I am writing to express my deep appreciation for Dana Wilde’s Backyard Naturalist column. It is always a pleasure to read his observations of the natural world, from the details of spider behavior to his lyrical descriptions of the change of seasons and his adventures exploring and sharing his love of nature with his grandson.

While celebrating what we have, however, Wilde never loses sight of the threat posed by climate change that is looming over it all, and his columns often express and inspire fear and grief, such as in his brilliant essay, “A Letter from the Future,” published on Dec. 8. In it, Wilde imagines his grandson writing in the calamitous mid century, just 35 years from now. He describes in devastating detail the ruined Maine we must expect unless we immediately curb the mindless consumption that is killing the hope of the next generations for the quality of life we take for granted.

I am grateful for Wilde’s courage in facing this precarious future and his eloquence in defense of our fragile world. Ignoring the crisis ensures disaster, but there is hope in words that inspire us to act and in every action, large or small, that we take. I thank him for calling us to action and offering that hope.

Sarah Reid

Augusta