Mapping this blog…

A friend and regular reader pestered me for update on the 99wetlands project, with a special request for info on blog visitors with a MAP. Although on “semi-hiatus,” here’s a brief rundown. (If you have questions or suggestions, add a Comment below, or Contact Me).

The map above indicates where my readers live. I’ve had about 13,000 “views” or individual pages read by a visitor—some visitors read several pages at a time. As you can see, those readers live all over (58 countries represented), although the vast majority reside here in the USA. As might be expected, many visitors live in countries where English is widely spoken. African visitors are few. I might get a few more Latin Americans when I post about some Mexican wetlands in a few weeks, using some Spanish terms for wetland features.

To date, I have visited and blogged about wetlands in 85 out of the 99 Iowa counties. The remaining counties are clustered in the west and north of the state. I have visited countries in no particular order; really it’s been determined by other travels (family or business trips) or clusters of counties I’d visit together out of convenience (sometimes with an overnight stay in the area). I’m also sort of saving my home county for last, since I thought it would be a nice ending to the project—we’ll see if that works out.

This 99wetlands journey has been built on a certain geography, but is really about thematic connections. For example, the water in northern Iowa counties may flow downstream to affect residents in southern counties, or leave Iowa and join the Mississippi or Missouri Rivers, and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. A bird I will soon observe in southern Mexico might very well fly to Iowa this Spring, raising a family. The politicians who traipse across Iowa seeking support of its residents in a campaign, might later enact policies affecting our wetlands (and our way of life generally).

We grow as individuals, and make better decisions collectively, when we see connections. Recognizing the ecologic, economic, cultural and other connections between us and our wetlands, and with each other, is important to me. I’m pleased to be part of a community founded by immigrants. I’m proud of the contributions Iowa makes to benefit our friends and neighbors elsewhere. I hope this blog can help us appreciate the wetlands, and also help bring us together in conversation. Thanks for joining us!