Nature Talk by Nancy Bain
March 2025
GET POLITICAL
“Drill, Baby! Drill!” Three short words. Four syllables total. Yet, how greatly that staccato beat stirs up feelings of power and ascendancy. And as I watched the President’s inaugural address, I anticipated his cadence would lead to a flag-waving response. “We will drill, baby, drill,” the President intoned. He got a standing ovation.
Of course, I winced. The slogan, with its action-packed tempo, has complicated roots. In 2008, with 9-11 still fresh in memory, the U.S. was wary of any oil alliance with the Middle East. It was election time with John McCain and Barack Obama vying for the presidency and the McCain/Sarah Palin team expressly advocating for energy independence. Michael Steele, the former lt. gov. of Maryland, used the slogan in a speech before the Republican National Convention. This put environmentalists on alert. They knew the slogan meant bad news for Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge with its huge oil reserves. Enviros took up arms, got busy, and fought hard. Still, the oil and gas industry has nibbled away at the fragile protections put in place. And even though, for the last six years in a row, the U.S. has become the world’s largest oil producer, the battle still rages. After all, Americans are uber-consumers, conditioned to want more, expect more, and get more.
And what does this have to do with the BW-Greenway? Well, Ohio is also seeing the undoing of efforts to protect our natural resources. Consider the following: 1) In recent years, Ohio has made oil extraction easier on state-owned land, including wildlife areas and state parks. 2) Unitization, a 1965 legal process, allows oil and gas companies to encroach on private landowner property if such enables more efficient extraction. Rarely resorted to in the past, companies are now increasingly taking this action as fracking gets more profitable; 3) Climate change effects are also increasing risks for extreme weather events. More heat and precipitation. Public officials will need more resources, especially wetlands, to deal with community welfare, erosion, damage to infrastructure, and disruptions to daily life. “Drill, baby, drill!” is not a plan for a viable future.
So, what can we do? We must get political. As environmentalists, we must get involved to teach our citizens that all politics (the art or science of governing) is local. As we see federal government programs being decimated—in truth partly because all of our wants have become unsustainable, we’re seeing how lax we are in doing the hard work of democracy. We’ve allowed others to make too many short-sighted decisions on our behalf.
Now it’s back to grassroots work: Learn the names of our representatives and take note of how they vote on issues. Write, call, email, or visit their offices. Actively commit to support local environmental organizations—especially wetlands. Don’t just give money. Participate in their administration. Pay attention to school board matters. Review mission statements of park districts. Be mindful of initiatives such as Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission’s Miami Valley Priority Climate Action Plan. Keep up with the Miami Conservancy District and Montgomery County Soil and Water District.
Other groups such as Dayton Area Wild Ones, Dayton Citizen’s Climate Lobby, and community environmental and tree committees are other ways to delve deeper into local affairs to educate oneself and others about the importance of conservation of natural resources. Now is not the time to give up. Let’s get political.
“Drill, baby, drill”: It’s become an iconic phrase. Yet, it insidiously echoes the popular 1960’s “Burn, Baby! Burn!” motto conceived by DJ Magnificent Montague to describe the “musical heat on the dance floor.” (Songfacts.com). In 1965 it became a rallying cry during the Los Angeles Watts Riots where people lit fires to buildings protesting their impoverished neighborhoods. In the 1970s, The Trammps, a disco and soul band, used the phrase as a refrain in their song, “Disco Inferno,” that was later featured in the movie, Saturday Night Fever.
Here's some irony: In Latin, disco means “I learn”; inferno means “through suffering.” I.e., I learn through suffering. And if we continue to ignore our responsibility to deal with climate change, we’ll soon learn that “drill, baby, drill” is just another phrase for “Burn, Baby! Burn!”
27th Annual Meeting
We would like to thank everyone that attended last night’s 27th Annual Meeting. Thank you to Jennifer Windus our featured speaker, thank you to Chris Bingman for the music, and thank you to everyone that donated snacks that helped make this event possible. We would also like to congratulate Pat and Mike Higgins, and Richard Swigart (in memorium), our Green Heart Awardees.
Another Wetland Preserved in Perpetuity
On October 25, Jennifer and Grant Brown signed a Conservation Easement (CE) on their five acre wetland area south of Fairfield Yellow Springs Road. The site includes a Category 2 wetland and a tributary to Hebble Creek. It is strategically located within a mile of Pearl’s Fen and across the road from the Doorley Fen, both of which are category 3 wetlands.
75% of the CE acquisition cost was funded by the Clean Ohio Fund. The Brown’s donated the remaining 25%. The Browns will also fund the planting of prairie grass on the southwest corner of the parcel. Kaitlin Montag, our Baseline Editor, will prepare a Current Condition Report once the prairie is planted. As with all the properties we’ve preserved, there will be an annual monitoring to take photos and write a narrative of the natural condition of the parcel. We will also add this property to our legal defense policy with Terra Firma. B-W Greenway Community Land Trust has now protected 26 properties totaling 730 acres.
Introducing Audrey Heiser
Audrey Heiser, a graduate of Wittenberg University with a degree in Environmental Science, works with The Foodbank, Inc. in Dayton, focusing on education and outreach for its Urban Garden. Her role includes connecting local organizations to urban agricultural resources and teaching youth about local and regenerative food production to support sustainable communities. As a member of the B-W Greenway Board of Trustees, Audrey contributes her environmental science background to support Dayton-area communities. She is an active participant in the Food & Farming team, working to promote regenerative agricultural practices, enhance local food security, and support climate resilience.
What is a Land Trust?
A Land Trust permanently protects natural areas by partnering with landowners to place conservation easements on their properties. A conservation easement gives legal assurance that the property's natural quality will be preserved in perpetuity.
Mission: To protect and restore the land and water resources between the Beaver Creek and Wenrick Wetlands while balancing human needs with those of the natural environment.
Vision: A lasting corridor of green spaces that protect and enhance the natural and agricultural resources supported by a community working together.
