Roots of the Adventures

Books, dogs and the outdoors have always been central to my happiness. If all three are present, that is superb but two of the three is excellent as well. I’ve chosen to concentrate on environmental stewardship and conservation in this blog but the adventures have greater depth.

Clean water for my dog, Organic led me to learn about threats from hydrofracking. HABs (hydral algal blooms) are a more recent concern, threatening human health and our pets. I began organizing and leading beach cleanups, participating and coordinating water chestnut pulls. The Finger Lakes Institute at Hobart and Williams Smith trained me as a watercraft steward and I worked at our boat launches. I’ve learned about and supported the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network, Discover Cayuga Lake and Mission eXXpedition’s Great Lakes 2016 project.

Now, a bright and cheerful book called “Where Does Your Water Shed?” captured my attention at the Montezuma Audubon Center. Published by the National Association of Conservation Districts, I’m planning to create a video with the story read aloud while near/on or in water. I’m excited to see which partners join me in this project!

My dog’s health is always a priority to me. I wonder when there may be HABs and if/how they can be avoided. I’m immensely hopeful for water quality in our area after attending the 2020 Finger Lakes Research Conference at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in January. Though the threats are enormous and persistent, over 200 dedicated professionals came together to share research at this most impressive occasion.

I’ve begun sharing insights from my bookcase and hope to learn more from our community on keeping our pets safe.

Dogs, books and the outdoors make for great adventures (with clean water!)!