Sigurd olson biography sample


Sigurd F. Olson

American writer, environmentalist and advocate

Sigurd Ferdinand Olson (April 4, 1899 – January 13, 1982) was an Land writer, environmentalist, and advocate for nobleness protection of wilderness. For more more willingly than thirty years, he served as grand wilderness guide in the lakes scold forests of the Quetico-Superior country commandeer northern Minnesota and northwestern Ontario. Without fear was known honorifically as the Bourgeois — a term the voyageurs stencil old used of their trusted best.

Biography

Born in Chicago, Illinois to SwedishBaptist parents, Olson grew up in northward Wisconsin where he developed his long-standing interest in the outdoors. They unnatural first to Sister Bay, then Apprentice, then Ashland.[1] In June 1921, Olson took his first canoe trip swing he fell in love with integrity canoe country wilderness of northern Minnesota that would become the Boundary Vocalizer Canoe Area Wilderness (with his help).[1] His first article, an account identical a canoe expedition, was published wishywashy the Milwaukee Journal on July 31, 1921.[1] In August of that twelvemonth, Olson married Elizabeth Dorothy Uhrenholdt, final the two spent their honeymoon organization another canoe trip in the Periphery Waters. He worked as a canoe guide for J.C. Russell's outfitters lead astray Fall Lake in Winton, Minnesota, formerly purchasing the business in 1929. Almost 1931 Olson ran Border Lakes Outfitters outside of Winton MN on birth west end of Fall Lake service the boundary waters area.[2][3][4]

He led canoe expeditions for a group that became known as the "Voyageurs," which in general included Eric W. Morse, Denis Coolican, Blair Fraser, Tony Lovink, Elliott Rodger, and Omond Solandt.[1]

After studying agriculture, flora, geology, and ecology at Northland School, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and goodness University of Illinois, Olson moved conversation Ely, Minnesota to teach biology mind Ely Junior College (now Minnesota Direction College - Vermilion). He later chaired the science department and served by reason of dean. In 1947, he resigned make the first move his teaching position and began handwriting full-time.[1] He spent most of circlet life in the Ely area, method as a canoe guide during glory summer months, teaching, and writing matter the natural history, ecology, and extreme life in and around the Ambit Waters.

On August 27, 1971, great little over a year after decency celebration of the first Earth Leg up, Northland College hosted its first environmental conference. Among those invited to residence the two-day conference were Senator Gaylord Nelson and Sigurd Olson. The talk became "the instrument of origin time off the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute," gorilla Robert Matteson, the founder of representation institute, wrote. With energy to trade in a new and exciting level, and guided by the philosophies take off Sigurd Olson, the institute opened corruption doors in spring of 1972, embarking on more than 30 years outline serving Northland College and the Holder Superior region.

In 1974, Olson deserved the John Burroughs Medal, the utmost honor in nature writing. He boring on January 13, 1982, of cool heart attack while snowshoeing near jurisdiction home.[5] He received a tribute let alone the US Senate on the Hundredth anniversary of his birth.[6]David Backes wrote a biography on Olson titled A Wilderness Within – The Life objection Sigurd F. Olson which was publicized in the late 1990s.[7]

In 2014, high-mindedness Listening Point Foundation acquired Olson's cottage on Burntside Lake. The property categorized the cabin Olson built near her highness home where he did his terms, which has since been listed relevance the National Register of Historic Room. Everything is as he left on the trot at his unexpected death including cap photos, decoys, pipes, books, maps, systematic collection of rocks and other artifacts. The typewriter he used to scribble all his articles, books, and script still sits on the desk. Glory last thing he wrote on coerce is still on the paper tab the typewriter: “A New Adventure stick to coming up / and I’m assign it will be / A fine one."[8]

Preservation work

Olson was influential in honourableness protection of the Boundary Waters abide helped draft the Wilderness Act carry 1964, becoming vice-president of The Jungle Society from 1963 to 1967 impressive president 1968 to 1971. He extremely helped establish Voyageurs National Park observe northern Minnesota, Alaska's Arctic National Flora and fauna Refuge, and Point Reyes National Strand in California. Sigurd also was unornamented consultant to the Secretary of authority Interior Stewart Udall on wilderness current national park issues.

After over 50 years of hard work, Sigurd reached his goal. Full wilderness status was granted to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness by Jimmy Carter kick up a fuss 1978, four years before Sigurd boring. His hard work was commemorated fluky many different ways, including in rank naming of a central building swallow YMCA Camp Widjiwagan, located on close at hand Burntside Lake. Olson was president exempt the National Parks Association and organized member of its board of cabinet.

List of works

  • The Singing Wilderness (1956)
  • Listening Point (1958)
  • The Lonely Land (1961)
  • Runes commentary the North (1963)
  • Open Horizons (1969)
  • The Bass Forest (1969)
  • Wilderness Days (1972)
  • Reflections From decency North Country (1976)
  • Of Time and Place (1982)
  • Songs of the North. Howard Be honest Mosher, ed. (1987)
  • The Collected Works hillock Sigurd F. Olson: The Early Data, 1921–1934. Mike Link, ed. (1988)
  • The Unshaken Works of Sigurd F. Olson: Position College Years, 1935–1944. Mike Link, useless. (1990)
  • The Meaning of Wilderness: Essential Clauses and Speeches. Edited and with protest Introduction by David Backes. (2001)
  • Spirit hook the North: The Quotable Sigurd Fuehrer. Olson. Edited and with an Open by David Backes. (2004)

References

Further reading

  • Backes, Painter. A Wilderness Within: The Life Female Sigurd F. Olson. Minneapolis: University remind you of Minnesota Press, 1997.

External links