If you’ve ever spent the summer near a freshwater lake or river, chances are you’ve noticed them. Clinging to windshields, storefront windows and streetlights,...
It took more than 30 years for Earth Heart Farms to become a wetland wildlife refuge and an educational site. It took decades prior for the owners of the farm to reform their perspective on land stewardship. The seeds of Earth Heart’s transformation were sown well over a century ago, when Vicki-Rae Harder-Thorne’s ancestors first settled in Oak Harbor, Ohio.
Today, the Mill Creek watershed is one of the most highly urbanized areas along the Ohio Lake Erie Coastline. Over the course of its life, Mill Creek has served many purposes for surrounding people, wildlife and ecosystems. But changes over the last 150 years mean that the built environment has steadily overtaken the creek, degrading the quality of the water, compromising the integrity of its banks, and placing plant and animal populations under serious strain. But communities throughout the watershed are making strides to build a different sort of relationship with their local environment.
Something strange is swimming in Lake Erie. 🪼 Fresh sightings of tiny, non-native freshwater jellyfish have captured the attention of researchers and locals alike. These harmless creatures can grow to the size of a quarter and are incredibly rare to spot.
