May 2006

May 2006

Ray went to the nations capitol to advocate funding the Great Lakes Restoration Plan. He took the message to the offices of his Senators and Congressional Representative. He attended the US Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee Hearing on the Great Lakes. The trip was sponsored by the Ohio Audubon. The Offices of the National Audubon Public Policy provided two days of advocacy training on the Great Lakes.

Chugging Along...

This newsletter is getting done just barely in time for the Hessler Street Fair in Cleveland - a wonderful event at which we hope we see you - and to announce the FOWL picnic VII. I'm still doing it...

Dr. Wendt Honored

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, on Friday, April 29, celebrated the preservation efforts of Dr. Wallace Wendt with a Lifetime Conservation Award.

Life at the Edge

Harvey Webster's thoughtful and incisive talk on the fate of the Passenger Pigeon, presented at the recent Firelands Conservancy's event, provides a cogent example of how humans tend to stretch things to the breaking point before trying to restore sense to ourselves and balance to the world. In the case of the Passenger Pigeon it was too late.

Firelands Chapter Silent Auction

The Firelands Chapter of the Western Reserve Land Conservancy held its Annual Meeting and silent auction at the Lorain County Metro Parks’ Carlisle Visitors’ Center on Thursday, March 31.

Vernal Pool Workshop a Huge Success

Saturday, February 25 saw a great turnout at the Lorain County Metro Parks' Carlisle Visitors' Center for the Ohio Vernal Pool workshop produced by the Ohio Environmental Council with help from FOWL and other groups.

Deeds of Daryl

Daryl Davis held her annual Earth Day party at her house in Cleveland. There were many interesting people attending, some regulars, some new - including Vicky Lovegrin and an associate who is researching last November's election results in Ohio.

Boy Scout Camp, Private Land Survey

I accompanied Kate Pilacky and Dave DiTullio, Norm Damm, Dorothy Hagerling, and Dan Styer on a walk to begin surveying the Firelands Boy Scout Camp for plants, amphibians, and reptiles. Together we listed over 150 species -

Some Fine Old Novels
(With Wetlands In Them)

An Indianan novelist of the early 20th century, Gene Stratton-Porter was one of the few who gave a voice to the Great Black Swamp.

WET and WOW Workshop

Who: Formal and Non-formal Educators (Teachers, Home Schoolers, Scout Leaders, etc.)
What: WOW - Wonders of Wetlands: An interdisciplinary approach to teaching the characteristics, functions, and value of wetlands, to students in grades K-12. For more information about WOW go to www.wetland.org/wowteacher.html

Great Lakes Commission Hails Approval of Water Pact

The Great Lakes Commission is applauding the Great Lakes governors and premiers for giving their approval Tuesday to a landmark agreement to protect the world’s greatest freshwater resource, the Great Lakes.

Fabulous Field Courses in Maine

Students now have the option to take the following Eagle Hill (in Maine) seminars and workshops for credits by signing up directly through their own institution.

A Letter to the Editor

To the editor:

Your 14 March editorial was right on the money when it said that development “should have an impact on the finances of the city.” The question is, what will that impact be?

Copper and Amphibians

Dr. Timothy Matson, Curator of Vertebrate Zoology at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, has observed in his field work (he has been reestablishing historically known but extirpated amphibian species at suitable breeding pools) a striking decline in amphibian populations - particularly those of wood frogs, Jefferson salamanders, and silvery salamanders.

OEC 401 Draft Comments

Every 5 years or so, the Ohio EPA is required to review and revise its rules that support its 401 permit program. Following are the draft comments that the OEC will submit to Randy Bournique of OEPA's Division of Surface Water.

Dike 14 News

On Saturday, May 20, 2006 the Dike 14 Environmental Education Collaborative held a Spring Migration tour of the 88 acre Dike 14 Nature Preserve. One-hour hikes began every ½ hour from 7:30 a.m. through 11:00 a.m.

A Response to Rapanos and Carabell

At the very beginning of newly-seated Supreme Court Justice Alito's first day on the bench there were arguments offered on three cases that have a huge bearing on the federal government's authority to regulate wetlands under the Clean Water Act.

Mr. Stewart Goes to Washington

I was invited by Ohio Audubon to join a small delegation of citizens for a trip to Washington, D.C. to develop my advocacy skills in support of the Great Lakes Restoration Plan. We went for four days leading up to the US Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee Hearing on the Great Lakes.

New Bush Rule Encourages Mitigation

The Bush administration wants developers who destroy wetlands or streams to pay other businesses to do the work of mitigation. It has issued, through the Army Corps of Engineers, proposed regulations that encourage the development of mitigation businesses that specialize in restoring, moving, or "creating" wetlands and streams.

Groundwater 101, Wetlands, and Rapanos & SWANCC

A canoe trip or hike along the Vermilion River, say at Mill Hollow Metro Park, reveals the shale cliffs that rise from the river are constantly wet in many spots, and have water seeping or pouring out from between various of the shale layers; this is groundwater entering the river.