Doug’s talk, “Earth Day and the Emerging Environmental Movement In The 1970s – A Founder Looks Back,”, will be held on Earth Day, April 22, at 7:00 p.m. at the Sandpoint Events Center and on April 23 at the April Native Plant Society presentation, at 10:00 a.m. at the Sandpoint Community Hall.
Many of those who are “Friends” will be familiar with Doug Scott, longtime Wilderness historian, author and advocate. Doug has visited our region many times before as a speaker, panelist, moderator or to talk about one of his books. Sometime he stops in for some planning and strategic thinking. The truth is: as fond as we are of Doug, we know that he too holds a special place in his heart for the Scotchmans.
This week Doug returns to North Idaho to help us celebration of Earth Day. As one of the committee planning the original Earth Day in 1970, Doug has the unique perspective on as one of the founders. Doug will talk about how Earth Day stemmed from non-partisan support during an era which saw the emergence of the environmental and conservation movements. He will talk about how Earth Day provided momentum which helped lead to the passage of many landmark environmental protection laws in the 1970s including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and the Endangered Species Act. And, as usual, Doug will talk about Wilderness. As someone who has been involved in every major piece of wilderness legislation in the last four decades, Doug has a unique perspective on Wilderness too!
Need more reasons to attend? You can buy Doug’s books from the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness table at either event and get the author to sign your copy! Read on for more about Doug’s background.
Doug Scott is the Policy and Research Director of the Campaign for America’s Wilderness at the Pew Environment Group. He graduated with a degree in forestry from the University of Michigan and wrote his master’s thesis on “The Origins and Development of the Wilderness Bill, 1930 – 1956.” In 1969-1970 he served with U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson on the board of the group that organized the original Earth Day.
He’s been a volunteer activist and lobbyist for the Wilderness Society and has held positions as the Northwest Representative, Conservation Director and Associate Executive Director of the Sierra Club. Doug helped shape strategy for and lead campaigns that resulted in Congressional legislation protecting scores of wilderness areas, including the Eastern Wilderness Areas Act (1975), Endangered American Wilderness Act (1978), Central Idaho Wilderness Act (1980), and Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (1980).
The author of “The Enduring Wilderness: Protecting Our Natural Heritage through the Wilderness Act” and “Our Wilderness: America’s Common Ground”, Doug is a board member and past chairman of The Wilderness Land Trust. In 1997 the Sierra Club presented Doug its highest honor, the John Muir Award.
For more information on either event contact Phil Hough 208-946-9127
