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Tom Bell Thinks He Was About Six When the Early Cast of Characters Represent- He Created a Makeshift Bridge Across a Ed a True Cross-Section of Wyoming

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Tom Bell Thinks He Was About Six When the Early Cast of Characters Represent- He Created a Makeshift Bridge Across a Ed a True Cross-Section of Wyoming Fall 2007 40 Years People, Passion and Perseverance People The Wyoming Outdoor Council p6 Celebrates 40 Years of Conservation Tom Bell thinks he was about six when The early cast of characters represent- he created a makeshift bridge across a ed a true cross-section of Wyoming. ditch for a sage grouse hen and her brood. Leslie Petersen was just a girl when she Peter Absolon: A Tribute “I’d seen the babies drown trying to follow was first dragged to council meetings by their mother and I wanted to help. I guess her parents, Dubois ranchers Les and that was the beginning of my ‘do-gooder’ Alice Shoemaker, two of the earliest tendencies.” board members. Around Wyoming A ranch kid raised outside of Lander, “I think what was critically important,” Tom always had a deep connection to the Leslie says, “was the fact that the Wyoming p8 land and to Wyoming. This connection was Outdoor Council has always been made up strengthened upon his return from World of the people of Wyoming. Nobody could War II, when, emotionally scarred and claim that it was Washington, limousine lib- missing an eye, he found sanctuary in erals. It’s the real heart of Wyoming con- Wyoming’s wide-open spaces. After the servationists acting in unison, struggling Clearing the haze … still war, Tom went back to school. He worked for the protection of the things we all as a wildlife biologist, and later as a school- value about Wyoming, in particular the “Life is for living, teacher and a journalist, but by the mid- air and the water and the wildlife and 1960s Tom could not ignore the threats the open spaces.” Time is a smile; facing his beloved homeland. In 1967 the The bond unifying this nascent team of Good men and women, Wyoming Outdoor Coordinating Council conservationists began with this shared was born. commitment to the land, but quickly devel- all make it worthwhile. The vision behind the council was to oped into a sense of solidarity and cama- I thank God for all bring together various organizations in raderie. Wyoming was then, as it is now, a the state to speak as one voice on conser- lonely place to be an environmentalist. the beauty he’s/she’s vation issues. “The first meeting was “We stayed with the volunteering and shown; Wild places held in Casper,” Tom says. “I remember the traveling all those years mainly a sense of excitement. Maybe we could because of the marvelous friendships we I’ve been to, great all pull together to work on some of made and the lovely people we met,” these issues and get something accom- Glenda Borzea recalls in Ahead of Their people I’ve known.” plished. And we did.” Time: Wyoming Voices for the Wilderness. Bart Koehler Continued on page 3 Wyoming Outdoor Council Established in 1967, the Wyoming Message from the Director Outdoor Council is the state’s oldest and largest independent statewide conservation organization. Our mission In late May, when I returned to the meeting, and Tom is to protect Wyoming’s public lands the board offered asked me if I would direct the Wyoming and wildlife. Our newsletter, the me the permanent Outdoor Council. If you believe, as I do, Frontline, comes out three times per n position of executive that the universe has a fate in mind for all o t s r year and is a benefit of membership. u h director of the of us, then you will understand why I felt T b o Letters to the editor and articles by R Wyoming Outdoor the portent of that moment. I’m honored : o t o h Council, I was over- and excited to be serving the Wyoming members are welcome. P whelmed with Outdoor Council—including all of you— For more information contact: honor. Tom Bell, our founder, made the in carrying out our goal to protect Wyoming Outdoor Council offer as we stood in Mardy and Olas Wyoming’s public lands and wildlife. 262 Lincoln St. Murie’s home in Moose, Wyoming. The In this issue, you will find a history of our Lander, WY 82520 board and staff had gathered at the Murie organization. That’s a simple concept but not wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org Center for our quarterly meeting; we had a simple reality. Forty years ago, Tom Bell 307-332-7031 (phone) spent the previous day attending to the sat down with other conservation leaders, 307-332-6899 (fax) business of the organization. But on Sunday including Mardy Murie, to set out their [email protected] morning, the board asked me to step out of vision of Wyoming. They saw crystal skies, Board of Directors the room and give them an hour to talk clear water, plenty of wild places, and wildlife Scott Kane, Lander President among themselves. My husband, Jeff enough to keep the jaws dropping. Our mis- Anthony Stevens, Wilson Rickerl, and I took advantage of the time to sion is tough. But forty years later, we have Vice President walk down to the Snake River. It was a gor- something to be proud of. The staff and Keith Rittle, Laramie geous, clear day. board are outstanding in their dedication and Treasurer On that walk, Jeff and I saw two sandhill expertise and always have been. “The heart Susan Lasher, Worland cranes—birds that are significant for my and soul of Wyoming” is what one of our col- Secretary family because we watched their stopover leagues recently labeled our group. I leave Tom Bell, Lander on the Platte River in Nebraska as solace as you to decide for yourselves after you read Emeritus my beloved uncle, Donald Milford, was our story. Joyce Evans, Saratoga reaching the end of his life in a nearby hospi- Before closing, I want to extend my deep- Mindy Harm Benson, Laramie tal. There are six subspecies of sandhill est gratitude to Emily Stevens, a woman Mac Blewer, Tacoma Park, MD Barbara Oakleaf, Lander cranes, and many of them migrate as far as whose activism and generosity made the Barbara Parsons, Rawlins Canada to Mexico. Cranes have been migrat- Wyoming Outdoor Council what it is today. Sandy Shuptrine, Jackson ing through the plains of North America for See our “Supporters and Friends” page for Jim States, Saratoga more than 9 million years; they were here her story. Let’s carry on with Emily, Mardy, Staff when the Great Plains might have been and Tom’s vision. Molly Absolon called the Great Savannah. Yours, Laurie Communications Director Lisa Dardy McGee National Forests and Parks Program Director Bonnie Hofbauer Office Manager Steve Jones Watershed Protection Program Attorney Bruce Pendery Staff Attorney and Program Director Sophie Osborn Wildlife Program Manager Kathy Sanderson Administrative Assistant Laurie Milford Executive Director Cirque of the Towers, Wind River Range, Shoshone National Forest. Credit: Jeff Vanuga 2 I wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org “People like Olaus and Mardy Murie, the “The … council has built a reputation. We Nobles, Tom Bell and Chief Justice William cannot back away from that now. We have O. Douglas,” adds her husband, John made implacable enemies at the highest Borzea, a former board president. “We all level of state government because we dared worked together to educate others on how to to expose the facts and the truths. That is all make the concept of multiple use and con- the more reason to persevere. Power and servation practical.” political influence have already taken their The vision behind A critical force in the council’s inception toll on our environment. I for one say, ‘No was Cora rancher Carroll Noble, who earned more.’ The remuneration is practically nil the Coordinating the less-than-complimentary moniker “Mr. but the rewards are many. My conscious is Conservation” from his neighbors. Many clear and I can sleep well. Tomorrow is Council was ranchers feared Carroll’s outspokenness another day of challenge and exciting work. could lead to the loss of their grazing privi- No man could ask for more.” to bring together leges—or worse. But Carroll, who died in But challenging and exciting work does 1973, never let popularity sway his convic- not always pay the bills. Tom worked with- various organiza- tions. His legacy, like Tom’s, continues to out salary for months on end. Finally, in influence Wyoming’s environmental move- 1973, he announced that High Country News tions in the ment today. would cease publication. In a column published in what everyone state to speak The Issues believed would be the final issue, Marge as one voice From its inception, challenges barraged Higley wrote, “Sometimes the ‘final straw’ is the Wyoming Outdoor Coordinating a very tiny thing indeed. It’s just possible on conservation Council. There were plans to dam the that it can be as small as the little white price Upper Green River near Pinedale and clear- tag stuck on a pair of child’s snow boots.” issues. cut large sections of the Bridger-Teton and She continued, “How much can a family Shoshone national forests around Dubois. sacrifice for a cause they believe in? It’s easy A proposal was afoot to use nuclear bombs enough to say ‘I guess they must live on to release natural gas in the Upper Green love!’ But love can’t buy groceries for a fami- River Valley, and thousands of miles of ille- ly of five. It can’t even buy a little pair of gal fences criss-crossed BLM lands, dis- snow boots.” rupting migrations and killing pronghorn That issue of High Country News became and deer.
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