UW-Madison professor William Cronon gave a stirring lecture Tuesday, Oct. 25, highlighting the sense of place and home in the Wisconsin landscape while honoring Gaylord Nelson.
Cronon's presentation was the inaugural series of lectures honoring Nelson. Nelson, a former state senator and governor, was one of the most unwavering advocates of the environment. He died this July at 89.
'He was an extraordinary man who made a great many contributions to the world in which we know today, not all of which are environmental,' Cronon said when remembering the late Nelson, who was not only an environmentalist, but a politician who changed the political culture of the state. Before going into his main lecture, Cronon highlighted the important role Nelson played in Wisconsin's geography.
'There is very little designated wilderness in the state of Wisconsin and to the extent that there is any at all is entirely due to Gaylord Nelson,' he said. He also praised Nelson's fame as founder of Earth Day, but pointed out the true achievement behind it was 'creating a lightning rod' for people of shared values to come together and make the world a better place.
Cronon's talk centered around Wisconsin's rich landscape and how it shaped the state's and residents' histories, taken from Cronon's essay, 'Landscape and Home: A Sense of Place in Wisconsin.' He dubbed it his own 'love letter to the state of Wisconsin,' which brought a new sense of state pride and drive for conservation to a packed theater.
Cronon regaled the audience with stories of his boyhood explorations of Wisconsin caves. He used his exciting and eye-opening trips as an example of how he formed his sense of place in the state. For Wisconsinites, the wilderness is a place of adventure where people face fears and grow up. Landmarks such as caves also add to shared history and storytelling among communities.
'However we come to our love of the land, whether by caving, or farming, or hunting, or tree planting, or bird watching or by writing history, the important thing is that we learn to care for it as more than just an abstraction,' he said. 'The great challenge we face is to do right by the land that we have made our own.'
In other words, conservation is easier to do at home. Cronon states this especially rings true in Wisconsin. The threat of losing its sublime spaces due to activities like logging fueled the state's history of environmental protection. It is a state deeply connected to the wilderness through activities such as farming and hunting. These connections and a drive for conservation gave birth to unique ideas that led to a strong environmental tradition at this university.
Cronon's love letter could be a letter from any state resident. Wisconsin is a home, a living history and a motivator. When looking back at his life, Cronon could easily see the effect the state has had.
'Everything I now do is a product of this place and its past.'
