Rockland County is a beautiful place. From the shore of the Hudson River in the east to the peaks of the Ramapo Mountains in the west, this county has a little bit of everything. Last week I had the pleasure of presenting the 24th annual Rockland County Outstanding Environmental Volunteer Award.

The County Executive’s Outstanding Environmental Volunteer Award recognizes exceptional volunteers who care for our parks, champion our watershed programs, encourage recycling and work every day to enhance the natural beauty of our county’s open spaces.

While we have faced many challenges this past year, one of the unexpected benefits of our situation is that many more residents are exploring our county parks and other natural environments that they may not have taken the time to visit in the past.

But our parks and natural environment do not always stay pristine by themselves; they need our help. Thankfully Rockland has a powerful advocate looking out for it; Gale Pisha. She has adapted to this last challenging year by hosting “virtual hikes” and “campfires.”

These events have seen dozens of participants join together online after a day of safe and socially distant hikes to share experiences, tips on places to explore and foster a deeper connection to each other and to nature. And while the s’more’s at the virtual campfire may not be as good as at an in-person event, this demonstrates how Gale has worked to overcome whatever obstacles are placed in her path.

Gale’s leadership was instrumental in defeating the proposed desalinization plant in Haverstraw that would have taken drinking water from the Hudson River. More recently she has served as Co-Chair of the Legislative Committee of the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter where she focuses on reviewing new legislation and helps to set statewide priorities for the 54,000-member group.

And while Gale is deeply involved in statewide issues, she takes that experience and knowledge and applies it here at home. She is a core member of the Rockland Water Coalition and does not hesitate to get involved in the grunt work of advocacy. Gale will hand out flyers, lick envelopes and knock-on doors just as willingly as she would write a position paper or organize a response to new legislation.

She is known for her patience and willingness to listen to every viewpoint, even with the most complicated and murky situations. Rockland and all of New York State are extremely lucky to have a leader and advocate like Gale Pisha watching out for our natural environment.

For all of her efforts, we named Gale Pisha the 2021 Rockland County Outstanding Environmental Volunteer. A serviceberry tree was planted in Kennedy Dells County Park in New City in her honor. I encourage you all to take the time to visit the park and experience our natural beauty for yourselves.

*This is a weekly column by Rockland County Executive Ed Day.