The hand of humankind has been a powerful force in shaping the world we live in, at times much to the detriment of the land which nurtures and feeds us. What I find fascinating is how nature reclaims the environment even in the most destructive situations. I see this all around me living in a rural community in the form of abandoned farms, roadways and various buildings of unknown origin or purpose. At one time these were places of importance to the people who used them. Within these crumbling structures work was done, lives were lived and they served a purpose. Yet somehow they have now been forgotten and nature begins the slow process of reclaiming and restoring the land.
Our rural landscape is perhaps the most important land we have in Ontario and it is being challenged in many ways. This challenge comes in many forms; at times through the forces of urbanization, at other times for reasons known only to those who leave these places to rot and decay.