Hunting and fishing are both deeply ingrained tradition in Beaufort County and throughout North Carolina at large. For generations, the harvesting of game from the forests and fields and fish from the waters have helped families put food on the table and live just a little bit more self-sufficiently.

Without good management and proper respect for natural resources, however, these time-honored traditions might be threatened. That’s why, across the country, organizations composed of alliances of sportsmen, outdoor enthusiasts and others have rallied around the cause of conservation.

In an ecosystem, all things are connected, and there is no question that humans can have a monumental impact on the natural world around them, both for good and for bad. That power has only grown over the decades as technology has given us the ability to fundamentally alter our landscapes and life around us.

There are two schools of thought on how to approach this. On the one hand, environmentalism proscribes that the environment is to be saved, preserved, set aside and protected from human abuse. Conservationist philosophy says that the environment is something we use, so we have to conserve it and take care of it, so that others can use it in the future.

While these two ideas vary slightly, it could be argued that their end goal is the same. Both environmentalism and conservationism share a common root of respecting and caring for the natural world.

In local organizations, this care can be seen in groups such as Sound Rivers and Delta Waterfowl. Though they may have different missions, they’re both doing things to help promote the ecological health of Beaufort County.

Though one is more environmentally focused and the other is more focused on conservation, their passions are derived from a healthy respect for nature and the place of humans in that great web.

Theodore Roosevelt, considered America’s foremost conservationist president, once said “We have fallen heirs to the most glorious heritage a people ever received, and each one must do his part if we wish to show that the nation is worthy of its good fortune.”

Beaufort County also is heir to a glorious natural heritage. The question is, are we worthy of its good fortune? Thank you to the groups and individuals doing their part to show that we are.