What matters

East Sector, Miami River and the Environment

Harrison's natural environment is one of our greatest assets, and I believe we have a responsibility to protect it for future generations.

The East Sector and the Miami River are particularly important to me.

I support finding a way to protect the East Sector permanently as a natural area for the community. I do not believe we should look at undeveloped public land simply as land waiting for another project.

Once natural areas are developed, we may never get them back.

I would like to see the East Sector protected in a way that preserves its trees, wildlife habitat and natural character while allowing appropriate public access and enjoyment of the area.

The Miami River

I see the Miami River as more than a waterway running through Harrison. I see it as a measure of how well we are looking after our environment.

If the river is healthy, if fish and wildlife are thriving, if its banks and vegetation are protected and if the water remains healthy, those are signs that we are doing something right.

If the health of the river begins to decline, we need to understand why and act.

Protecting the Miami River means looking at the entire system around it. Development, drainage, vegetation, tree removal, water quality and what happens upstream can all affect the river.

The river gives us something we can see and monitor over time. It can help us understand whether the decisions we make today are protecting or slowly degrading our natural environment.

Our tree canopy deserves the same consideration. As Harrison grows, I believe we should look first at opportunities to make better use of areas that have already been developed rather than continually expanding into treed and natural areas.

Environmental protection does not mean Harrison cannot grow.

It means recognizing that some things, once lost, cannot simply be replaced somewhere else.

Harrison's forests, the Miami River, our tree canopy and our natural surroundings are part of what makes this community special.

If we look after them properly today, they will still be here for the generations that follow us.