Man-made Messes

I grew up on the breast of a man-made lake that always felt like home. I could swim in the water before I could walk on the land, but undoubtedly some of my first steps were taken along the water’s edge. As a child, there was nowhere in the world I would rather be. The lake was a constant that served as a source of comfort and the surrounding woodlands provided space to clear my mind. “The Land,” as we’ve always known it, started with some thirteen original members as “The Rodbender’s Fish & Game Club.” These men cleared the trees and dug the lake but showed little care for what remained once their work was done. Wildlife claimed the habitats that came natural to them only to be quickly disposed of as inconveniences; muskrats and snapping turtles alike would be shot on sight. Birch and Red Oak trees were planted by the only member who seemed to value the importance of their presence, but were just as often removed by others who did not. Invasive species were introduced by no mistake and quickly overtook the water that was not made for them. What was once an idyllic getaway for many is now a burden with nothing but ignorance and a sense of superiority over nature to blame. Luckily, a few members have started to acknowledge the fatal flaws they have created and established efforts to correct them. I can only hope the same outlook it took to upset the natural balances of the land is enough to correct them.