# Greatest Utah Conservationist?



## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

We all appreciate national champions of conservation. We may not always agree on who those champions are, but John Muir, Theodore Roosevelt, Aldo Leopold and others are famous names with celebrity status.

However, when it comes to local folks who have influenced the quality of hunting and fishing in Utah, their names might not be so familiar. Recognition leads to appreciation. *So, who do you think was/is one of Utah's most important conservationists? What was his or her greatest contribution?*

I'll nominate Lee Kay Robertson. I remember him well because back in the day, he was quite the celebrity himself. Back then, the LDS Church, the Boy Scouts, the NRA and the Utah Dept. of Fish and Game were in such close collaboration that us kids couldn't really tell one from another. Didn't matter except to make the point that Lee stood among the men who most influenced me at the time - Dad, my scout master, my bishop and Lee Kay Robertson. Nobody under authority of the DNR has made such efforts to reach out to the community (Jim Karpowitz came close) or had such a lasting impact.

Lee's most important contribution was his example of mediating opposing points of view and building consensus in order to make collaboration possible. I think we desperately need some of that wisdom today.


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

Heck, I don't know. I can't help but think that the era of a singular personality having a true exceptional role in conservation is over. When I look at conservation success stories in Utah, such as saving the Pyramid lake Lahontan cutt, turkey reintroductions, Bonneville cutt restoration, and others, it is a collaborative effort. 

That is not to say we don't have "outsized" personalities here. I'm sure a certain leader of SFW believes he is the Utah conservation "champion". Needless to say, others would vehemently disagree.


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

I know I'm a bit prejudice, but my own dad will always be at the top of this list...lots of cutthroat trout restoration work!


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