Isn’t it an odd coincidence that the National Resources Conservation Service Wetland Reserve Program happened to pass the milestone of 50,000 acres in the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes south of Albert Lea?

It is a testament to what a beautiful part of the state we live in. It is a fact that seems to be our local secret. Here, in Freeborn County, the headwaters of the Shell Rock, the Lime, the LeSueur, the Cobb, the Turtle and other rivers and creeks, we find natural bodies of water everywhere: Fountain Lake, Albert Lea Lake, Geneva Lake, Pickerel Lake, Goose Lake, Freeborn Lake, Twin Lakes, Bear Lake, State Line Lake, Hickory Lake, Lake Chapeau, School Section Lake, Sugar Lake, Halls Lake, Trenton Lake, Spicer Lake and Penny Lake. And there are more wetlands than pioneers and present-day dwellers have named.

We see the traffic heading north to the Northwoods, the Boundary Waters and the St. Croix Valley. We see others heading west to Okoboji. Some travel east to the Mississippi River. A few head south to Clear Lake. We wave hello as they stop for our fuel, our food, our refreshments, our newsstands and our restrooms and then say goodbye as they go someplace else.

Our local grumps scowl and utter words of scorn for our local waters, but any local fisherman can tell you we are lucky. Each has his or her favorite spot to treasure. There isn’t one fisherman, hunter, birdwatcher, hiker, cyclist, camper or swimmer who hasn’t marveled as the scenery &045; that special moment when all is quiet except a songbird or the kerplunk of a jumping fish. Sure, cleaning up our waters is needed, but that’s because there is great beauty here, and with great beauty comes great responsibility to pass it on to the next generation. Most of us know this. Most of us treasure this, and it is a key reason why we believe our part of the state is a great place to live.

We are glad the 50,000th wetland acre happened in Freeborn County. Congratulations to the wetland owners Ranjit and Paula Bhagyam. We thank you for enrolling 175 of your acres in the Wetland Reserve Program, and more importantly, future generations thank you.