I was delighted to contribute to an essay series at the Humans and Nature website — under the theme of What Lies Beneath. Series editor Kieran Lindsay describes the subject this way:

“… you’ll hear from seven individuals who will offer reasons to look past the surface and see what lies beneath. They’ll peek under leaves and shoebox lids, discover what’s going on behind walls of plaster and lath, dig into soil and sand, sink below the pavement, slip into streams, and play hide-and-seek with moon shadows. “

I chose to focus on the swash zone, the ever-changing landscape of the intertidal and how it relates to our own sense of place. You can read that piece here: Riders on the Swash.

Other contributors to What Lies Beneath:

• The Under Story  by Megan Draheim, about the wildlife corridors in her D.C. neighborhood

• Ground Truthing by John Hadidian discussing the hidden life in soil

• Subterranean Wildlife Blues by Adam Grogan, on appreciating the wildlife we live alongside

If you’re new to the Humans and Nature website, and the City Creatures blog in particular, the pieces represent a fascinating cross section of perspectives and styles, all focusing on “how cities can offer opportunities for transformation, intimacy, and connection with other species and one another.”