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John James Audubon
His paintings inspired interest in nature. His work lives on as the National Audubon Society.
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Hugh Bennett
He founded the Soil Conservation Service and built awareness of soil as a critical natural resource.
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John Burroughs
His two dozen books and numerous essays charmed the world, connecting science with conservation.
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Rachel Carson
Her book Silent Spring sparked interest in pesticides and helped start the modern environmental movement.
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Anna Botsford Comstock
Mother of nature education, she was one of the first to bring her students and other teachers out-of-doors.
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Jacques Cousteau
He took us underwater inspiring generations to explore our environment and study its complexity.
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Jay N. "Ding" Darling
Wildlife artist, political cartoonist, and founder of National Wildlife Federation.
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Marjory Stoneman Douglas
Her book, The Everglades: River of Grass, raised awareness about this unique aquatic ecosystem.
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Ira Gabrielson
First director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, he focused on wetlands and waterfowl.
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George Bird Grinnell
He founded the first Audubon Society and laid the foundation for national parks and forest reserves.
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William Temple Hornaday
An early crusador for endangered species, he lead the fights to save American bison and migratory birds.
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Lady Bird Johnson
Former first lady led revolutionary efforts to beautify America through national policy.
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Aldo Leopold
Conservation pioneer and visionary game manager, he wrote about the concept of the land ethic.
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A. Starker Leopold
Conservation advocate, wrote a landmark set of recommendations on managing National Park visitors and resources.
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Luna Leopold
A pioneer in river studies, he had a profound influence on protecting American waterways.
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George Perkins Marsh
As a Congressman, he wrote in the mid- to late-1800s about man's impact on soil, water, and vegetation.
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Robert Marshall
A founder of the Wilderness Society, he would hike more than 50 miles a day through uncharted wilderness.
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Stephen Mather
Worried about Yellowstone, he created the National Park Service and doubled the size of the nation's parks.
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John Muir
Founder of the Sierra Club, he focused the nation on a new type of progress: conservation.
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O.J. Murie
He forged the Wilderness Act of 1964, now the National Wilderness Preservation System.
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Gaylord Nelson
Senator and profound environmental advocate, he was the father of Earth Day.
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Frederic Law Olmsted
Landscape architect, he designed urban parks - such as Central Park - bringing nature to the city.
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Sigurd Olson
He often rallied diverse interests in his leadership positions for government and environmental groups.
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Roger Tory Peterson
The Peterson era began in 1934 with A Field Guide to the Birds. Illustrated with Peterson drawings.
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Gifford Pinchot
Founder of the U.S. Forest Service, he taught science- based management to the first generation of foresters.
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John Wesley Powell
The first surveyor of the American Southwest, he developed land-use policies in the West.
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Theodore Roosevelt
This President made the first wildlife refuges, set up the Forest Service and protected millions of acres.
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Ernest Thompson Seton
Inspiring both science and fiction, his art captured the exact anatomy and the romance of animals.
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Wallace Stegner
A passionate advocate for the protection of the West, he taught with his writing such as The Wilderness Letter.
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Ernest Swift
Former executive director of the National Wildlife Federation, he shaped the first U.S. Wilderness Act.
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Henry David Thoreau
He wrote Walden, one of the greatest masterpieces of nature writing, inspiring people to explore nature.
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Morris Udall
In Congress, he championed many green laws such as the Alaska Lands Act, doubling the national park system.
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