Kathryn Hanratty

HOMETOWN: Chardon, OH

To say that Kathryn Hanratty is passionate about habitat protection is putting it mildly.

Her day job keeps her busy as a landscape designer specializing in native plants and sustainable lanscape techniques, but it’s her tireless dedication as an advocate for restoration of the Great Lakes that makes Kathy a TogetherGreen Hero.  

Kathy saw firsthand the effects of pollution and overuse of the Great Lakes while growing up near Lake Erie in the 1960s. But her conservation work only really started in 2006 with an Audubon-sponsored Great Lakes training trip to Washington, D.C. There, she met with members of Congress and the Senate representing Ohio and learned about the importance and effectiveness of grassroots action.

In only two years, Kathy has become one of the foremost activists in the ratification process of the Great Lakes Compact, a voluntary agreement through which the Great Lakes states and Provinces cooperatively manage the waters of the Great Lakes.

A prolific writer, Kathy has had at least 15 letters to the editor published in the Cleveland Plain Dealer and other local newspapers helping to inform her community about the importance of the Compact. Never passing up even a small chance to spread the word, Kathy has made phone calls, sent e-mails, weighed in on blogs and made presentations on Great Lakes restoration and the Compact to a number of groups including the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, the Lake County League of Women, the Grand River Sailing Club, Fairport Harbor Yacht Club, and the Design Network

“Remember that every big job can be broken down to a bunch of small jobs,” Kathy says. “If you can get one little thing done – do it. And celebrate every step.”

When the Compact was being heard by the Ohio Senate, Kathy traveled to Columbus twice to show support and to testify in front of the Senate committee. Kathy was a fixture at town hall meetings discussing Great Lakes issues. She even showed up to local anti-Compact meetings and debated Compact detractor Senator Timothy Grendell one-on-one to defend the Compact, surprising even herself with her own tenacity.

Kathy took the initiative to build grassroots support in her community and make her voice heard loud and clear—and thanks to her impassioned efforts, both public officials and other citizens recognize that the Great Lakes are an important natural resource and need strong public policy to protect them.