We might have missed the 50^th Anniversary of Earth Day a couple of years ago when we were doing the COVID hibernation thing, but it's never too late to celebrate! And besides, many of us in the White Mountains depend on the area's natural wonders and bounty almost every day and don't have to be reminded of their value. If you are not directly tied to the natural resources of east-central Arizona, there's a good chance you only have a couple of degrees of separation. For the folks directly tied to Mother Earth in our area, every day has to be Earth Day if they want to sustainably continue their craft.

We might not be facing the same environmental issues facing Americans back in 1970 when the first Earth Day was started by Gaylord Nelson, a respected politician from Wisconsin. Back then, urban air and water pollution went unchecked as there were no Clean Air or Water Acts. Republican President Richard Nixon established the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1970 to consolidate federal environmental responsibilities and formalize modern pollution control.  

Many of the resulting laws and regulations have been highly successful in cleaning up our water and air as well as recovering some animal populations to the point where they are no longer considered endangered. Eagle and peregrine falcons benefited directly from the ban on using the egg shell-thinning pesticide DDT in the U.S., with bald eagle nesting now at an all-time high in Arizona.

However, we're not out of the woods yet, as they say, currently being faced with an ongoing drought, more extreme weather events, and rising temperatures in our area. As humans, we can quickly adapt, but it could take some of our native wildlife longer to make the adjustments. So fish and wildlife are now faced with decreasing quantities of water as well as the water quality issues that accompany dwindling supplies. 

We can become more efficient with how we might use water but it is difficult and expensive to actually make more water available. Have you been to Lake Powell or Lake Mead lately? More dams can't store more water without precipitation and conservation measures.  

Local residents who want to learn more about conserving our water resources in the White Mountains can check out the Earth Day activities sponsored by the Blue Ridge Physics and Engineering Club at Woodland Lake Park on Saturday morning, April 23, the day after the official Earth Day. The students will be on hand to discuss their project looking at water in the White Mountains and plan to distribute good ideas and suggestions along the trails at Woodland Park. Check out the beautiful new paved trail around the recently refilled Woodland Lake. Eagles, osprey, ducks, and shorebirds can be commonly seen as they migrate through or begin their nesting duties.

Looking for other things to do on Earth Day? Lyman Lake State Park is promoting activities from 8 am to 1:30 pm. Call (928) 337-4441 for more information. Visiting the park is worth the admittance fee, but if you don't want to travel as far you can always get the family out for a local hike. Check out one of the many trails maintained by the TRACKS organization and the U.S. Forest Service in the White Mountain Trail System.  

Combining a lakeshore hike with work gloves and a garbage bag will make your favorite lake safer for the local nesting eagles and osprey by removing the discarded monofilament fishing line and other garbage along the shore. Unfortunately, birds are entangled and die every year since these birds can collect the fishing line for their nests. Fishing line can be discarded or recycled at bins on some lakes or at the Arizona Game and Fish Department in Pinetop. 

Fishing season is always open (but sometimes with different rules depending on the area and time of year!), so you always have the opportunity to grab a fishing license and some gear to make your direct connection with Mother Earth. There's nothing like a supper of fresh trout almondine caught from a White Mountain lake! You're doing your part when buying a fishing or hunting license, as these funds go towards managing all wildlife resources, not just the ones you hunt and fish.

If you can't wait to get started with Earth Day 2022, try observing the International Space Station at 4:26 am on Earth Day. According to Space.com, it will pass over Holbrook at that time. Why check out the ISS? There's no better way to see from its perspective how thin and fragile our life-sustaining atmosphere is, and how comfortable and cozy our home is compared to 99.9999% of the rest of the universe!