By Patrick Estell, land stewardship and program intern at Camp Friedenswald.
When one thinks of the stage, we gravitate to the bright lights of Broadway, Loop theatres, and the West End. Humans gravitate towards these magnificent structures to see directors creating stories, artists weaving intricate décor, and actors interpreting words for a new generation every night. Outside the theatre is the natural world, an area filled with the uncertainties of natural disasters, the ever-changing beauty of the seasons, and the growing threat of climate change. As someone who studied theatre and biology in college, I have often wondered about the intersections of these crafts.
The Stage of Outdoor Education
In Shakespeare’s As You Like It, Jaques tells Duke Senior, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” When you are leading Outdoor Education at Camp Friedenswald, it feels like a performance. Not in a way of it being fabricated and unrealistic, but in the way of it being an interpretation of the script you are given, and of the set around you. In theatre, a script is the written word that you interpret and recite for the audience. The set can be anything on the stage with you at the time of the performance, from a box to colorful props and scenery, to the lights beaming down on you from the catwalk. When working in Outdoor Education the script is the words we use to describe what we see around us and how we interact with the land, such as on nature hikes. The script is also how we instruct the campers to camp in activities such as fire building, canoeing, and archery. Just like a director and their actors will interpret a script differently over time, through personal, historical, or political lenses, leading an activity at camp changes as we learn more through personal, historical, and political lenses of the land around us. Just as Shakespeare said, “The world’s a stage,” we have the land as our stage to perform our script. Just like actors use props, we use the flora and fauna to tell the story of life in this world. The stage of nature, however, has been changing for us over time and humans have introduced new players to the land.
The Stage and Invasive Species
“Nay, I’ll have a starling shall be taught to speak nothing but ‘Mortimer’, and give it him to keep his anger still in motion” HOTSPUR; Henry IV. There is a common story in the birding community that the arrival of the European Starling was fueled by one man’s obsession with Shakespearean literature and his need to have every bird listed in the United States. This story is entertaining, simple, and straightforward, allowing for an easy answer to a complex relationship between introduced species and the public. If we blame one man for his decision to release large amounts of nonnative species into the United States, we do not have to worry about our collective complicity in species decline. However, this story might not be as truthful as we would have believed. There was a man named Eugene Schieffelin, to whom many attribute the main introduction of the European Starling. He was, however, not the only person to engage in such activities. It was common practice to introduce new species in different habitats during the late 1800s, especially European birds, to reduce pests and bring a part of their homeland with them.
Another introduced bird with Shakespearean ties is the House Sparrow, which is referred to in Hamlet as he admires the special providence in their fall. House sparrows, much like the European starling, were introduced into the United States in the mid-to-late 1800s. Most scholars believe a shipment of 16 house sparrows in 1852 to New York City on the ship Europa was the first import of the birds to the continental United States, but that is still up for speculation. What we do know is that the birds have quickly established themselves in our neighborhoods and bird boxes, with the species aggressively taking over occupancy for their nests even if other birds have previous residences. House sparrows are not particularly picky about what they eat, which makes them suitable for urban and suburban areas. At Camp, you can see the sparrows flying through the rafters outside the dining hall and chirping throughout the property.
Nature as Stage
As winter comes into full effect, the stage changes as trees move into dormancy and the vocal songbirds go south for their wintering grounds. There is still much to enjoy and learn, as new sounds and sights envelop the area. Sparrows and starlings start their stays at camp in higher numbers and fill the trees with their songs. A new stage is set, and I am excited to see what can be performed on it.
Patrick holds a degree in biology and a minor in theater. He is an avid birder, lover of the outdoors, and improv enthusiast.
