20060529 R E S P E C T

Back in March when I accepted my assignment to Brooks Camp, exitedly I began telling friends and Everglades visitors. The typical response was, "Where is Brooks Camp?" In Katmai National Park. "Where is Katamai National Park" In Alaska. "Is it near Denali?" Not really. "Where in Alaska?" In southwest Alaska. At the base of the Alaska peninsula. With no light bulb coming on, I finally resort to this: Have you seen the photo of the grizzly bear standing in a low waterfall catching a jumping salmon? That's where I'm going!

Brooks Camp is centered in each of these images, to help you locate me.

In the defense of all of those who had not heard of Katmai National Park or Brooks Camp, neither had I until my former Everglades supervisor came here to work three years ago. As I recall he went through with me roughly the same series of questions outlined above.

This explanation of where I work is not new. For seven winters in Everglades National Park, when visitors asked where I spent the summer I replied Sequoia National Park. "Where is that" California. "I'm not sure I've heard of it." Have you heard of Yosemite? "Oh yes! I've been there." Fly like a crow 90 miles [145 km] south and you are in Sequoia National Park.

I have worked in the home of the largest tree by volume alive on planet Earth and I currently work in the place with the largest concentration of unhunted brown bears in the world. Still, I get no respect.