Could it happen again?

I like history, especially American history, especially Nebraska and Great Plains history.  Last night I was doing a bit of channel surfing when I remembered that the Ken Burns documentary, The Dust Bowl is now showing on Nebraska Public TV.  If you have watched any of the documentaries by Ken Burns, you know that they are excellent; The Civil War, Baseball and The National Parks:  America’s Best Idea have been my favorites.  Ken Burns documentaries are fascinating, entertaining and yes, educational.  He brings history alive in a very real, very personal way.  His documentaries are moving.  From what I saw last night, his current effort, The Dust Bowl is just as good!

So, let me suggest that you MUST SEE The Dust Bowl.  You can go here and watch a trailer, http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/dustbowl/watch-videos/#2219206510 .  While you are there, check on TV schedules, http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/dustbowl/tv-schedules/ .

Now you might wonder why I would be so bold as to mention this in my blog?  What does this have to do with fish, with fishing, with the outdoors?  It has everything to do with it!  It is the history of our Great Plains region, the history of our state, and the history of our ancestors.  It has everything to do with our natural resources, our land and soil and water resources and yes, our fish & wildlife resources too.  Much of our state’s landscape even today and much of our thinking about natural resource conservation was influenced by the dust bowl years.  I am betting that many of you native Nebraskans have heard your elders tell stories of those years.  As we ponder things like climate change and the drought of 2012, there are important lessons to be remembered from those years long ago:  “”Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.”–Edmund Burke, British Statesman.

(Photo from The Dust Bowl photo gallery, http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/dustbowl/photos/ ).