Fluorescent Bays

Drawing on both Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) event coverage and my own experiences, this conjecture proposes a hybrid program that builds on ODNR’s existing offerings while adding a conservation element. I attended a UV Night Hike led by an ODNR naturalist, where participants explored the forest with ultraviolet flashlights to uncover hidden wonders. What seemed invisible in daylight or ordinary darkness, like spiders, fungi, and even snapping turtles, suddenly came into view under the light. Yet, alongside these marvels, something unexpected appeared: fluorescent plastic pollution. Fishing line that normally blended into the soil, bobbers covered in muck, and other angler waste lit up just as brightly as the living organisms, making the invisible visible.

Years earlier, during a night kayak trip in Puerto Rico, I had a similarly memorable experience. Paddling through jungle waterways, I encountered nocturnal wildlife and watched bioluminescent organisms glow in the water. The combination of adventure and discovery made the experience unforgettable.

This conjecture suggests combining these approaches into a new ODNR event: an immersive nighttime adventure where participants use UV black light to uncover both hidden species and hidden pollution. However, this idea would require resources already stretched thin: naturalists’ time, a structured program, kayaks, collection tools, and disposal sites.

This conjecture is based on original experiences and observations (~50%), my own synthesis and framing of those events into a proposed ODNR program (4_{0%), and AI assistance (}10%) in refining language, structuring the narrative to ~200 words, and incorporating resource considerations. All interpretations remain the responsibility of the author.