Wooster advocates join Great Ohio Climate March

Thirteen days of marching through state forests and to the state capital — that was the Great Ohio Climate March, which recently concluded. The march was organized by Third Act Ohio to raise awareness about environmental protection and to lobby state legislators to rein in fracking and other oil and gas wells on public lands and in state parks.

Several Wooster Advocacy Group members participated in the march in overlapping stretches, spanning from the first-day rally to the last miles to get to the Ohio Statehouse May 28. After a closing rally on the steps of the Statehouse, members met with state representatives and senators to advocate for renewable energy and against fracking and data centers.

“This was an amazing opportunity to engage deeply with others who care so much about ensuring a livable future for the next generation," said Eva Lyon, a geology professor at The College of Wooster who participated for 10 days of the march. "Although we came from different walks of life, we marched together for one cause.”

The march set off May 16 from Athens with a kickoff rally and a proclamation from the mayor of Athens, which said, “The clean energy transition is also a driver of job creation, workforce development and local economic growth.”

Over the next several days, the march wound its way through state wilderness areas and state parks including long stretches on the Buckeye Trail. The route was designed to highlight Ohio’s forests and meadows while also passing oil and gas sites and areas where fracking has been approved under public lands including state parks and wildlife areas.

Evan Wilhelms, another Wooster participant, described what he saw near the extraction sites: “With an infrared camera, we were able to see plumes of various gases that weren't burned off from the flare, meaning even the meager environmental protection measures aren't fully working.”

Save Ohio Parks reports fracking can require 4-10 million gallons of water per well, raising concerns about local water supplies. Environmental groups also have raised concerns about the handling and disposal of fracking wastewater, which can contain PFAS and other pollutants.

The march was organized to raise awareness and build connections between organizations concerned about Ohio’s environment.

“There’s something about being in nature that lets us put down our guard and share ourselves with each other on a human-to-human level," Wooster participant Alex Nord said. "Seeing a multi-generational community come together in the hope that future Ohioans will still have access to these kinds of experiences has really highlighted how much we have to lose if we don’t act now to ensure our environment is cared for.”

The Wooster Advocacy Group was a supporting organization to the march. The group meets at 11 a.m. every second and fourth Saturday at the Wayne County Public Library in Wooster.