We Continue to Seek an Earth Restored

Heidi Speech at Save the Sturgeon Rally - November 16-2022

My name is Heidi Jacobs , I’m 13 years old and a student at Westfield Friends School.

My voice today is a call for protection over destruction, environmental need over greed, life over death.

When the Lenape ( or when Chief Strongwalker’s ancestors) lived along the Delaware, sturgeon were so plentiful that it looked like you could walk on their backs to cross the river.

But today – the number of sturgeon are but a fragment. There are just 250 spawning sturgeon left in the Delaware.

My friends at school illustrated the last 250 sturgeon. Which you can see behind me.  We don’t want the sturgeon to only be on paper!

Sturgeon, once the lifeblood of the great river - have been killed off -   by pollution and industry and most tragically neglect by the very agencies who are supposed to protect.

This is the great tragedy that my generation faces.  
My generation is left to fix and repair a legacy of greed and damage.

You might ask Why care about sturgeon? 
I think they are pretty amazing! 
They are a living dinosaur!  They are from the middle Jurassic era and the Delaware sturgeon are a genetically unique species.

What I love about the sturgeon is the fact that they are a different – ancient fish.  Instead of scales - they have smooth skin with bony plates - called scutes – and they have barbels that sense the river bottom for food and spawning locations.

The sturgeon to me – are unique and majestic and worthy of the greatest level of protection!

And while the Atlantic Sturgeon are listed as critically endangered – the very agencies entrusted with their life are not “up to the task”.  It seems like they just haven’t been doing their homework when it comes to the science . I mean I get in trouble when I don’t do my homework – so it boggles my mind that these agencies can just ignore the best current data.

They need the highest level of protections by government agencies. They cannot pick and choose the science they want, they need to rely on the latest findings.

Although they are pre-historic – the sturgeon will not survive if we rely on prehistoric data. Data from 2003 might as well be prehistoric when it comes to the rapid change in their environment. Because afterall,

What good is science if we don’t even use it?

What good is a protection agency that doesn’t protect?

What good is a river with no fish?

I am the generation that will fix these mistakes.

I am the generation that will fight to save what’s left.

I am the generation that will make the change.

Because – I should be able to see a sturgeon swimming free – and a generation from now, 
my children should be able to see a sturgeon swimming free.

Everyone who can hear my voice now.  
Sign the petition.
Save the Sturgeon. 
Let them know it’s not okay to be pick and choose science findings that meet your greed.
It’s not okay to look the other way on pollution.
It’s not okay to let our genetically unique Delaware sturgeon – a living fossil  - slip into extinction – when they can be saved.

Extinction is forever – and we can do better!

Thank you!

Westfield 7th grader, Heidi, was a featured speaker representing Westfield Friends School in the call for government agencies to elevate protections for the Delaware sturgeon.

She joined her voice with a diverse group of speakers representing faith communities, environmental non-profits, schools, and the Delaware Lenape nation - all demanding greater federal protections to rescue the genetically unique Atlantic sturgeon of the Delaware before they slip into extinction forever.

The rally, held on November 16th, featured a somber funeral procession for the over 180,000 sturgeon that have died. Heidi and her family marched with a colorful 250 live sturgeon banner. The banner displayed 250 fish colored by WFS middle schoolers as a symbolic message of hope and intention to bring the Delaware sturgeon back from the brink of extinction.

Heidi, was most impacted by meeting hereditary chief of the Delaware Lenape nation, Daniel Strongwalker Thomas as well as Delaware Riverkeeper, Maya van Rossum.

Middle School Save the Sturgeon Banner

Chief Daniel Strongwalker Thomas and Riverkeeper Maya van Rossum with Heidi	Heidi meets Lenape Chief
Heidi gives her sturgeon speech	Rally signs
Heidi meets Lenape Chief	Rally Sign