One Word... (from Tom Mlada)
Dear Friends, Partners, and Supporters of LNRP:
Our middle daughter, Evelyn, recently returned to high school after the Christmas and New Year break, and was greeted by her Freshman English Teacher with a question that would serve as the theme of a short paper. The question: In one word, describe your outlook for 2021.
Evelyn’s response: Hopeful.
Tom Mlada on a hike with his daughter in the background
Hopeful. It got me thinking about how flippantly and frequently we seem to use that word. And yet, I have to admit, I admired Evelyn’s positive outlook for the year to come – and I share it.
The year that was 2020 was challenging for all of us. To be sure, the source and the scope of challenge may have varied. But on many levels and in many different ways, this past calendar year was a difficult one. Our experience of it, in that descriptive sense, was shared.
I hope as we look forward to the year ahead we can also share in a sense of hope, with some of that hope being found in our shared work. As you know, Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership (LNRP) has had a significant water and land conservation impact in communities spanning “the ledge to the lakeshore” since 2003. As we celebrated recently in the pages of our 2018-2020 biennial Impact Report , the critical work of our LNRP Team and our Partner Groups continues. We should be proud of our difference-making achievements on behalf of the communities we serve. Hope indeed!
And, we are so excited for (and hopeful about!) the projects and programs we will lead forward collaboratively with our Partner Groups during 2021. Together, we will work to enhance water quality throughout the Lake Michigan Basin; facilitate climate resiliency preparation, adaptation, and mitigation within our coastal communities; restore and enhance wildlife habitat and forest ecosystem; eradicate destructive invasive species; improve soil health and advance sustainable agricultural practices; plant a significant number of trees; protect natural areas and open land spaces; cultivate and engage community leaders; and educate residents about the need for action to address the climate crisis.
Suffice to say, the year to come will be as important AND busy as our first 17 years!
Interested in joining us? I’d love to hear from you. Please email me at tom@lnrp.org or call me at (262) 573-8736. Your time, your talent, your financial support DO have a real conservation impact. There is a real sense of urgency for us to continue to deliver this conservation impact this year and in the years to come – and I know we will. After all, we share a common home…AND hope.
With gratitude,
Tom Mlada
LNRP Executive Director
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