A Hero For the Environment
Sigurd Olson was one of the most important environmentalists of the twentieth century. His passion and his insightful wilderness philosophy are testimony to his greatness. In Olson's own words,
"Why wilderness? Ask those who have known it and who have made it a part of their lives. They might not be able to explain, but your very question will kindle a light in eyes that have reflected the camp fires of a continent, eyes that have know the glory of dawns and sunsets and nights under the stars.
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"Why wilderness? Ask those who have known it and who have made it a part of their lives. They might not be able to explain, but your very question will kindle a light in eyes that have reflected the camp fires of a continent, eyes that have know the glory of dawns and sunsets and nights under the stars.
Photo by kjell
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Three reasons to admire Sigurd Olson
Olson was instrumental in the preservation of millions of acres of wilderness in Alaska and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Minnesota. His voice, while not always welcome at the time, paved the way for protection of vital wilderness areas.
"Wilderness to the people of America is a spiritual necessity, an antidote to the high pressure of modern life, a means of regaining serenity and equilibrium"
He helped establish Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota, Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and Point Reyes National Seashore in California. A living legacy to a man whose passion was the outdoors.
He also aided in the draft of the Wilderness Act of 1964 and signed by Lyndon B. Johnson. The act defined wilderness in the United States and created the National Wilderness Preservation System.
"Had we now reached a point in our conquest of the earth when, because of our expanding population and human depredations, there was no longer an opportunity for other forms to live undisturbed?"
His writings inspired and continue to inspire readers today. A champion of the wilderness.
"Wilderness to the people of America is a spiritual necessity, an antidote to the high pressure of modern life, a means of regaining serenity and equilibrium"
He helped establish Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota, Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and Point Reyes National Seashore in California. A living legacy to a man whose passion was the outdoors.
He also aided in the draft of the Wilderness Act of 1964 and signed by Lyndon B. Johnson. The act defined wilderness in the United States and created the National Wilderness Preservation System.
"Had we now reached a point in our conquest of the earth when, because of our expanding population and human depredations, there was no longer an opportunity for other forms to live undisturbed?"
His writings inspired and continue to inspire readers today. A champion of the wilderness.
The Land That Sigurd Olson Loved
The North Shore of Minnesota was his home and source of much inspiration
"Each time I have gone thre I have found something new which has opened up great realms of thought and interest. For me it has been a point of discovery and, like all such places of departure, has assumed meaning far beyond the ordinary."
-Sigurd Olson
North Shore of Lake Superior, Minnesota
Bluefin Bay, Lake Superior, Minnesota
Bluefin Bay, Lake Superior, Minnesota
Cascade River, Lake Superior, Minnesota
Grand Marias, Minnesota
curated content from Flickr
Quotes From Sigurd Olson
- "Wilderness is a spiritual necessity. An antidote to the high pressure of modern life, a means of regaining serenity and equilibrium. I have found that people go to the wilderness for many things, but the most important of these is perspective. They may think they go for the fishing or the scenery or companionship, but in reality it is something far deeper. They go to the wilderness for the good of their souls."
- Beauty is composed of many things and never stands alone. It is part of horizons, blue in the distance, great primeval silences, knowledge of all things of the earth... It is so fragile it can be destroyed by a sound or thought. It may be infinitesimally small or encompass the universe itself. It comes in a swift conception wherever nature has not been disturbed.
- Simplicity in all things is the secret of the wilderness and one of its most valuable lessons. It is what we leave behind that is important. I think the matter of simplicity goes further than just food, equipment, and unnecessary gadgets; it goes into the matter of thoughts and objectives as well. When in the wilds, we must not carry our problems with us or the joy is lost.
- Wilderness should be sacred and quiet, just as the Indians felt in designating certain places as spirit lands where no one talked. I have written about the Kawashaway River country of "no place between," where the Indians always traveled quietly and spoke only in whispers....two of the greatest values of wilderness travel, solitude and silence.
Learn More About the Man
Sigurd Olson and his writings
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Vote for your favorite Sigurd Olson stuff
The Singing Wilderness (The Fesler-Lampert Minnesota Heritage Book Series) by Sigurd F. Olson
to do with the calling of loons, with northern lig more...0 points
Listening Point (Fesler-Lampert Minnesota Heritage Book Series) by Sigurd F. Olson
An amazing book detailing what the North Shore was more...0 points
Solitary Shores: A Tribute To Sigurd F. Olson
Independent private pressing record LP tribute to more...0 points
Reflections from the North Country (Fesler-Lampert Minnesota Heritage Book Series) by Sigurd F. Olson
More very personal observations about the land he more...0 points
by wayfarer
My name is Chris. I am a Minnesota artist, specializing in watercolor landscapes of the North Country. Weborg Lodge combines two of my passions - pain...
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