It was 40 Years ago Today…

… That the Cuyahoga River caught on fire.  OK, so it caught on fire a number of times, but this is the most famous incident, and one that played a critical role in the environmental movement.  How could we let our rivers become so polluted, that they could catch on fire? (And just how do you put out a fire on a body of water?)

Compare that to where we are today, and we have made incredible progress in protecting our natural resources.  Part of that story is the huge growth in land trusts.  Private non-profit organizations dedicated to protecting the land that is so important to us – biologically, for our food supply, for historical purposes, for our enjoyment, or for other reasons.

Today I am visiting with the Western Reserve Land Conservancy.  It is no coincidence that I am visiting them on the anniversary of the Cuyahoga River fire.  I wanted to see the good work that is being done in a part of our country that at one time seemed so hopeless.