"Gaylord Nelson at the Apostle Islands," 1967, Wisconsin Historical Society
A Stand for the Environment
In the 1950s and 1960s, the social norm was to throw trash out car windows. Factories infected our air and water with pollution. Gaylord Nelson argued this was bad for the environment and future generations. Nelson, founder of Earth Day (April 22, 1970), is one of the most important American environmentalists. He saw the Apostle Islands' beauty and wanted to protect them from logging and development. Nelson took on the challenge of planning the Lakeshore and convincing Congress to pass the bill. At first, he faced opposition from the government, businesses, land owners, and hunting clubs. Nelson gained support from the public and important politicians including President Kennedy, who visited the islands in 1963. Senator Nelson, because of his political office and strong concern for our environment, had the capability to make the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore a reality.
"Earth Week 1970," April 22, 1970, Youtube
"Who could have foreseen the day when man would be on the verge of turning the very air we breathe into poison?" - Gaylord Nelson, ND, Gaylord Nelson: Champion for Our Earth |
|
"In much of the nation, we destroyed our forests. My own (Wisconsin) northland once had 200 billion board feet of white pine, one of the greatest concentrations of wealth anywhere in the world." - Gaylord Nelson, ND, America's Last Chance, 1970
"Unless this nation girds for battle immediately, its people are not going to have clean water to drink, clean air to breathe, decent soil in which to grow their food, and a green outdoors in which to live a few decades from now." - Gaylord Nelson, ND, Gaylord Nelson: Champion for Our Earth |
Impact: Environmental and Economic
In creating the National Lakeshore, Nelson restored the beauty of the islands for generations to come. Plants and animals, such as Wisconsin’s only endangered mammal, the American Marten, now thrive.
Nelson also helped bring economic success to northern Wisconsin. Today the National Lakeshore is a tourist center, just a couple hundred miles from Chicago, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis. In 1965, economists predicted the Apostle Islands would generate $7 million annually. In 2015, tourism brought $36 million. The islands contribute 82% of the Bayfield County economy. Nelson not only spurred economic growth, but also preserved 21 beautiful islands.
Nelson also helped bring economic success to northern Wisconsin. Today the National Lakeshore is a tourist center, just a couple hundred miles from Chicago, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis. In 1965, economists predicted the Apostle Islands would generate $7 million annually. In 2015, tourism brought $36 million. The islands contribute 82% of the Bayfield County economy. Nelson not only spurred economic growth, but also preserved 21 beautiful islands.