Glad Tidings, Good Cheer, and Hope

Tis the season, and with this past election_1, minimal accomplishments of COP29₂ and more₃, it has never been easy to be an environmentalist or conservationist.  Personally, my passion stems from when I was in ninth grade when a catastrophic oil well drilling exercise went horribly wrong, cutting a huge swath of trees over three quarters of a mile through my childhood playground, only to have drilling brine spill to kill many additional acres.  Even the great Aldo Leopold₄ recognized that “One of the penalties of an ecological education is that one lives alone in a world of wounds.“

While I know this is hard, the holidays are no time to be down but count our blessings and enjoy what we have of friends, families, and the world around us.  Ben Franklin can encourage us by remembering “Energy and Persistence Conquer All things.₅” We do have many memorable accomplishments to be proud of in 2024.

Environmental and Conservation Wins in Ohio, a short list:

1. Wetland Restoration through H2Ohio: Over 16,200 acres of wetlands were restored, enhancing water quality, wildlife habitats, and flood prevention. The program also launched 49 new projects and partnered with private businesses for key restoration efforts_6,7.
2. Trumpeter Swan Recovery: Trumpeter swans were removed from Ohio’s threatened species list after surpassing population goals, marking a major conservation success₇.
3. Dam Removal on Mohican River: The Ohio Mitigation Program completed its first-ever dam removal, restoring natural river flow and benefiting ecosystems₈.
4. Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation: The Friendship Park Highwall Project reclaimed hazardous mining areas, promoting safety and outdoor recreation₇.
5. Nutrient Reduction in Lake Erie: Collaborative efforts addressed harmful algal blooms by advancing nutrient reduction strategies in the Lake Erie watershed₉.
6. Tell us more in the comments.

And whether it is the local Portage Park District Plan Update_10, Big State and Local Wins for Climate₁₁, or the many great accomplishments mentioned in our KEC Environmental Watch Dec. 2024₁₂, we do have a lot to be thankful for. David Attenborough reminds us from his 2020 documentary, A Life on Our Planet₁₃, “No one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced.”  We have experienced a lot in 2024. I personally could not have imagined going through it without the energy and motivation of my good friends at the Kent Environmental Council.  We do have a lot to be thankful for.  With that, I wish everyone in Kent, Portage County, and beyond, glad tidings, good cheer, and hope for the new year.

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.” Rachel Carson, A Sense of Wonder₁₄

Kindest regards, and best wishes, Todd

1. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5ygplyg09ro
2. https://cop29.az/en/home
3. https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/causes-effects-climate-change
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldo_Leopold
5. https://www.ipl.org/essay/Energy-And-Persistence-Conquer-All-Things-Essay-FKG4ZAH4NDVV
6. https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/h2.ohio.gov/H2Ohio-FY24-Report-Final.pdf
7. https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/odnr/department/2024_ODNR_Annual_Report.pdf
8. https://www.nature.org/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/documents/FY24_Ohio_Annual_Report_FINAL.pdf
9. https://www.healthylakes.org/latest-news/2024-clean-water-wins
10. https://theportager.com/portage-park-district-plans-updates-and-listening-sessions-in-2024/
11. https://www.nature.org/en-us/newsroom/state-ballot-measures-2024-election/
12. https://kentenvironment.org/2024/12/09/environmental-watch-dec-2024/
13. https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/david-attenborough-a-life-on-our-planet
14. https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-sense-of-wonder-rachel-carson