Last year, Andy Gilbert was inspired by the Al Gore film, "An Inconvenient Truth." The film motivated him to make a difference to help solve the growing problem of global warming.  But what can a humble carpenter from Mansfield do?

Andy got creative and approached a local billboard company, Lind Outdoor Advertising, to ask how much a billboard would cost him to rent.  The owner of the company overheard him talking to the staff and asked if he wanted to work for trade.  Andy put his carpentry skills to work.  After two months, he had raised enough money to produce a billboard on global warming which will tour throughout the Mansfield area for 11 months.

The billboard raises awareness with its simple and clear message “Global Warming.  Learn About It. www.theOEC.org.” You can see the billboard in Richland County until November 15.

“The Ohio Environmental Council does more for Ohio than any other organization of its kind. Their role in protecting public lands, keeping legislators accountable, and increasing the public’s enjoyment of the natural world is critical,” says Guy Denny.

During his distinguished 33-year career in the Ohio Deparrtment of Natural Resources, he had a major role in developing Ohio’s nationally recognized system of nature preserves and scenic rivers. Guy established the Ohio Natural Areas & Scenic Rivers Endowment Fund within the Columbus Foundation and initiated the Natural Areas & Scenic Rivers Conservation Consortium, consisting of 42 stakeholder organizations.

One of his greatest accomplishments was securing Lawrence Woods as a 1,035-acre state nature preserve in Hardin County. Guy personally oversaw saw the permanent protection of the largest known mature forest in northwest Ohio.

His decade-long bond with the OEC has been one of mutual admiration and enrichment. As one of Ohio’s most well

The OEC is privileged to partner with Guy Denny and honors his career as a dedicated conservationist.

Peter Griesinger, distinguished producer and director of ecological economics documentary films and videos, is a committed supporter of the OEC’s work. He says, “The OEC stands tall in bringing us all together in an era of unprecedented environmental limits with equally formidable economic and environmental consequences. It’s about work. It’s about security. And, it’s about progress. I’m glad to be part of it.”

Peter has worked hand-in-hand with Friends of Whiskey Island’s Ed Hauser over the past six years to secure a new waterfront renaissance for the city of Cleveland. One of his major contributions to Ohio’s environmental well-being has been to help bring the debate on future land uses of Whiskey Island to a close. Throughout the course of the struggle for this precious open space in urban Cleveland, he represented the OEC at public meetings and hearings as the debate bounced back and forth between success and disaster.

Peter’s community activism extends to protecting the integrity of his hometown, Gates Mills, by having actively served on the Village Center Revitalization Committee as President of the Friends of the Library and working to build and fund a new $1.2 million energy-efficient public library.

The OEC is grateful to Peter for sharing with us his knowledge, experience, and passion for the environment and health of our communities.

During the summer of 1999, the city of Fremont approached Melanie White and her family about cleaning up the part of Minnow Creek that was on family property. “At that time they believed our family property, approximately six acres of woods, floodplain andwet prairie, was the cause of localized flooding inupstream yards. We stated that we were not the problem, pointing out that the water didn’t reach us. However in our desire to be good and cooperative citizens we permitted the city to come on the property and ‘clean it up’. When the City’s efforts were finished we were left with a greater drainage problem and land that had been severely damaged.”

Melanie and her friends went to work to save Minnow Creek from channelization, studying the stream and developing solutions which were low impact and environmentally sound. They began by clearing debris and sediment, improving flow in the hot spots. Flooding improved immediately. They applied for a federal grant and began stream assessment and monitoring with the help of various state and federal agencies.

With assistance from the OEC’s Law Clinic (see “Victories in the Trenches” article, page 3), Melanie went on to challenge the City of Fremont and the Sandusky county commissioners’ drainage project and Friends of Minnow Creek was born.

For Melanie’s exemplary work in nurturing the environment, the OEC presented her with our Conservation Achievement Award at the 2006 Annual Reception and Awards Ceremony.

Pete Precario’s fascination with the natural world, particularly water, began as a child in Cleveland’s inner city when he “pursued fish in every creek and river” he could find, including the nearby Cuyahoga.

Since graduating from The Ohio State University and receiving his J.D. degree, and in addition to a busy career as a partner in a Columbus law firm, Pete has volunteered thousands of hours with numerous groups in the environmental-conservation community. He has served as liaison between the Ohio and U.S. EPA, Board member and President of the Ohio Audubon Council, and Board member and past President of the Ohio Alliance for the Environment. He was appointed to the Governor’s Solid Waste Task Force by Governor Richard Celeste in 1984 and in 1994 was asked to serve on the Ohio EPA Quality Improvement Council by Governor George Voinovich.

Pete’s interest in “public involvement, education, and organization” has inspired him to be one of the leaders who have helped forge the identity of the OEC as it is today.

After serving as the OEC’s Board President from 1984 to 1987, he was instrumental in starting the Law Clinic in 2002 and acts as advisor to its interns on OEC legal research and litigation up to the present day.