About the petitioner:
My love for nature started at an early age: from vacationing
in New York's Catskills and biking in the Gunks, to hiking New Hampshire's
White Mountains and climbing Mount Washington, eventually moving to the
"mile high state" and the Colorado Rockies. Moonlit nights,
sleeping under the stars, gliding over windy cliffs, the fresh scent of
pine, diving into crystal streams, drowning in the chorus of frogs and birds
- all captivated me. I was touched by the glory of God; I got bit by the
nature bug.
As a college undergrad I went on to study biology, animal
behavior, philosophy and education. In graduate school I focused on
corporate and political communications, and eventually obtained my Masters
in Public Health from Yale. Most of my work involved program and policy
development. I developed one of Colorado's first household hazardous waste
collection programs, studied ground water quality / contamination from
volatile organic compounds, wrote and produced multi-media campaigns, and
measured the effectiveness of service marketing and public education. I
worked on West Nile Virus surveillance, promoted health education through
self-care, and sat on a Board of a Health's AIDS team. I also developed and
wrote a managed care training program for one of the leading health insurers
in NY, NJ and CT.
Fast forward to 2013: 8 of the last 11 years were dominated
by caregiving for my mother who was afflicted with dementia. I found a house
in Concord which I specifically selected for its proximity to town, a
wildlife refuge, natural surroundings, mature trees and land that was not
going to be developed (Sleepy Hollow Cemetery); these were highly desirable
and critical for my health and well being. I moved my mother to our home in
Concord, where she died peacefully 3 years ago.
I understand challenges. I understand responsibility. I
recognize the need for decompressing from stress in our daily lives. Richard
Louv, author of "The Nature Principle" writes: nature can boost
mental acuity and creativity, promotes health and wellness, helps build
smarter, more sustainable businesses, communities and economies, and
strengthens human bonds.
Hopefully we all can find a nature connection and
respite around our own homes and property. I cannot overemphasize the
need for this.
Lydia
Lodynsky
