So I'm kind of an outspoken environmentalist. It takes up a lot of my time. I fought as hard as I could to stop the Inter County Connector. I even testified to the state appropriations committee when it was time for them to hear the bill to defund the road. Recently I have been trying to stop my campus the University of Maryland from developing it's last upland forested ecosystem. IT truly is a special area that has been benefited from the lack of attention the University Community has given it. There are species in this 22 acre forest that I have never seen in Maryland. We even found terrestrial orchid. Honestly, have you ever seen an orchid growing out of the ground in Maryland??? I didn't think so. Please read the article about my efforts in the Baltimore Sun. I posted the link. Sometimes I feel that these extremely diverse ecosystems need a voice in our economic world. I am trying to do just that with this battle. And I know that now is the time when we will finally win.
Sometime last week when I was on fire about this hillock issue I wrote an email to Martin O'Malley about our future growth in Maryland. It provides some insight to my stance and approach to life which represent why I am in a band called Lonely are the Brave. Being an outspoken activist really can be lonely, especially when it seems like no one cares about what your heart and mind are burning with.
Dear Governor Martin O' Malley,
I am a campus leader on sustainbility at the University of Maryland from Silver Spring. Most recently I have been fighting with a group of concerted students and faculty to save one of the last remaining forests on our campus. You may have seen us in the Baltimore Sun today.
University of Maryland is the states flagship University and should be the states example for how to plan growth. While the East Campus Redevelopment is smart and sustainable growth, the decision to relocate it's operating facilities to the campuses most productive, diverse and viable ecosystem is not. Environmental preservation should always be a part of the growth model and this decision shows that the sustainable paradigm shift is not happening, but rather is being championed to continue sprawl. Your decision to support the Inter County Connector, a decision that has divided my community in half makes me cry every time I go past the construction sites. This is not sustainable growth and I find it offensive that the people fighting against this road were not given the time of day by the state senate.
We share a vision for the future. A healthy bay that is providing a bounty of food for all in Maryland, to cut harmful greenhouse gases 25% by 2020, the chance to get kids out in the environment to connect with the natural world, and most importantly to balance our energy demand so that we can become energy independent. What I see from politicians now is that broad unattainable goals are set to satisfy the populous. When the tough decisions about land use or how to regulate farms runoff come to the table they are shied away from because they will upset people. I can't imagine what it's like to balance the interests of a whole state. I commend you for that.
It's time for the paradigm shift. We can't wait a minute longer. I am dedicating my life to this. You will see me working to organize and educate people about this shift as much as I can in the future. It comes down to the way we live our everyday lives. I implore you to reach out to our state and lead them to a more sustainable future by preserving green spaces wherever they exist; by creating a better, more timely public transit system that connects cities and population centers across the state instead of building more highways. We need forests in the suburbs. We need all of our riparian borders to be protected.
I appreciate all you have done for our state and all that you have done for our environment. I hope that we can talk about the paradigm shift one day in the future. Until then I am putting my shoulder to the wheel.
Have a Beautiful Day,
Davey Rogner ;)
University of Maryland, College Park
Environmental Restoration and Management Major
Environmental Affairs Liaison for the SGA
Member of Lonely are the Brave
