MILWAUKEE – Since 1970, late April has been a time for people to appreciate the Planet Earth and connect with Mother Nature. Dr. Christian Young is the Director of Conservation and Environmental Science at UW-Milwaukee, and says Earth Day is an opportunity for humans to recognize their role in the ecosystem.
“We sometimes start out imagining the Earth as this big rock or simply as a planet,” Dr. Young said. “I think of it as a system.”
Earth Day has been a regularly celebrated holiday for decades, but Dr. Young says Wisconsin has a long history of appreciating nature. Former Governor of Wisconsin Gaylord Nelson is considered to be the Founder of Earth Day. Philosopher and Ecologist Aldo Leopold had strong ties to Wisconsin, and to this day the Aldo Leopold Foundation is located in Baraboo, Wisconsin.
And the history goes even deeper than the 20th century.
“The (native) tribes that have been in Wisconsin, what we now call Wisconsin, (have been here) longer than our recorded history,” said Dr. Young.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers signed an Executive Order on Monday in celebration of Earth Day at Governor Nelson State Park. The Department of Natural Resources will increase its goal of 75 million trees planted by 2030 to a goal of 100 million trees by the end of the decade. Wisconsin has planted over 32 million trees since 2021.
For those hoping to celebrate Earth Day, Dr. Young says there are plenty of non-profits in Milwaukee County that can always use help. But finding space in a Milwaukee County Park will do just fine.
“We have 85 miles of rivers and streams in Milwaukee County. We have 14 miles of the Lake Michigan shoreline. That’s plenty of space to spread out and watch the water and listen to the birds.”
