VISIONARIES IN WISCONSIN'S CONSERVATION HISTORY by Angela Cannon A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF SCIENCE College of Natural Resources UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN Stevens Point, Wisconsin December 1993 APPROVED BY THE GRADUATE COMMITTEE OF: r. ichael Gross, Committee Chairman Profes or of Environmental Education/Interpretation Dr. Christine Thomas Professor of Natural Resources Dr. arl Spangenb Professor of Natural Resources and President of the Wisconsin Conseivation Hall of Fame. 11 ABSTRACT Throughout American history, Wisconsin has pioneered new ideas and progressive steps toward the conservation of natural resources. For example; Wisconsin set precedent for the first rural zoning law, was the first state in the nation to ban the use of DDT, and has set standards for some of the most stringent groundwater and ozone layer protection legislation in the United States. These progressive programs and accomplishments have come about through the efforts of Wisconsin's citizens - many of them leaders in the conservation and environmental movement. These individuals have demonstrated great wisdom, perseverance and vision regarding quality of life and quality of the environment in this state and the nation. This thesis examines the conservation history in the state with a separate compendium of significant dates and events. A contemporary definition for the term "conservation" was created by the researcher using responses from the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame Board of Directors and Board of Governors in a modified Delphi-Panel survey. 18 short biographies on the Inductees in the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame located in Stevens Point, form the final accumulation of this research into Wisconsin's conservation and environmental history of the last 150 years. The visionaries included in these biograhies give emphasis to the role of Wisconsin's leadership in natural resource conservation issues facing the region, the nation and the world. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS "History means the warmth of human associations, that while great events may find their place in books and museums, it is the people themselves who really counted." - Sigurd Olson I would like to warmly thank my graduate committee, Dr. Michael Gross, Dr. Christine Thomas, and Dr. Earl Spangenberg. They have served as role models, academic mentors, and friends over the last couple years, especially Dr. Gross, who spent countless hours helping me visualize the book of biographies and edit this work. Without their insight and expertise, this project would not be half what it is today. I often pushed myself harder just to not let them down. Thank you for not giving up on me. Some of my greatest support and strength came from my peers in the Environmental Education/Interpretation Graduate Program. I can't imagine how I could ever thank them enough. To Nalani McCutcheon, Anne Green, Jennie Lane, David Kuckek, Jay Gregg, Ann Quale, Phyllis Peri, Meta Reigel, Lauren Ebbecke, Pam Hess, Chari Towne and others - Thank you, I wish you great blessings and happiness in your shining futures. I would like to thank my family, the entire "Cannon Clan" back in New York state, for their encouragement. Especially my parents, who have always had faith in me, and pride in my accomplishments. Finally, I want to thank the Visionaries in Wisconsin's conservation history themselves. Their stories, full of an undying determination, the courage to dream, and powerful inspiration, helped to light my path through the thesis process. They did not aim to save the world, but their contributions have had a ripple effect. Most important, I believe that these Visionaries, both conservationists and environmentalists, have shown me that we are humanists first and foremost of all. IV TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPJ.'ER I Introduction . 1 Importance of This Study . 3 Statement Of The Problem . 4 Subproblems . 5 Significance . 6 Delimitations . 7 Definition of Terms . 7 Assumptions . 9 CIIAPfER II ............................................. 10 Conseivation History . 10 Wisconsin's Conseivation History .......................... 12 Conseivation History Publications ......................... 18 Documentaries on Conseivationists ........................ 19 Historical Research .................................... 22 CIIAPfER III . 25 Methods............................................. 25 Primary Sources . 26 Secondary Sources . 27 Defining Conseivation . 28 Photos for the Documentary . 29 CIIAPfER IV . 30 Conseivation: definition and meaning . 30 Roots of the Word . 31 A Contemporary Definition for Conseivation . 34 The Modified Delphi-Panel Suivey - Defining Conseivation. 38 Definition Suivey I . 38 Definition Suivey II . 39 Results . 40 Conclusion . 41 V LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix A: Conseivation Definition Suivey Data . Al Appendix B: VISIONARIES IN WISCONSIN'S CONSERVATION HISTORY ....................................... Bl WISCONSIN'S CONSERVATION HISTORY . Bl 1HE ERA OF EXPLOITATION: 1700 - 1899 . B2 THE INEXHAUSTIBLE HARVESTS . B2 Fur and Minerals . B2 Logging Days - the 1800s . BS THE AWAKENING YEARS: 1867-1899 ................ B6 THE PROGRESSIVE ERA IN THE CONSERVATION MOVEMENT: 1899-1915 ...................... BlO THE CONSERVATION ERA: 1905-1949 ............... B17 Conseivation education ................... Bl7 Wildlife for tomorrow .................... B18 Rebirth of the state forestry program ......... B19 Conseivation activists and actions ............ B21 The Civilian Conseivation Corp . B23 Professionalism in natural resource management ..................... B24 From conseivation to "land ethics" . B25 THE ENVIRONMENTAL DECADES 1960-199? ......... B26 The First State to ban DDT . B27 The Creation of the Department of Natural Resources . B28 The 1970s - A decade of political action . B30 The fight for environmental responsibility in the 80s and 90s . B31 CHRONOLOGY ...................................... B33 VISIONARIES IN WISCONSIN'S CONSERVATION HISTORY INTRODUCTION ..................................... B42 VISIONARIES IN WISCONSIN'S CONSERVATION HISTORY CONSERVATION FOUNDERS ..................... B44 INCREASE ALLEN LAPHAM ................ B45 JOHN MUIR ............................... B51 THE CONSERVATIONISTS ........................ B60 OTIO REINHART ZEASMAN ................. B61 ERNEST FREMONT SWIFT ................... B66 HARLEY W. MACKENZIE .................... B71 vi DAVID CLARK EVEREST .................... B77 WILHELMINE DIEFENTHAELER LABUDDE .... B81 ALDO LEOPOLD ........................... B89 PEARL LOUISE POHL ....................... B97 SIGURD FERDINAND OLSON ............... B103 MELVIN N. "MULLY" TAYLOR ............... Bll3 FRED J. SCHMEECKLE .................... B117 CONSERVATION ACTIVISTS The Dawn of Environmentalism . B124 VIRGIL J. MUENCH ....................... B125 A. D. SUTHERLAND ....................... Bl31 PAUL OLSON ............................. B138 RICHARD A. HEMP ........................ B144 LESLIE S. WOERPEL ...................... B148 GAYLORD NELSON ....................... B157 CONCLUSION ...................................... B165 CHAPTER ONE Wisconsin Conseivation History Introduction and Importance of This Study Introduction The settlement of North America rushed forward in blind haste from almost the very moment the first brave, but unprepared pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. The early Europeans came with ambition and dreams, and a belief that civilization meant conquering wilderness and all that was part of it. In the eyes of the settler, the abundant resources of the pristine continent were limitless, and the rightful hatvest of the people. As territories were formed by a young government, the people perceived that it was their "manifest destiny" to settle the North American continent. The riches of the land were for anyone capable enough to tap them. Few people saw that wastefulness would lead to the resource depletion, extinction of species and environmental degradation which followed. The settlement of Wisconsin showed no exception in the exploitation of natural resources. Wisconsin was, however, blessed with people who would help develop the ethics and methods for conseivation in the years to come. These individuals came to Wisconsin with vision, and led the way for the conscientious use and preseivation of the state's, and the nation's, natural treasures. Stewart Udall, in his book, The Quiet Crisis, views our American history as "the story of man and his effect on the forests, plains, water and other natural resources of this land" (UdalL 1988). In the case of Wisconsin, our 1 history has been not only the story of our effect on natural resources, but on our progressive stewardship efforts as well. Walter E. Scott, former Assistant to the Director of the Wisconsin Conservation Department, observed that "Wisconsin has been both pioneer and leader in the conservation movement over this past century and more" (Scott, 1967). Significant first steps in natural resource conservation include: the first rural zoning law in the United States passed by the Wisconsin State Legislature, the first pilot soil conservation demonstration in the United States, the first general college conservation curriculum (begun at UW-Stevens Point), the first bond issue for outdoor recreation, the first acid rain bill, the first ozone depletion protection act, and some of the most stringent groundwater legislation in the nation. Wisconsin's citizens have led the way in both conservation education and legislation. Conservation education