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Governor Nelson and Conservation
Democratic governor Gaylord Nelson wanted to focus on the environment when he entered politics in 1948. "I had concluded that the deterioration of the environment in which we live is the most serious threat to the human species," he recalled.
As governor, Nelson established the Outdoor Recreation Acquisition Program (ORAP) in 1961. It committed $50 million over the next decade to environmental planning and protection of natural areas.
After his election to the US Senate in 1962, Nelson helped outlaw the pesticide DDT, pass the Clean Air and Clean Water acts, and establish the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.
He later conceived of Earth Day, and on April 22, 1970, more than 20 million Americans participated in environmental teach-ins. Last year over a billion people across the globe participated in Earth Day events. |