We promised to feature new stories on GrowWNY.org written by local environmental experts and community leaders each day leading up to Earth Day, April 22. Today we kick-off the Earth Week series with our first topic: "Western New York’s Great Outdoors – Preserving, improving and enjoying our Great Lakes region".
Situated between two Great Lakes, Erie and Ontario, Western New York is truly a watery place and many wonderful local outdoor places have water running through them.
In the first Earth Week article, Mark Baldwin, Director of Education at Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History in Jamestown, shares about Western New York's historical relationship to water and how our region's success has depended on human relationships with local waterways. In this great introductory article, Mark highlights some amazing watery places and encourages us to visit them this Earth Week. CLICK HERE to read it >>
Captain Katherine Mini Hilliman grew up sailing in New England and came to Buffalo with the expectation that local people would have a strong connection to local waterways. Unfortunately, she discovered otherwise. Upon arriving in Buffalo in 2009, Hilliman soon discovered the level of disconnect between local youth and our water, and set out to increase student knowledge, awareness and sense of responsibility in conserving and protecting the Great Lakes. CLICK HERE to read her story >>
One local citizen group is committed to Buffalo's waterfront and believes that public access to water and beautiful parks will lead to workforce retention and eco-tourism. A new community group, Citizens for a "21st Century Park on the Outer Harbor", has shared an article in the Earth Week series to introduce their concept of a lakefront park on the Buffalo harbor. CLICK HERE to read about it >>
Sticking with the Buffalo harbor, Jay Burney of Friends of Times Beach Nature Preserve and the Learning Sustainability Campaign, introduces us to Times Beach Nature Preserve. A nature preserve located on the Buffalo harbor, Times Beach has become home to migrating and breeding birds, deer and fox, and a variety of frogs, turtles, and insects. CLICK HERE to learn about it >>
Polluted runoff severely degrades our local waterways, yet everyone can help by making sure to throw trash in garbage or recyling containers and by participating in local cleanup events. Joanna Panasiewicz of the Erie County Department of Environment and Planning talks about how you can help cleanup our local waterways by getting rid of litter and encourages everyone to join the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper cleanup on April 21. CLICK HERE to pitch in >>
In conclusion, Evelyn Hicks, Chair of the Erie County Environmental Management Council, introduces us to a great brochure that highlights 44 natural places in Erie County. The brochure is available in print at town halls and local libraries, and is formatted as a fold-up reference map which can easily fits into a pocket, purse or backpack. CLICK HERE to check it out >>
To follow future articles in the Earth Week series, visit http://growwny.org/earth-day/learn.
