Stunning Photos of the Endangered Everglades | Mac Stone | TED Talks

Prevoditelj: Sonja Žarić Recezent: Ivan Stamenković

So I've had the great privilege

Bio sam veoma povlašten

of traveling to some incredible places,

putovati na neka nevjerojatna mjesta,

photographing these distant landscapes and remote cultures

fotografirati te udaljene pejsaže i daleke kulture

all over the world.

diljem svijeta.

I love my job.

Volim svoj posao.

But people think it's this string of epiphanies

No, ljudi misle da je to serija epifanija

and sunrises and rainbows,

i izlazaka sunca i duga,

when in reality, it looks more something like this.

dok u stvarnosti, više izgleda ovako.

(Laughter)

(Smijeh)

This is my office.

Ovo je moj ured.

We can't afford the fanciest places to stay at night,

Ne možemo si priuštiti najskuplja mjesta za prenoćiti,

so we tend to sleep a lot outdoors.

tako da često spavamo na otvorenom.

As long as we can stay dry,

Dok god možemo ostati suhi,

that's a bonus.

to je bonus.

We also can't afford the fanciest restaurants.

Također, ne možemo si priuštiti najbolje restorane.

So we tend to eat whatever's on the local menu.

Tako da često jedemo sa lokanog menija.

And if you're in the Ecuadorian Páramo,

A ako ste u ekvadorskom Páramu,

you're going to eat a large rodent called a cuy.

jest ćete ogromnog glodavca imena cuy.

(Laughter)

(Smijeh)

But what makes our experiences perhaps a little bit different

No, ono što čini naša iskustva možda malo drukčijima

and a little more unique than that of the average person

i malo više jedinstvenima od onih prosječne osobe

is that we have this gnawing thing in the back of our mind

je da imamo tu upornu stvar u pozadini uma

that even in our darkest moments, and those times of despair,

da čak i u najmračnijim trenucima, i vremenima očaja,

we think, "Hey, there might be an image to be made here,

pomislimo, "Hej, možda možemo napraviti koju sliku ovdje,

there might be a story to be told."

možda postoji priča za ispričati."

And why is storytelling important?

A zašto je pričanje priča bitno?

Well, it helps us to connect with our cultural and our natural heritage.

Pomaže nam povezati se sa našom kulturnom i prirodnom baštinom.

And in the Southeast,

A na jugoistoku,

there's an alarming disconnect between the public

postoji alarmantan jaz između javnih

and the natural areas that allow us to be here in the first place.

i prirodnih površina, koje su nam prvenstveno omogućile da budemo ovdje.

We're visual creatures,

Mi smo vizualna bića,

so we use what we see to teach us what we know.

pa koristimo ono što vidimo da bismo naučili ono što znamo.

Now the majority of us aren't going to willingly go

Većina među nama neće dobrovoljno otići

way down to a swamp.

sve do močvare.

So how can we still expect those same people to then advocate

Dakle, kako onda možemo očekivati da ti isti ljudi zagovaraju

on behalf of their protection?

njihovu zaštitu?

We can't.

Ne možemo.

So my job, then, is to use photography as a communication tool,

Tako da je moj posao da koristim fotografiju kao komunikacijsko sredstvo,

to help bridge the gap between the science and the aesthetics,

koje će premostiti jaz između znanosti i estetike,

to get people talking,

potaknuti ljude da pričaju,

to get them thinking,

da razmišljaju,

and to hopefully, ultimately,

i nadajmo se, konačno,

get them caring.

da počnu mariti.

I started doing this 15 years ago right here in Gainesville,

Počeo sam ovo raditi prije 15 godina upravo ovdje u Gainesvilleu,

right here in my backyard.

upravo ovdje u svom dvorištu.

And I fell in love with adventure and discovery,

I zaljubio sam se u pustolovinu i otkrića,

going to explore all these different places

dok sam istraživao sva ova različita mjesta

that were just minutes from my front doorstep.

koja su samo minutama udaljena od mog kućnog praga.

There are a lot of beautiful places to find.

Mnoštvo je prekrasnih mjesta za otkrivanje.

Despite all these years that have passed,

Usprkos svim tim godinama koje su prošle,

I still see the world through the eyes of a child

još uvijek vidim svijet kroz oči djeteta

and I try to incorporate that sense of wonderment

i pokušavam predočiti taj osjećaj začuđenosti

and that sense of curiosity into my photography

i taj osjećaj znatiželje u svojim fotografijama

as often as I can.

koliko god često mogu.

And we're pretty lucky because here in the South,

Prilično smo sretni jer smo ovdje na Jugu,

we're still blessed with a relatively blank canvas

još uvijek blagoslovljeni sa relativno praznim platnom

that we can fill with the most fanciful adventures

kojeg možemo ispuniti sa najnestvarnijim pustolovinama

and incredible experiences.

i nevjerojatnim iskustvima.

It's just a matter of how far our imagination will take us.

Pitanje je samo koliko daleko nas naša mašta može odvesti.

See, a lot of people look at this and they say,

Puno ljudi gleda na to i kaže,

"Oh yeah, wow, that's a pretty tree."

"Da, vau, to je lijepo drvo."

But I don't just see a tree --

Ali ja ne vidim samo drvo --

I look at this and I see opportunity.

ja gledam i vidim priliku.

I see an entire weekend.

Vidim cijeli vikend.

Because when I was a kid, these were the types of images

Kad sam bio dijete, to su bile slike

that got me off the sofa and dared me to explore,

koje su me podigle sa sofe i izazvale da idem istraživati,

dared me to go find the woods

izazvale me da odem naći šumu

and put my head underwater and see what we have.

i stavim glavu pod vodu i vidim što imamo.

And folks, I've been photographing all over the world

Društvo, bavim se fotografijom diljem svijeta

and I promise you,

i obećajem vam,

what we have here in the South,

ono što imamo ovdje na Jugu,

what we have in the Sunshine State,

ono što imamo u Sunčanoj državi,

rivals anything else that I've seen.

rival je svemu što sam ikad vidio.

But yet our tourism industry is busy promoting all the wrong things.

No, naša turistička industrija promovira sve krive stvari.

Before most kids are 12, they'll have been to Disney World

Prije nego navrše 12 godina, većina djece posjeti Disney World

more times than they've been in a canoe

više puta nego što sjedne u kanu

or camping under a starry sky.

ili kampira pod zvjezdanim nebom.

And I have nothing against Disney or Mickey; I used to go there, too.

Nemam ništa protiv Disney ili Mickeya; i ja sam ih posjetio.

But they're missing out on those fundamental connections

No, propuštaju ove temeljne veze

that create a real sense of pride and ownership

koje stvaraju stvarni osjećaj ponosa i vlasništva

for the place that they call home.

za mjesto koje nazivaju dom.

And this is compounded by the issue that the landscapes

Ovo je popraćeno problemom što se predjeli,

that define our natural heritage

koji definiraju našu prirodnu baštinu

and fuel our aquifer for our drinking water

i dolijevaju gorivo u naš vodotok pitke vode

have been deemed as scary and dangerous and spooky.

smatraju strašnima i opasnima i sablasnima.

When our ancestors first came here,

Kad su naši preci prvi put došli ovdje,

they warned, "Stay out of these areas, they're haunted.

upozorili su, "Nemojte ići u ova područja, opsjednuta su.

They're full of evil spirits and ghosts."

Puna su zlih duhova."

I don't know where they came up with that idea.

Ne znam odakle im ta ideja.

But it's actually led to a very real disconnect,

No, dovela je do vrlo stvarnog odmaka,

a very real negative mentality

vrlo stvarnog negativnog mentaliteta

that has kept the public disinterested, silent,

koji je držao javnost nezainteresiranom, tihom,

and ultimately, our environment at risk.

i, konačno, našu okolinu pod rizikom.

We're a state that's surrounded and defined by water,

Mi smo država okružena i definirana vodom,

and yet for centuries,

no ipak, stoljećima,

swamps and wetlands have been regarded

su močvare i bare smatrane

as these obstacles to overcome.

preprekama koje treba preći.

And so we've treated them as these second-class ecosystems,

Tretirali smo ih kao ekosustav druge klase,

because they have very little monetary value

jer imaju vrlo nisku novčanu vrijednost

and of course, they're known to harbor alligators and snakes --

i naravno, poznate su po tome da sakrivaju aligatore i zmije --

which, I'll admit, these aren't the most cuddly of ambassadors.

koji, priznajem, i nisu baš najumiljatiji ambasadori.

(Laughter)

(Smijeh)

So it became assumed, then, that the only good swamp

Tako da se pretpostavlja, da je jedina dobra močvara

was a drained swamp.

ona isušena.

And in fact,

Zapravo,

draining a swamp to make way for agriculture and development

isušivanje močvare, da bi se napravilo prostora za poljoprivredu i razvoj,

was considered the very essence of conservation not too long ago.

se do nedavno smatralo samom suštinom očuvanja.

But now we're backpedaling,

No, sada odstupamo,

because the more we come to learn about these sodden landscapes,

jer što smo više naučili o ovim natopljenim predjelima,

the more secrets we're starting to unlock

više smo tajni počeli otključavati

about interspecies relationships

o međusobnim vezama između vrsta

and the connectivity of habitats, watersheds and flyways.

o povezanosti staništa, slivova i migracijskih puteva.

Take this bird, for example:

Pogledajte ovu pticu, na primjer:

this is the prothonotary warbler.

ovo je Protonotaria citrea.

I love this bird because it's a swamp bird,

Volim ovu pticu jer je močvarna ptica,

through and through, a swamp bird.

skroz naskroz, močvarna ptica.

They nest and they mate and they breed in these old-growth swamps

Prebivaju i množe se i rađaju u ovim močvarama starog rasta

in these flooded forests.

u ovim popavljenim šumama.

And so after the spring, after they raise their young,

Nakon proljeća, nakon što mladi narastu,

they then fly thousand of miles over the Gulf of Mexico

lete tisućama kilometara preko Meksičkog zaljeva

into Central and South America.

u Središnju i Južnu Ameriku.

And then after the winter,

Nakon zime,

the spring rolls around and they come back.

proljeće se dokotrlja i one se vrate.

They fly thousands of miles over the Gulf of Mexico.

Lete tisućama kilometara preko Meksičkog zaljeva.

And where do they go? Where do they land?

Gdje idu? Gdje slete?

Right back in the same tree.

Na potpuno isto drvo.

That's nuts.

To je ludo.

This is a bird the size of a tennis ball --

Ovje ptica veličine teniske loptice --

I mean, that's crazy!

Mislim, to je ludo!

I used a GPS to get here today,

Koristio sam GPS da bih danas ovdje došao,

and this is my hometown.

a ovo je moj rodni grad.

(Laughter)

(Smijeh)

It's crazy.

Ludost!

So what happens, then, when this bird flies over the Gulf of Mexico

No, što se dogodi kad ova ptica preleti Meksički zaljev

into Central America for the winter

i dođe u Središnju Ameriku na zimu

and then the spring rolls around and it flies back,

i onda s proljećem doleti natrag,

and it comes back to this:

i vrati se natrag ovome:

a freshly sodded golf course?

svježe postavljenom golf terenu?

This is a narrative that's all too commonly unraveling

To je priča koja se prečesto odvija

here in this state.

u ovoj državi.

And this is a natural process that's occurred for thousands of years

To je prirodni proces koji se pojavljuje tisućama godina

and we're just now learning about it.

a mi tek sad saznajemo o njemu.

So you can imagine all else we have to learn about these landscapes

Možete zamisliti što još sve moramo naučiti o tim predjelima

if we just preserve them first.

kad bi ih prvo očuvali.

Now despite all this rich life that abounds in these swamps,

Usprkos bogatstvu života koji obiluje u ovim močvarama,

they still have a bad name.

još uvijek ih prati loš glas.

Many people feel uncomfortable with the idea of wading

Mnogima ideja da zagaze u Floridine crne vode

into Florida's blackwater.

nije ugodna.

I can understand that.

Mogu to razumijeti.

But what I loved about growing up in the Sunshine State

No, ono što sam ja volio odrastajući u Sunčanoj državi

is that for so many of us,

je da mnogi od nas,

we live with this latent but very palpable fear

žive sa skrivenim, ali vrlo opipljivim, strahom

that when we put our toes into the water,

da kad stavimo prste u vodu,

there might be something much more ancient

tamo možda postoji nešto mnogo starije

and much more adapted than we are.

i mnogo prilagođenije od nas.

Knowing that you're not top dog is a welcomed discomfort, I think.

Znanje da niste najviši autoritet je dobrodošla neugodnost, ja mislim.

How often in this modern and urban and digital age

Koliko često u ovom modernom i urbanom i digitalnom dobu

do you actually get the chance to feel vulnerable,

zapravo imate priliku osjećati se ranjivo,

or consider that the world may not have been made for just us?

ili uzeti u obzir da svijet napravljen samo za nas?

So for the last decade,

Posljednje desetljeće,

I began seeking out these areas where the concrete yields to forest

počeo sam tražiti ova područja gdje beton ustupa pred šumom

and the pines turn to cypress,

a borovi postaju čempresi,

and I viewed all these mosquitoes and reptiles,

i vidio sam sve te komarce i gmazove,

all these discomforts,

sve te nelagodnosti,

as affirmations that I'd found true wilderness,

kad potvrdu da sam našao pravu divljinu,

and I embrace them wholly.

i prihvatio sam ih u cijelosti.

Now as a conservation photographer obsessed with blackwater,

Sada, kao fotograf koji zagovara očuvanje, opsjednut crnom vodom,

it's only fitting that I'd eventually end up

prikladno je što sam završio

in the most famous swamp of all:

u najslavnijoj močvari:

the Everglades.

Evergladeu.

Growing up here in North Central Florida,

Odrastajući ovdje u Sjevernoj središnjoj Floridi,

it always had these enchanted names,

uvijek je imala očaravajućih imena,

places like Loxahatchee and Fakahatchee,

mjesta kao Loxahatchee i Fakahatchee,

Corkscrew, Big Cypress.

Corkscrew, Veliki čempres.

I started what turned into a five-year project

Počeo sam ono što je preraslo u petogodišnji projekt

to hopefully reintroduce the Everglades in a new light,

s nadom da ću Everglade prikazati u novom svjetlu,

in a more inspired light.

u nadahnutijem svjetlu.

But I knew this would be a tall order, because here you have an area

No, znao sam da će to biti težak zadatak, jer ovdje imate površinu

that's roughly a third the size the state of Florida, it's huge.

koja čini trećinu veličine Floride, ogromna je.

And when I say Everglades,

I kad kažem Everglade,

most people are like, "Oh, yeah, the national park."

većina ljudi pomisli, "O, da, nacionalni park."

But the Everglades is not just a park; it's an entire watershed,

No, Everglade nije samo park; već cjelokupni sliv,

starting with the Kissimmee chain of lakes in the north,

počevši od lanca jezera Kissimmee na sjeveru,

and then as the rains would fall in the summer,

i kako kiše padaju ljeti,

these downpours would flow into Lake Okeechobee,

slijeva se u jezero Okeechobee,

and Lake Okeechobee would fill up and it would overflow its banks

jezero Okeechobee se napuni te prelijeva iz korita

and spill southward, ever slowly, with the topography,

i prolijeva prema jugu, lagano, prati topografiju,

and get into the river of grass, the Sawgrass Prairies,

i ulazi u rijeku trave, Preriju trske,

before meting into the cypress slews,

dok se ne sastane s mnoštvom čempresa,

until going further south into the mangrove swamps,

prije nego krene dalje na jug u močvare mangrova,

and then finally -- finally -- reaching Florida Bay,

i konačno -- konačno -- dosegne Floridski zaljev,

the emerald gem of the Everglades,

smaragdni dragulj Evergladea,

the great estuary,

veliko ušće,

the 850 square-mile estuary.

estuarij dug 2200 km kvadratnih.

So sure, the national park is the southern end of this system,

Tako da, naravno, nacionalni park je južni kraj ovog sustava,

but all the things that make it unique are these inputs that come in,

no ono što ga čini jedinstvenim su sve stvari koje ulaze,

the fresh water that starts 100 miles north.

svježa voda koja kreće 160 km sjeverno.

So no manner of these political or invisible boundaries

Nikako ove političke ili nevidljive granice

protect the park from polluted water or insufficient water.

ne štite park od zagađene vode ili nedostatka vode.

And unfortunately, that's precisely what we've done.

A nažalost, to je upravo ono što smo napravili.

Over the last 60 years,

Tijekom posljednjih 60 godina,

we have drained, we have dammed, we have dredged the Everglades

isušili smo, pregradili, prokopali Everglade

to where now only one third of the water that used to reach the bay

do granice da samo trećina vode koja je dolazila do zaljeva

now reaches the bay today.

danas stiže do njega.

So this story is not all sunshine and rainbows, unfortunately.

Ova priča nije samo pozitivna, nažalost.

For better or for worse,

Bilo kako bilo,

the story of the Everglades is intrinsically tied

priča Evergladea je usko povezana

to the peaks and the valleys of mankind's relationship

sa vrhuncima i neuspjesima ljudskog odnosa

with the natural world.

sa prirodnim svijetom.

But I'll show you these beautiful pictures,

No, ja ću vam pokazati ove predivne slike,

because it gets you on board.

jer privlače vašu pažnju.

And while I have your attention, I can tell you the real story.

Dok imam vašu pozornost, mogu vam ispričati stvarnu priču.

It's that we're taking this,

A to je da uzimamo ovo,

and we're trading it for this,

i mijenjamo za ovo,

at an alarming rate.

alarmantnom brzinom.

And what's lost on so many people

Ono što mnogi ljudi ne shvate

is the sheer scale of which we're discussing.

je sam razmjer onoga o čemu raspravljamo.

Because the Everglades is not just responsible for the drinking water

Everglade je, ne samo odgovoran za pitku vodu

for 7 million Floridians;

7 milijuna Floriđanina;

today it also provides the agricultural fields

već snabdijeva poljoprivredna zemljišta,

for the year-round tomatoes and oranges

rajčicama i narančama cijele godine

for over 300 million Americans.

za preko 300 milijuna Amerikanaca.

And it's that same seasonal pulse of water in the summer

A u pitanju je isti sezonski puls vode ljeti

that built the river of grass 6,000 years ago.

koji je zaslužan za rijeku trave prije 6000 godina.

Ironically, today, it's also responsible for the over half a million acres

Ironično, danas je odgovoran i za preko pola milijuna jutara

of the endless river of sugarcane.

beskrajnog niza šećerne trske.

These are the same fields that are responsible

To su ista polja odgovorna

for dumping exceedingly high levels of fertilizers into the watershed,

za bacanje prekomjerno visoke razine gnojiva u slijev,

forever changing the system.

zauvijek mijenjajući sustav.

But in order for you to not just understand how this system works,

No, da bi, ne samo razumjeli kako ovaj sustav radi,

but to also get personally connected to it,

već da se i osobno povežete s njim,

I decided to break the story down into several different narratives.

odlučio sam priču podijeliti u nekoliko različitih pripovijesti.

And I wanted that story to start in Lake Okeechobee,

I želio sam da priča krene od jezera Okeechobee,

the beating heart of the Everglade system.

kucajućeg srca sustava Everglade.

And to do that, I picked an ambassador,

Da bi to uspio, izabrao sam ambasadora,

an iconic species.

ikonsku vrstu.

This is the Everglade snail kite.

Ovo je Evergladeski Rostrhamus sociabilis.

It's a great bird,

Divna ptica,

and they used to nest in the thousands,

nekad su se gnijezdile tisuće,

thousands in the northern Everglades.

tisuće ovih ptica na sjeveru Evergladea.

And then they've gone down to about 400 nesting pairs today.

Njihova brojka je opala na otprilike 400 parova danas.

And why is that?

A zašto je tako?

Well, it's because they eat one source of food, an apple snail,

Zato što jedu samo jednu vrstu hrane, puža jabučara,

about the size of a ping-pong ball, an aquatic gastropod.

veličine ping-pong loptice, vodeni gastropod.

So as we started damming up the Everglades,

Kako smo krenuli pregrađivati Everglade,

as we started diking Lake Okeechobee and draining the wetlands,

kako smo izgradili nasipe u jezeru Okeechobee i isušili močvare,

we lost the habitat for the snail.

izgubili smo stanište ovog puža.

And thus, the population of the kites declined.

Pa je i populacija jastreba opala.

And so, I wanted a photo that would not only communicate this relationship

Želio sam sliku koja bi, ne samo komunicirala ovaj odnos

between wetland, snail and bird,

između močvare, puža i ptice,

but I also wanted a photo that would communicate

nego sam htio sliku koja bi predočila

how incredible this relationship was,

koliko je nevjerojatan taj odnos,

and how very important it is that they've come to depend on each other,

koliko je bitan da su zdrava močvara i ova ptica počeli

this healthy wetland and this bird.

ovisiti jedna o drugoj.

And to do that, I brainstormed this idea.

Da bih to uspio, došao sam na ovu ideju,

I started sketching out these plans to make a photo,

počeo sam skicirati ove planove za sliku,

and I sent it to the wildlife biologist down in Okeechobee --

i poslao sam ih biologu za divljinu iz Okeechobeea --

this is an endangered bird, so it takes special permission to do.

ovo je ugrožena vrsta i potrebna je posebna dozvola za to.

So I built this submerged platform

Napravio sam ovu uronjenu platformu

that would hold snails just right under the water.

koja drži puža tik ispod vode.

And I spent months planning this crazy idea.

Proveo sam mjesece planirajući ovu ludu ideju.

And I took this platform down to Lake Okeechobee

Odnio sam tu platformu dolje do jezera Okeechobee

and I spent over a week in the water,

i proveo više od tjedan dana u vodi,

wading waist-deep, 9-hour shifts from dawn until dusk,

uronjen do struka, u smjenama po 9 sati od zore do sumraka,

to get one image that I thought might communicate this.

da bih dobio sliku koja će prenijeti ovu poruku.

And here's the day that it finally worked:

Ovo je dan kad je napokon uspjelo:

[Video: (Mac Stone narrating) After setting up the platform,

[Video: (Mac Stone priča) Nakon postavljanja platforme,

I look off and I see a kite coming over the cattails.

Pogledam i vidim jastreba kako dolazi preko rogoza.

And I see him scanning and searching.

Vidim da skenira i pretražuje.

And he gets right over the trap,

I dođe točno iznad zamke,

and I see that he's seen it.

i vidim da ju je primjetio.

And he beelines, he goes straight for the trap.

i strmoglavi se najkraćim putem do zamke.

And in that moment, all those months of planning, waiting,

U tom trenutku svi ti mjeseci planiranja, čekanja,

all the sunburn, mosquito bites --

sve te opekline od sunca, ugrizi komaraca --

suddenly, they're all worth it.

iznenada, sve je vrijedilo toga.

(Mac Stone in film) Oh my gosh, I can't believe it!]

(Mac Stone u filmu) O moj Bože, ne mogu vjerovati!]

You can believe how excited I was when that happened.

Ne možete vjerovati koliko sam uzbuđen bio kad se ovo dogodilo.

But what the idea was,

Ideja je bila da,

is that for someone who's never seen this bird

nekome tko nikada nije vidio ovu pticu

and has no reason to care about it,

i nema razloga mariti za nju,

these photos, these new perspectives,

ove slike, ova nova gledišta,

will help shed a little new light on just one species

pomažu vidjeti u novom svjetlu samo jednu vrstu

that makes this watershed so incredible, so valuable, so important.

koja čini ovaj slijev toliko nevjerojatnim, toliko dragocjenim, toliko bitnim.

Now, I know I can't come here to Gainesville

Ne mogu doći ovdje u Gainesville

and talk to you about animals in the Everglades

i pričati vam o životinjama u Evergladeu

without talking about gators.

bez da spomenem aligatore.

I love gators, I grew up loving gators.

Ja volim aligatore, volio sam ih tijekom odrastanja.

My parents always said I had an unhealthy relationship with gators.

Roditelji su mi uvijek govorili da imam nezdrav odnos s aligatorima.

But what I like about them is,

No, ono što volim kod njih je,

they're like the freshwater equivalent of sharks.

što su ekvivalent slatkovodnim morskim psima.

They're feared, they're hated,

Ljudi ih se boje, mrze ih,

and they are tragically misunderstood.

a tragično su neshvaćeni.

Because these are a unique species, they're not just apex predators.

Jer su jedinstvena vrsta, nisu samo vrsni grabežljivci.

In the Everglades,

U Evergladeu,

they are the very architects of the Everglades,

upravo su oni arhitekti Evergladea,

because as the water drops down in the winter

jer kako voda opada zimi

during the dry season,

tijekom suhe sezone,

they start excavating these holes called gator holes.

oni kreću iskopavati ove rupe, koje se zovu aligatorske rupe.

And they do this because as the water drops down,

A to rade da bi, kako voda opada,

they'll be able to stay wet and they'll be able to forage.

ostali vlažni i mogli tragati za hranom.

And now this isn't just affecting them,

A ovo ne utječe samo na njih,

other animals also depend on this relationship,

i ostale životinje ovise o ovom odnosu,

so they become a keystone species as well.

te oni postaju ključna vrsta, također.

So how do you make an apex predator, an ancient reptile,

Dakle, kako da prikažete vrsnog grabežljivca, antičkog gmaza,

at once look like it dominates the system,

kako dominira sustavom,

but at the same time, look vulnerable?

a da u isto vrijeme izgleda ranjivo?

Well, you wade into a pit of about 120 of them,

Pa, zagazite u jamu sa oko 120 aligatora,

then you hope that you've made the right decision.

i nadate se da ste donijeli ispravnu odluku.

(Laughter)

(Smijeh)

I still have all my fingers, it's cool.

Još uvijek imam sve prste, sve je u redu.

But I understand, I know I'm not going to rally you guys,

No, razumijem, neću vas zaskočiti,

I'm not going to rally the troops to "Save the Everglades for the gators!"

neću podići trupe i navijati: "Spasite Everglade za aligatore!"

It won't happen because they're so ubiquitous,

To se neće dogoditi jer su sveprisutni,

we see them now,

vidimo ih sada,

they're one of the great conservation success stories of the US.

oni su jedna od uspješnijih priča o očuvanju u SAD-u.

But there is one species in the Everglades that no matter who you are,

No, postoji jedna vrsta u Evergladeu koju bez obzira tko ste,

you can't help but love, too, and that's the roseate spoonbill.

ne možete ne voljeti, a to je ružičasta žličarka.

These birds are great, but they've had a really tough time in the Everglades,

Ove ptice su izvrsne, no imale su tegoba u Evergladeu,

because they started out with thousands of nesting pairs in Florida Bay,

jer su brojali tisuće parova u Floridskom zaljevu,

and at the turn of the 20th century,

a na početku 20. stoljeća,

they got down to two -- two nesting pairs.

su spali na dva -- dva para za gniježđenje.

And why?

A zašto?

That's because women thought they looked better on their hats

Zato što su žene mislile da izgledaju bolje na njihovim šeširima

then they did flying in the sky.

nego u letu na nebu.

Then we banned the plume trade,

Onda smo zabranili trgovinu perjem,

and their numbers started rebounding.

i njihov broj se krenuo oporavljati.

And as their numbers started rebounding,

Kako se njihov broj krenuo oporavljati,

scientists began to pay attention,

znanstvenici su počeli obraćati pažnju,

they started studying these birds.

počeli su proučavati ove ptice.

And what they found out is that

Pronašli su da je

these birds' behavior is intrinsically tied

ponašanje ovih ptica suštinski povezano

to the annual draw-down cycle of water in the Everglades,

sa godišnjim ciklusom povlačenja vode u Evergladeu,

the thing that defines the Everglades watershed.

to je stvar koja definira slijev Evergladea.

What they found out is that

Pronašli su da se

these birds started nesting in the winter as the water drew down,

ove ptice kreću gnijezditi zimi kako se voda povlači,

because they're tactile feeders, so they have to touch whatever they eat.

jer su taktilni hranioci, moraju dodirnuti ono što jedu.

And so they wait for these concentrated pools of fish

Tako da čekaju ove koncentrirane bazene riba

to be able to feed enough to feed their young.

da bi bili siti nahraniti mlade.

So these birds became the very icon of the Everglades --

Upravo ove ptice su postale ikone Evergladea --

an indicator species of the overall health of the system.

vrsta koja je pokazatelj sveukupnog zdravlja sustava.

And just as their numbers were rebounding in the mid-20th century --

No, kako se njihov broj krenuo oporavljati sredinom 20. stoljeća --

shooting up to 900, 1,000, 1,100, 1,200 --

na 900, 1000, 1100, 1200 --

just as that started happening, we started draining the southern Everglades.

kako se to počelo događati, krenuli smo isušivati južni Everglade.

And we stopped two-thirds of that water from moving south.

Zaustavili smo dvije trećine vode koja ide na jug.

And it had drastic consequences.

To je imalo drastične posljedice.

And just as those numbers started reaching their peak,

I kako su ti brojevi dosegnuli svoj vrhunac,

unfortunately, today, the real spoonbill story,

nažalost, danas, stvarna priča ružičaste žličarke,

the real photo of what it looks like is more something like this.

stvarna slika današnjeg stanja izgleda ovako.

And we're down to less than 70 nesting pairs in Florida Bay today,

Danas smo spali na manje od 70 parova u Floridskom zaljevu,

because we've disrupted the system so much.

jer smo previše poremetili sustav.

So all these different organizations are shouting, they're screaming,

Sve te različite organizacije vrište, oni vrište,

"The Everglades is fragile! It's fragile!"

"Everglade je krhak! Krhak je!"

It is not.

Nije.

It is resilient.

Otporan je.

Because despite all we've taken, despite all we've done and we've drained

Usprkos svemu što smo uzeli, usprkos svemu što smo učinili i isušili

and we've dammed and we've dredged it,

i pregradili i iskopali,

pieces of it are still here, waiting to be put back together.

dijelovi su i dalje tamo, čekaju da ih se ponovno sastavi.

And this is what I've loved about South Florida,

To je ono što volim kod Južne Floride,

that in one place, you have this unstoppable force of mankind

što na jednom mjestu imate nezaustavljivu silu čovječanstva

meeting the immovable object of tropical nature.

gdje susreće nepokretne objekte tropske prirode.

And it's at this new frontier that we are forced with a new appraisal.

Upravo na toj novoj granici smo prisiljeni procijeniti.

What is wilderness worth?

Koliko vrijedi divljina?

What is the value of biodiversity, or our drinking water?

Koja je vrijednost biodiverziteta ili naše pitke vode?

And fortunately, after decades of debate,

Srećom, nakon desteljeća debate,

we're finally starting to act on those questions.

napokon počinjemo djelovati u skladu s tim pitanjima.

We're slowly undertaking these projects

Poduzimamo ove projekte

to bring more freshwater back to the bay.

da se više svježe vode dovede do zaljeva.

But it's up to us as citizens, as residents, as stewards

Na nama je, kao građanima, kao stanovnicima, kao nadzornicima

to hold our elected officials to their promises.

da držimo naše izabrane službenike za riječ.

What can you do to help?

Što vi možete učiniti da pomognete?

It's so easy.

Jednostavno je.

Just get outside, get out there.

Samo izađite van, izađite tamo.

Take your friends out, take your kids out,

Povedite svoje prijatelje, svoju djecu,

take your family out.

svoju obitelj.

Hire a fishing guide.

Unajmite ribolovnog vodiča.

Show the state that protecting wilderness

Pokažite državi da zaštita divljine,

not only makes ecological sense, but economic sense as well.

uz ekološki, ima i ekonomskog smisla.

It's a lot of fun, just do it -- put your feet in the water.

Zabavno je, samo to napravite -- uronite stopala u vodu.

The swamp will change you, I promise.

Močvara će vas promijeniti, obećavam.

Over the years, we've been so generous

Tijekom godina, bili smo toliko velikodušni

with these other landscapes around the country,

prema ostalim predjelima diljem zemlje,

cloaking them with this American pride,

obavijajući ih američkim ponosom,

places that we now consider to define us:

mjesta koja nas danas definiraju:

Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone.

Veliki kanjon Kolorada, Yosemite, Yellowstone.

And we use these parks and these natural areas

Koristimo ove parkove i prirodne površine

as beacons and as cultural compasses.

kao svjetionike i kulturne kompase.

And sadly, the Everglades is very commonly

Nažalost, Everglade se obično

left out of that conversation.

izostavlja iz ovog razgovora.

But I believe it's every bit as iconic and emblematic

Ja vjerujem da jednako ikonski i amblemski znači

of who we are as a country

za ono tko smo kao država

as any of these other wildernesses.

kao i bilo koja od ovih drugih divljina.

It's just a different kind of wild.

Ovo je samo drugačija vrsta divljine.

But I'm encouraged,

No, ohrabren sam,

because maybe we're finally starting to come around,

možda konačno počinjemo shvaćati,

because what was once deemed this swampy wasteland,

jer ono što je smatrano močvarnom pustoši,

today is a World Heritage site.

danas je mjesto Svjetske kulturne baštine.

It's a wetland of international importance.

Močvara internacionalne važnosti.

And we've come a long way in the last 60 years.

Daleko smo napredovali u posljednjih 60 godina.

And as the world's largest and most ambitious wetland restoration project,

Zbog najvećeg na svijetu i najambicioznijeg projekta obnove močvara,

the international spotlight is on us in the Sunshine State.

Sunčana država je u internacionalnom središtu pozornosti.

Because if we can heal this system,

Ako izliječimo ovaj sustav,

it's going to become an icon for wetland restoration

postat će simbol obnove močvara

all over the world.

diljem svijeta.

But it's up to us to decide which legacy we want to attach our flag to.

Na nama je da odlučimo kojoj ostavštini želimo podići zastavu.

They say that the Everglades is our greatest test.

Kažu da je Everglade naš najveći test.

If we pass it, we get to keep the planet.

Ako ga prođemo, možemo zadržati planet.

I love that quote,

Volim taj navod,

because it's a challenge, it's a prod.

jer je izazovan, poticajan.

Can we do it? Will we do it?

Možemo li to? Hoćemo li to učiniti?

We have to, we must.

Moramo, moramo.

But the Everglades is not just a test.

No, Everglade nije samo test.

It's also a gift,

Nego je, također, i dar,

and ultimately, our responsibility.

i konačno, naša odgovornost.

Thank you.

Hvala vam.

(Applause)

(Pljesak)