Legends of Conservation

Raising the dead, I think we can do it! Dale Carpentier and Mark Gordon were strangers to me at the time. Before the conversation was over, they enthusiastically agreed to help in any way they could.

America’s Holy Trinity of Conservation, Henry David Thoreau, John Muir, and Aldo Leopold were the first of the recently departed considered for resurrection. We learned that resurrecting someone from the dead wasn’t as tough as we thought. After a little internet search and a couple of phone calls, we found three living, breathing individuals that had taken on the persona of these heroes of conservation. Historical reenactors were anxious to participate in staged performances in Missouri.

The Holy Trinity of Conservation event at the Prairie Star farm in Osage County was the first event of our newly formed not-for-profit, Legends of Conservation. That two-day event in June of 2017 attracted an audience of almost 600 spectators. One event led to another, and in 2018, John Muir returned to the farm with President Theodore Roosevelt. This historic duo set their imaginary stage on Glacier Point in Yosemite Park, reliving the most famous of camping trips. The Tramp and the Rough Rider enjoyed what we now believe to be the camping trip that changed a nation and created the National Park system.

2019 brought Rachel Carson and Ding Darling to life in Missouri. First, Ms. Carson’s one-person play, A Sense of Wonder, quickly brought the audience to tears in a one-night performance at the Etta and Joseph Miller Performing Arts Center in Jefferson City.

Then, Ding Darling, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, took his one-person play, The Art of Conservation, on the road. Touring the state in five days, Ding Darling took the stage in five different MDC nature centers in May 2019.

When the tour was over, raising another conservation legend from the grave became a thoughtful challenge. The members of the not-for-profit had grown, Bill White became our liaison with MDC, Connie Willman was our treasurer, Susan Wrasmann our secretary, and Jan Sassmann became the executive voice of reason. Jim Karpowitz was our videographer, Cori Daniels was our Web designer, and Jennifer Sampsell was our first member emerita. Dale and Mark were presidential leaders.

We wanted to bring more historic conservation heroes back to life, but we had brought the best of those available to the stage. There were others heroes of conservation whose stories needed to be told, but no one living had taken on their persona. Maybe at least we could resurrect those resting conservationists back to life in the form of life-size cardboard cutouts like we have all seen of John Wayne or Elvis Presley. Then into the room walks Sophie Binder, artist and historical interpreter. Sophie created images of twenty of America’s most historic conservation legends. A distinguished list of writers added the voices. A collection of 20 of the most prestigious Legends of Conservation was born.

These life-size cardboard cutouts, or standees, came to life during the pandemic. Their fate was almost instantly sealed, silently waiting to be reintroduced to unknown future gatherings. When the pandemic crisis was over, the Legends of Conservation went on tour about the state and beyond. The Conservation Federation welcomed them to their annual banquet, and the Conservation Heritage Foundation invited them to their Lewis and Clark awards.

The Legends have entertained legislators at the National Assembly of Sportsmen Caucus in Little Rock and the MDC Partners Roundtable Discussions at the White River Conference Center in Springfield. The Ozark Chestnut Foundation honored them at their annual meeting in Roaring River. At the same time, the Legends were the backdrop at all but one of the MDC Conservation and Nature Centers in Missouri.

The next time you’re out and about, maybe you'll walk into a room and realize the most iconic of America’s conservationists have been artistically resurrected from the past. You will be introduced to each one, and if you’re willing to listen, they have amazing stories to tell. Each story from the past is still relevant as we prepare for the challenges and struggles of the future. These “Legends of Conservation” are a watershed of perspectives collectively creating a movement of utmost importance for our survival. They are the foundation for the present and future of conservation.