR NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHAT THEY WERE SEEING, AND HEARING.
AND YOU SEE THEIR FACE FOR THE FIRST TIME, WHEN THEY RECOGNIZE HOW BIG THIS BIRD IS, HOW LOUD THEY ARE, AND HOW NUMEROUS THEY ARE.
IT'S A MOMENT TO REMEMBER.
SANDHILL CRANES ARE AMAZING BIRDS, ABOUT FOUR FEET TALL, WITH A SIX FOOT WINGSPAN.
I THINK THE ANIMAL IT WOULD MOST BE MISTAKEN FOR IS A GREAT BLUE HERON.
BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY LARGER THAN A GREAT BLUE HERON.
AND YOU WOULDN'T SEE A SOLITARY BIRD.
THEY ARE A BIRD THAT LIKES TO BE AROUND OTHERS.
BUT THEY ARE AN ANIMAL WITH A COMEBACK STORY.
BACK IN THE 1800S, THE NUMBERS STARTED GOING DOWN, THROUGH OVER-HUNTING, OVER-HARVEST.
A LOT OF HABITAT LOSS, A LOT OF THE WETLANDS IN THE NORTH WERE DRAINED, WHICH WERE THE BREEDING AREAS.
PARTNERSHIPS FOR THIS BIRD, AND OTHER CRANE SPECIES, IS ENORMOUS.
UNIVERSITIES ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES HAVE TRACKED THESE BIRDS FOR YEARS WITH DIFFERENT TELEMETRY DEVICES.
BUT A LOT OF PROTECTION THROUGH GROUPS LIKE THE INTERNATIONAL CRANE FOUNDATION, AND JUST ALL KINDS OF ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETIES AND UNIVERSITIES, AND STATE AND FEDERAL WILDLIFE AGENCIES AND PARTNERS, WORKED TOGETHER FOR DECADES, TO HELP BRING THIS BIRD BACK, AND IT'S DOING EXTREMELY WELL.
THROUGH THE YEARS THEIR NUMBERS HAVE CONTINUED TO CLIMB, AND CONTINUE TO DO SO.
AND WE SEE THE EFFECTS OF THAT HERE AT THE HIWASSEE REFUGE EVERY WINTER.
THE HIWASSEE REFUGE IS A LARGE TRACT OF LAND SET ASIDE, AND IT'S ALONG THE CONFLUENCE OF THE TENNESSEE AND THE HIWASSEE RIVERS.
AND IT IS A REFUGE FOR WILDLIFE PRIMARILY.
UM, WATERFOWL, SANDHILL CRANES OVERWINTER IN THIS AREA, OR JUST USE IT AS A STOP OVER AS THEY MIGRATE FURTHER SOUTH.
THE REFUGE LAND-WISE IS ABOUT, A LITTLE OVER 26 HUNDRED ACRES.
YEAH, THIS IS A SLOUGH THAT BACKS UP OFF THE HIWASSEE RIVER, AND IT'S ACTUALLY CONTROLLED BY THE DAM, CHICKAMAUGA DAM.
SO WHEN THEY LOWER THE RIVER IN THE WINTER TIME, SOME OF THIS WATER GOES OUT, THAT'S WHAT THE CRANES LIKE, THAT'S WHERE THEY ROOST.
WE HAVE THE WINTER LAKE DRAWDOWN, WHICH IS GOOD FOR SHORE BIRDS, AS WELL AS SANDHILL CRANES, AND WHOOPING CRANES, BECAUSE AT NIGHT, THEY MOVE OUT TO THE SAND FLATS AND THE MUD FLATS AND SAND BARS AND THEY ROOST THERE TO PROTECT FROM PREDATORS.
AND AS THE SUN RISES, THEY'LL MOVE OUT TO THOSE AGRICULTURAL FIELDS TO FEED.
OF COURSE, LIKE MOST OF THIS GREEN STUFF, THAT WILL BE WINTER WHEAT THAT WE PLANT, YOU KNOW, LATE FALL.
AND LIKE OVER HERE, YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENT STRIPS.
THE BROWN STRIPS, THAT'S THE CORN WE PLANTED.
MOST OF THAT, THE CRANES WILL EAT, I'M GOING TO SAY 90 PERCENT OF THAT.
UH, WHAT THE DEER DON'T EAT.
THE CRANES, ONCE THEY'RE GONE, THERE PROBABLY WON'T BE A GRAIN OF CORN LEFT ON THIS PLACE.
THEY CAN PICK THROUGH IT PRETTY FAST, ONCE THE NUMBERS GET HIGH.
SO MUCH OF OUR LAND IS INFLUENCED BY HUMANS TODAY.
SO FOR WILDLIFE TO HAVE AREAS THAT THEY CAN SIMPLY EXIST IN IS IMPORTANT.
AND THE HIWASSEE REFUGE DOES PROVIDE THAT THIS TIME OF YEAR.
PROBABLY GREATER THAN HALF OF THE SANDHILL CRANE POPULATION IN THE EASTERN GROUP COMES THROUGH HIWASSEE WILDLIFE REFUGE.
THE SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL IS A YEARLY CELEBRATION TO CELEBRATE THE RETURN OF THAT BIRD IN THESE GREAT NUMBERS, TO THIS AREA.
IT KIND OF PUTS BIRCHWOOD ON THE MAP.
PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, EVEN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES COME TO VISIT THIS FESTIVAL.
YOU KNOW, IT STARTED OUT AS A FUNDRAISER FOR OUR BIRCHWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WE WOULD PROVIDE THE FOOD FOR THE VISITORS.
YOU KNOW, WE WOULD HAVE THE VENDORS WOULD COME IN AND SET UP AT THE SCHOOL.
THESE ARE KINDLY CLIPPINGS OF THE PAST ONES.
THE CAFETERIA IS MOSTLY FULL AT ALL TIMES, THERE'S PEOPLE IN HERE EATING AND ENJOYING THE FESTIVAL ITSELF.
IT GETS A CHANCE FOR PEOPLE TO, THAT ORDINARILY WOULDN'T GET OUT AND SEE SOME OF THE WILDLIFE IN THE AREA AND ENJOY JUST SOME OF THE NATURAL SCENERY AND SIGHTS AND SOUNDS THAT THEY WOULDN'T OTHERWISE.
IT KIND OF IS A THREE-PART FESTIVAL.
VISITORS ARRIVE TO THE BIRCHWOOD SCHOOL.
THERE'S LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, WE HAVE VENDORS, THE AMERICAN EAGLE FOUNDATION PROVIDES A LIVE RAPTOR SHOW EVERY YEAR, WHICH IS JUST TREMENDOUS.
THEY HOP ON A BUS AND THEY CAN VISIT EITHER THE CHEROKEE REMOVAL MEMORIAL PARK, OR THEY CAN VISIT THE HIWASSEE REFUGE AND DO SOME BIRD WATCHING.
WELL, IT'S REALLY UNIQUE TO THIS AREA.
RIGHT HERE IN SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE, WE HAVE AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, THE MOST ABUNDANT CRANES SPECIES IN THE WORLD, THE SANDHILL CRANE.
AND THE LEAST ABUNDANT SPECIES IN THE WORLD, THE WHOOPING CRANE.
AND I DO MONITOR THEM WHEN THEY SHOW UP IN THIS AREA.
IN AN ORDINARY, NON-PANDEMIC YEAR, VISITORS COME UP AND I EXPLAIN TO THEM THE VARIOUS BIRDS IN PARTICULAR, BUT OTHER WILDLIFE, AS WELL, THAT THEY'D BE SEEING.
TOTALLY SPECTACULAR.
THE WAY THE FESTIVAL IS RUN, PUTTING EVERYONE ON A BUS TOGETHER AND GETTING THEM TO AND FROM THE REFUGE, WAS NOT VIABLE.
WE MADE THE DECISION TO CANCEL THE IN-PERSON FESTIVAL, DID SOME BRAINSTORMING AND SAID, WHAT ELSE COULD WE PROVIDE?
HOW ELSE CAN WE CELEBRATE THE RETURN OF THIS BIRD TO THIS AREA?
I SUGGESTED TO MIME THAT THIS YEAR WE HAVE A VIRTUAL SANDHILL CRANE DAY, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT MEETING IN PERSON.
THIS WILL BE A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR US AND A NEW TIME, BUT EVERYTHING'S ONLINE AND PEOPLE ARE GETTING USED TO THAT.
WITH THE AMERICAN EAGLE FOUNDATION, WE THOUGHT THIS YEAR, IT PROVIDED THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH US A LITTLE BIT MORE BEHIND THE SCENES.
IT IS DISAPPOINTING, I MEAN, BECAUSE I LOVE SEEING THE PEOPLE, I LOVE EDUCATING THE PEOPLE.
I KNOW THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO MISS OUT COMING TO THE SCHOOL, SEEING THEIR FRIENDS, SEEING THEIR COMRADES AND THEIR COHORTS THAT THEY'VE BEEN WITH FOR THIRTY YEARS.
BUT, IT'S NOT ALL LOST, EVERYBODY'S DOING THE BEST WE CAN, IN THIS DAY IN AGE.
BUT GOING VIRTUAL IS BETTER THAN NO CRANE FESTIVAL AT ALL.
WE WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND SET UP THE CAMERA AND ALLOW THOSE OF YOU AT HOME TO ENJOY COFFEE WITH, UM, NICE WARM COFFEE, WITH THE CRANES BEHIND US.
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT JOURNEY.
AND WE HOPE THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THE ONLINE EVENTS.
AND STILL ABLE TO ENJOY VIEWING SANDHILL CRANES AT THE HIWASSEE REFUGE, VIRTUALLY.
LIFE CHANGES, AND THIS IS A CHANGE FOR US.
AND I THINK IT WILL BE A GOOD CHANGE.
WE JUST HAVE TO ADAPT.
IT'S A CHANGE, EVERYTHING IS A CHANGE.
THIS YEAR HAS BEEN A TOTAL CHANGE FOR EVERYONE.
I BELIEVE IF YOU CAN EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT A CONSERVATION ISSUE, YOU'RE JUST THAT MUCH FURTHER ALONG.
I MEAN, IT'S BLATANTLY OBVIOUS WHEN WE BRING ALL THE KIDS FROM THIS COUNTY IN, AND SEE THE LOOK ON THEIR FACES, WHEN THEY SEE A SANDHILL CRANE OR A BALD EAGLE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
YOU HELP THEM APPRECIATE NATURE AND CONSERVATION FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, IN MY OPINION.
WHEN YOU WORK IN A SCIENTIFIC FIELD, YOU SEE THE ACTUAL EFFECTS THAT CLIMATE CHANGE AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS HAVE ON WHAT YOU LOVE.
I LOVE THAT ONE SPECIES AFFECTS ANOTHER, AND WE HAVE TO INCLUDE THE HUMAN SPECIES IN THAT.
AND I LOVE THAT WE'RE IN A TIME, WHERE A LOT MORE PEOPLE ARE COMING TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THEY MIGHT INFLUENCE THE NATURAL WORLD, UM, NEGATIVELY OR POSITIVELY.
AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE TURNING TOWARDS THE BETTER.
TO HAVE SUCH A MAJESTIC BIRD, IN MASS LIKE THAT, TO ME IS HOW IT SHOULD BE.
IT IS THE PART OF OUR NATURAL HISTORY, THAT MOST OF US DON'T GET TO WITNESS.
SO CATCHING A GLIMPSE OF WHAT THE NATURAL WORLD LOOKS LIKE, WITHOUT THE INFLUENCE OF HUMANS TO SOME EXTENT, WHEN WE'RE ON THE REFUGE, YOU REALLY ARE IN THIS NATURAL SETTING, AND YOU GET TO SEE ANIMALS IN THEIR OWN ENVIRONMENT.
IT'S MAGICAL.
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Greater Chattanooga.
Please visit our website to connect with us and to learn more about the series.
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I'm Brianna Garza.
Thank you for watching.
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Greater Chattanooga is a local public television program presented by WTCI PBS
Funding for this broadcast of Greater Chattanooga is provided by EPB Fiber Optics.