HEC is very pleased that two additional conservationists have recently joined its board of trustees: Aaron Rourke and Al Tonetti.
Aaron Rourke is the president of Rivers Unlimited, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and designating Ohio’s scenic and wild rivers. Since Hopewell earthworks are usually next to rivers, the conservation initiative overlap with river and nature preservation is significant and has never been lost on him. Aaron was instrumental in the coalition to Save the Junction Group Campaign, networking tirelessly right up to the night of the auction, and he continues to raise awareness and funds for the Junction Earthworks Park Endowment Fund. In doing so, he not only helped save the ancient ceremonial site but also 1.25 miles of riparian corridor along Paint Creek, an exceptional warm water habitat. From Ross County, Ohio, Aaron grew up in the center of the Hopewell Heartland and has been an enthusiastic earthworks conservationist his whole life. He was a key player in the recent HEC initiative to conduct salvage research on the North Bridge Street Mound in Chillicothe. Aaron also founded the Little Miami River Kleeners Campaign and the Adopt a Stream Program in southwest Ohio, where he now resides. He has been instrumental in the creation, promotion and maintenance of biking and canoe trails throughout Ohio. One of his dreams is to help create bike and canoe trail linkages between preserved ancient earthworks sites.
Al Tonetti is the Cultural Resource Specialist for ASC Group, Inc., a cultural and environmental resource consulting firm headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. He has 39 years of professional experience in cultural resource management. At ASC he participates in various aspects of archaeological and historical investigations, including proposal development, fieldwork, and report writing; monitors federal and state laws and regulations; coordinates interns and staff education and training programs; and is safety coordinator. He was the Archaeology Survey Manager for the Ohio State Historic Preservation Office where he managed the Ohio Archaeological Inventory; coordinated survey and planning activities; provided technical assistance to government officials, museums and historical societies, cultural resource firms, industry groups, Native American groups, and citizens concerning the identification, evaluation, and treatment of archaeological and historical sites; and reviewed applications for permits to conduct archaeological investigations on state lands and establish dedicated archaeological preserves. He was a staff archaeologist at Wright State University, and consulting archaeologist for the Indiana Department of Transportation. He is a Trustee and past-President of the Ohio Archaeological Council, where he chairs the Government Affairs Committee. He also is Vice President of the Buffington Island Battlefield Preservation Foundation. In 2003, he received the American Cultural Resources Association’s Public Service Award, and serves as a Board member for the trade association, chairing its Awards Committee.
