THE NETWORK AT WORK
Bidding Farewell to Stalwart Guy …

Bill Foster
Watershed Educator

It is with particular sadness that we bid farewell this month to one of our most valued volunteers, Christian Boissonnas. His presence in our office on a weekly basis for more than a year has had quite an impact. A librarian by training, he applied his considerable skills to the task of single-handedly creating a workable file system for Network staff. We now know where everything is, and where it belongs — and for this we may never forgive him. Seriously, the Network staff would very much like to thank Christian for his invaluable assistance, and leadership at the right times, in bringing the office to a more functional level of organization.

Christian might also serve as an inspiration for those persons who may be thinking, “Well, I would like to get involved, but I don’t feel that I know much about the field.” Christian confided to me many times that this whole field of natural resource management, and particularly watershed issues, was not something with which he was well acquainted. Nevertheless, he responded to an initial curiousity with open eyes and an open mind, and an uncanny ability to apply his life-experience to a new topic. Christian became active not only with the Network, but with Tompkins County’s Environmental Management Council, and then with the County’s Water Resources Council. I think that all of us — Sharon, Diane and myself — will be able to look back on any of a number of earnest conversations shared with Christian, and benefit from his wisdom. Christian and his wife, Barbara, are leaving the Ithaca area to join their children in Illinois, and we wish them the best of luck.

On other fronts, the Network has been active over the summer. The Board of Directors has gained new momentum, as a vacant Seneca County seat has been filled by Gary Catt, and one at-large seat has been accepted by Keith Tidball. Biographic information on each of the new members of the Board of Directors will soon be available on our website. Network staff have also been busy, as I have continued to act as educator for “floating classroom” boat trips hosting groups from George Jr. Republic School in Dryden, Ithaca High School and Cooperative Extension, and have presented watershed concepts to some 140 seventh graders at Seneca Falls Middle School. Our Steward has also been quite busy as we begin to plan for the 2004 program year. Along with maintaining her administrative duties, Sharon has found time to tackle on a number of educational events, including LEAPE and a watershed presentation to the Groton Lyons Club. With school back in session, we anticipate an even busier fall — but stop in and see us sometime.