🍃 Reciprocity: the interview

6 questions for Michele Dambach

Feb 06, 2025

Nature writer, n. A person who delights in paying attention, being astonished, and telling about it.1

“The dense, dark, evergreens muffled the sounds of the outside world, leaving just my Oma and me, cocooned in the peaceful setting. Afterward, we’d return to her apartment, our fingers stained from the tart, juicy fruit, where she would bake something delicious with the berries we had just collected.” ~ Michele Pirkau Dambach

Valley of Fire State Park, Moapa Valley, NV. Photo Credit: John Dambach)

Welcome to Season 2 of the Reciprocity interviews. My inbox is full of treasure in the form of lovingly observed writing about place, encounters both wild and gentle, imaginative kinship and renewed reciprocity. These thoughtful, talented writers kindled in me the desire to learn more about them.

Today’s guest,

Michele Pirkau Dambach

, is a writer and amateur photographer based in the suburbs of Atlanta, GA. She enjoys traveling, hiking, and reading, finding her greatest joy in exploring new destinations that fuel her creativity and inspire her writing.

She writes Inspire Perspektive, a space for expressing the awe and fragility of nature - and our human existence - where words create imagery that heals, uplifts, and inspires. Her posts inspire wonder and appreciation with new ways of seeing and knowing the world. From a recent post, I learned there are over 12,000 species of moss worldwide. Isn’t that splendid?

Why are you drawn to nature writing?

I am drawn to nature writing for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it’s the sense of calm that nature provides. On stressful days at work, or when I am feeling agitated or sad, spending time in nature always has a way of lifting my mood and grounding me.

Secondly, I worry about the future of our planet and for future generations of my family. The action or inaction that we as a society take today has a direct impact on our climate. Almost daily, we hear about the damaging effects of pollution, waste, and our throwaway culture—whether it’s rising sea levels or species like the Yarrow Spring Lizard in Arizona facing extinction.2 Our fast-food, fast-fashion society and endless demand for disposable goods are taking a toll on communities around the world. I hope by inspiring others to enjoy time outdoors, they will feel empowered to make even one small change that can positively impact our climate.

How does writing about nature affect you, in your work or personal life?

Writing about nature compels me to slow down, immerse myself fully in the moment, and engage all my senses without distraction. Pulled in so many different directions on a daily basis, either by work or personal commitments, being in nature is a way for me to disengage from technology and notice the miraculous world around me. I often find myself looking up, gazing at the sky and treetops, or looking down, noticing patterns in moss or the beauty of the changing landscape throughout the seasons. Whether I’m on a longer walk or even a quick 10-minute energy break from my desk, I feel a sense of calm and awe once I’ve been out in nature.

While outside, have you ever experienced feeling small, lost or in danger?

I’ve felt small when walking amongst the hoodoos in Bryce Canyon and when hiking to the glacial mountain lakes of Beehive Basin near Big Sky, Montana. The breathtaking natural beauty on display and the sheer vastness I encountered made me feel small, in a good way. I pondered the natural forces that shaped these wonders millions of years ago, whose beauty I now have the privilege to witness firsthand.

What’s a favorite memory of nature from your childhood?

One of my fondest childhood memories is walking the wooded trails near the Rhine-Main River in my Oma’s hometown in Germany, close to the Black Forest. We would ride our bikes to the edge of the forest, then wander along the paths with wicker baskets, foraging for Johannisbeeren (currants). The dense, dark, evergreens muffled the sounds of the outside world, leaving just my Oma and me, cocooned in the peaceful setting. Afterward, we’d return to her apartment, our fingers stained from the tart, juicy fruit, where she would bake something delicious with the berries we had just collected.

What do you hope for, for your writing?

I hope that my writing paints a picture for the reader, perhaps taking them back to a favorite memory or a time in their life when they had a similar experience. Most importantly, I hope that we start to recognize the fragility of nature. I hope that something I, or my fellow nature writers, have written will inspire someone to take action. If each person makes just one small change, together we could spark meaningful progress for our climate and the environment.

A writer or other creative artist who makes you hopeful for humanity and the earth.

I love reading Mary Oliver’s poetry. Two poems that come to mind are “How Would You Live Then?” and “When I Am Among The Trees”.3 Her writing beautifully captures the wonder of nature. The poems remind us that if we take time to pause and appreciate the simplest moments - from the rustling of leaves to stars twinkling overhead - we are gifted with something truly priceless.

Each season, we donate 30% of paid subscriptions to a worthy environmental cause. This season, it’s the Center for Humans and Nature, where they explore what it means to be human in an interconnected world. Track past and current recipients here.

What did you enjoy most about this interview? I’d love to hear from you. Or share it with others by restacking on Notes, via the Substack app. Thanks!

Notes and links

If you’d like to participate in this interview series, please DM me on chat, or reach out via email: gabrielli-dot-julie-at-gmail. Find previous interviews here.

For more inspired nature writing and artwork from the best of Substack, check out the articles in NatureStack journal.