Conserving Nature with Service

Reese Bennett

rb313@uakron.edu

On Saturday, September 20th, I had the opportunity to travel to and participate in a program called “Geneva on the Lake”. Programs like it are based on helping service workers keep parks and nature healthy. Programs and opportunities like this exist everywhere, but are often underrepresented. It is important to inform people on how they can support their communities and the environment.

An unfortunate fact is that people who use these parks take them for granted, often leaving locations worse than how they were found. I’m sure that everyone has seen the sides of roads and how littered they are, or what unnatural materials are dumped in lakes. Conservation projects come in to keep nature beautiful and support the environment. Work can vary from preparing trails to closing off eroded areas to cleaning up trash, there is never a shortage of work that can be done, this is about preserving the world we live in. I myself had the pleasure of removing trash from a beach and harbor.

There is plenty that can be done outside of the expected cleanup when volunteering for organizations. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) does sapling planting, and Lake Erie does Milkweed collection for the endangered Monarch Butterflies. Cleaning out lakes and reservoirs not only benefits the creatures living in them, but protects people from water contamination and lessens the burden on water treatment facilities. Carefully removing invasive species protects native species and harvests. The possibilities that come from volunteering time to nature are priceless.

If you’d rather not travel to Lake Erie to help the environment, there are plenty of opportunities in the area. ”Keep Akron Beautiful” is an organization that encourages community work to clean up the area, perfect for group service. Summit County Metro Parks is in the midst of its “Fall Hiking Spree” so the increased activity warrants more time of service than normal. The previously stated CVNP has partnered with educational programs to engage youth in protecting the environment. Of course, there is nothing stopping you from independently doing service yourself. There are plenty of areas around that are hotspots for litter! Sometimes it takes a village, but you can still make a difference by supporting natural beauty.