One of the best moments I share with my dog, Scout, is taking him out for walks at parks and letting him run off-leash. When I was younger, I had wanted a dog for so long, and when we finally got one.  I knew I’d love him unconditionally. A way of showing my love for him is not smothering him with affection, but taking him out into the wild where he is in his natural element. Dogs aren't meant to be isolated inside the house all day; they are supposed to go out into the wild and rely on their instincts and familiarize themselves with the earth. The way Scout, my dog, looks at me with excitement when I take out his leash is a moment that you can't put a price on. His ears shoot back, his eyes brighten up, and it's as close as a dog coming to smile. As we walk to the park nearby, he tugs with all his might. When we arrive at the park, I take him off the leash, and he bolts straight into the woods. He stops almost every second to smell an animal that was once there before him. He sprints and trots, taking it all in. He chases bunnies, chipmunks, and mice. He digs his nose into little burrows with the utmost curiosity. He frolics in the tall grass like in the cartoons. Seeing his innocent love for nature has made me appreciate nature through a different lens. My walks with Scout are a lens into the biodiversity of an ecosystem, leading us to all the nooks and crannies and the other hidden, beautiful things that nature has stowed. 

The parks I take Scout to are Fisher Hill Reservoir Park and the Dane Park Woods, where nature flourishes. As climate change worsens, these parks will endure more intense cycles of drought, intense rain, and fierce heat. I fear I will lose the space where I connect with my dog and where we, as living beings, connect with the very same thing that made both of us: nature.