Editor’s Letter

Adios 2020, Hello 21

Who’s ready to see 2020 in the rearview mirror? All of us. I’m one of those guys who always seems to see the glass as half full, on its way to overflowing. At this stage of life, I still see it that way, with a pitcher-full of reality surrounding the half-full glass. Things are changing, fast. The pond management industry is changing as well. Demand is increasing. People are buying more and more recreational land. Investors are investing in rural parcels, knowing land values are on the rise. I’m doing more pond and lake design consulting for absentee landowners who aren’t quite as absentee as they used to be. I’m seeing people’s level of awareness rising above what it was just a few short months ago. It’s actually fascinating to watch people learn—after all, we don’t know what we don’t know—about land and water and plants and fish and nature and wildlife. My phone has been steadily ringing with people who are expanding their knowledge of such important things. I compare it to even a year ago, people this day want to have a deeper level of understanding of how and why things are as they are in the realm of nature. They can better decide what to do to enhance their property to meet their goals. The biggest example right now is a steady demand for designing new ponds for fishing for people’s adult kids and their kidlets, those grandpeeps. Get them out of the city, spend time in the country, and teach them outdoor skills. Fishing ponds play a role in that. None of us wanted to go through a scary pandemic. We didn’t really want to work from home. Most didn’t want to stop frequenting their favorite eateries. A new life has been spawned and now we get to see how well it grows up. Society, with all its ills, is being redefined, right in front of our eyes. I’m thankful you are part of that, right here, as an important part of our expanding Pond Boss family. Enjoy these pages of thoughtful insight, valuable opinions, and great products. I’m personally thankful for you, as we delve into 2021.