Earth Day 2025 at Eagle Marsh

Earth Day has always held a special place in my heart and memory. I remember the first Earth Day, April 22, 1970. I was a sophomore at Kelvyn Park High School in Chicago and I made a decision to cut school, something I never did. I wanted to hear the speakers, I was moved and disturbed by Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring. The earth was in trouble. In Chicago there were days when the sky was rust brown. Lake Michigan was struggling with invasive fish species, The Chicago River was toxic. It was not safe to swim in the river or eat fish from the river. So I joined the crowd at the Chicago Civic Center (now the Daley Plaza) and watched history in the making. The galvanizing appeal of this event, along with the rising focus on the environment, would lead to the creation of the Environmental Protective Agency and the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. DDT would be removed as a pesticide and the American Bald Eagle population would eventually be restored. So, even with all the setbacks of today, that day gives me reason to hope and act.
 
So, this past weekend I again attended Earth Day 2025 at Eagle Marsh. This combines one of my keystone days with one of my favorite places on earth. The symbolism could not be more powerful. The Little River connected rivers and portages and watersheds. The water and the marsh were places of commerce, travel, food, and the mixing of cultures. It is also a place that manifests rebirth. The marsh had been drained, local forests were chopped down, wetlands became farmlands, and biodiversity shrank. And then hope began to blossom. The farmland was restored to wetlands, native plants were planted, migratory birds reclaimed old homes, and a large urban nature corridor was created.
 
Just like the connectivity of the Little River and the plants and animals that impact and nourish one another, local agencies supported one another at Earth Day on Eagle Marsh. So, on April 27 artists, food trucks, a drum circle, educators, government agencies focused on the environment, and agencies that support preservation and restoration gathered around the barn of Eagle Marsh to celebrate Earth Day.
 
There were artist because one of the ways to make sense of the universe and to celebrate the beauty and the bounty of the earth is through the arts. James Taylor of Wandering James Photography displayed his photos of the marsh and spoke of his meditative hikes on the marsh paths. James is just one of many photographers who have captured the beauty and magic of the marsh. Others have included John Gevers, Becky Cummings, Tom Hetrick, Chuck Milledge, Jared Christiansen, John Dube, Brian Woods, and Joseph Geisler. Tjis is not an exhaustive list. Dr. Larry Wiedman has captured the life of the marsh through his wood carving, Aly Munger has used her art training to create murals, coloring books, and t-shirts. The marsh taps into creativity. Hike the paths and you will see artists with their easels painting the landscape and capturing the colors of the season.
 
Republic Service had a booth that focused on the challenges and importance of waste management. Government departments that focused on the environment included the Department of Environmental Management, Sustaining Fort Wayne, Allen County Partnership for Water Quality, and Northeast Indiana Water Trails.
 
The Hoosier Chapter of the Sierra Club, Save Maumee, and the Allen County Public Library highlighted local initiatives that impacted citizens of all ages.  The Fort Wayne Zoo and Science Central highlighted the many programs that have throughout the year addressed climate change, biodiversity, and stewardship.
 
Education, both informal and formal were also supporters of Earth Day and in helping  citizens become effective stewards of the earth. These included Little River Wetlands Project volunteers at education stations, Purdue University Fort Wayne and their Environment Resources Center, and Wild Roots nature education and learning. Merry Lea staff talked about the nature focused education for undergraduate and graduate students, continuing adult education, and activities for children. They talked about their restored land and their sustainable farm. Professor Louise Weber was selling ecology books. This included her ecology textbook which is the first such book writen by a women. Dr. Weber is enthusiastic and a friend of the earth.
 
Finally, it was no surprise to see ACRES Land Trust supporting Earth Day and educating people about their many projects and opportunities.
 
This is a difficult time. Funding is being cut for National Parks, National Forests will now face axes, pollution protections and wetland protections are eroding. Data is not being published; coal and oil production is increasing while climate change is being described as a hoax. And yet, I remember that first Earth Day and I remember how it motivated people, it changed behaviors. Politicians saw caring for the environment as caring for the building blocks of prosperity and health. I am not defeated by the present situation. I look at all the people who made this Earth Day an example of caring for creation and I am determined to continue to speak out and be a friend of our Mother Earth.

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