Christina Handley, a board member for the Glade run Lake Conservancy, gathers a water sample from a waterway flowing out from Glade Run Lake on July 7. Eddie Trizzino/Butler Eagle

In the absence of people, nature would take care of itself. But since we’re here, we have to be good stewards of the world we’re given.

Christina Handley is one of those stewards for the sake of all of us.

Handley is part of the Glade Run Lake Conservancy’s board of directors. She goes out, monthly, regardless of weather, winter included, to check the water of Glade Run Lake.

The lake, which was drained in 2011 and only refilled in 2017, has been enjoying a period of regrowth and success since it’s been refilled.

“Because the lake was refilled in 2017, the water quality is really good,” Handley said. “We've got a lot of turtles, a lot of fish. The fish populations have repopulated so much that people are now allowed to take the fish with them, depending on their size.”

Let us hope the efforts of Handley allow the lake to continue to flourish.

But it will take the community to ensure that.

Handley and the conservancy are making a push to show the local residents of Middlesex Township the value of the lake and what it can offer.

On Aug. 16, they’re holding a Celebrate the Lake event to showcase the benefits of having the lake healthy and available.

We hope they succeed. The lake stands to not just be an ecological resource but provide a resource that improves the quality of life of the residents of Middlesex Township and beyond.

— JP