I grew up out in the country south of Verona and spent a lot of time canoeing on the Sugar River to Broadhead. I learned many skills that way, like avoiding cows that were standing in the river and stepping on rocks to avoid shoreline churned into thick mud from those cows. I excelled at holding my wood paddle just right so I could pass the live electric fencing or barbed wire over my little sister’s head as we went down river. I knew not to swim when there were bubbles in the river because certain houses, which had septic systems, drained their washers into the river. My parents took us to Sauk City because there were two eagles that had stopped during migration and we might get to see an actual bald eagle. Cranes, turkeys, pheasant, foxes or coyotes were rare to see. Now, we have an abundance of these beautiful animals. We have even had bobcats, bear and elk here. Once fallow farm fields are now covered with a wide variety of native grasses and trees that I never saw growing up. When I hear people talk about the good old days, I remind them that a lot of things in our world are much better now. This profound change did not happen overnight, and it did not happen by accident. Years of planning and hard work by many people have restored an environment where these animals feel safe to return. I am on the FOLKS board so that I can continue these efforts and be a part of improving the place we all call home.