Tom Lyons Blog Post, May 5, 2026
At Biodiversity for a Livable Climate, we often say that restoring ecosystems is also about restoring relationships—between land and water, between communities, and across generations.
Every so often, we encounter a story that brings all of that into focus.
The story of the Lyons family is one of those.
For many years, Tom Wallace Lyons has been a steady and generous supporter of Biodiversity for a Livable Climate.
His relationship with our community started with a friendship. Mr. Lyons had known long-time volunteer and founding partner, Jed Katch, for many years. Their friendship eventually blossomed to include Adam Sacks, who led Biodiversity for a Livable Climate as founding Executive Director until his retirement in 2023, and his recent passing.
Mr. Lyons was energized by our mission and started contributing in 2019. His support helped sustain and expand efforts during some lean years. With partners like Mr. Lyons, we were able to support the restoration practices, education, and community partnerships that are essential to building a livable future.
But his connection to the Bio4Climate mission runs deeper than philanthropy alone.
Seeing the Whole System
Tom Wallace Lyons carries the name—and the legacy—of his grandfather, Tom Wallace.
Tom Wallace’s life and work reflected a way of seeing the world that feels especially relevant today. He understood that environmental stewardship and human freedom are not separate concerns.
His efforts to protect Cumberland Falls in his native Kentucky helped preserve a vital ecological and cultural landscape for future generations. At the same time, his work in journalism and his commitment to civil liberties spoke to a broader vision of justice—one that included both people and the natural world.
This kind of integrated thinking is at the heart of what we now call systems-based climate solutions.
Healthy ecosystems require healthy communities. Resilient landscapes depend on informed, engaged citizens. And long-term change grows out of values that are lived out over time.
Restoration Across Generations
When Tom Wallace Lyons chose to honor his grandfather by making a donation in his name, it was a simple but meaningful gesture – one that connects past and present.
That connection is something we see often in this work.
Ecological restoration is, by nature, intergenerational. The benefits of restoring soil, water cycles, and biodiversity unfold over decades. The decisions we make today shape what is possible tomorrow.
In that sense, every act of support—every contribution, every partnership—is part of a longer story.
Tom’s ongoing commitment to Biodiversity for a Livable Climate reflects that understanding. It is a continuation of values that recognize the importance of both ecological integrity and human dignity.
The Work Before Us
Today, the need for this kind of integrated, long-term thinking is more urgent than ever.
Around the world, communities are working to restore degraded landscapes, rebuild soil health, and reestablish the natural systems that regulate climate. These efforts are not only about carbon—they are about water, food, livelihoods, and resilience.
They are also about justice: ensuring that the benefits of restoration are shared, and that those most affected by environmental change are part of shaping the solutions.
This is the work we are engaged in every day at Biodiversity for a Livable Climate.
And it is work that depends on people who see themselves as part of a larger whole.
Continuing the Legacy
Legacies like that of the Lyons family remind us that meaningful change rarely begins from scratch. It is carried forward – through values, through action, and through sustained commitment.
As we look to the year ahead, we are mindful of the importance of that continuity.
There is an opportunity for all of us to contribute to this ongoing story – to support the restoration of ecosystems and the strengthening of communities in ways that will endure.
For some, that may also be an opportunity to honor those who came before: to connect present action with past inspiration.
In doing so, we help ensure that the work of building a livable climate remains rooted, resilient, and alive for generations to come.
Mr. Lyons – and Mr. Lyons – thank you for partnering with us to promote the livelihood of all future generations and the ecological sustainability they so desperately need.
Bill Myatt is the founding owner of Major Gift Solutions, LLC. His firm is thrilled to partner with Biodiversity for a Livable Climate to help promote the power of the natural world to restore biodiversity and stabilize climate. Bill has worked in the nonprofit sector for over twenty years and in direct fundraising for over a decade. He holds a PhD in Theology from Loyola University Chicago and has taught at several Chicago area schools. As a consultant, Bill founded Major Gift Solutions to help nonprofits locate and land major gifts, drawing from his successes to help drive fundraising effectiveness in the nonprofit sector.