A resolution marking the dedication of the Gaylord Nelson Wilderness within the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

Whereas the Honorable Gaylord Nelson, a State Senator, Governor, and United States Senator from Wisconsin, devoted his life to protecting the environment by championing issues of land protection, wildlife habitat, environmental health, and increased environmental awareness, including founding Earth Day;

Whereas the Honorable Gaylord Nelson authored the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Act, which led to the protection of one of the most beautiful areas in Wisconsin and recognized the rich assemblage of natural resources, cultural heritage, and scenic features on Wisconsin’s north coast and 21 islands of the 22-island archipelago;

Whereas the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore was designated a National Park on September 26, 1970;

Whereas, on December 8, 2004, approximately 80 percent of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore was designated the Gaylord Nelson Wilderness;

Whereas the Gaylord Nelson Wilderness within the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore provides a refuge for many species of birds, including threatened bald eagles and endangered piping plovers, herring-billed gulls, double-crested cormorants, and great blue herons, and is a safe haven for a variety of amphibians, such as blue-spotted salamanders, red-backed salamanders, gray treefrogs, and mink frogs, and is a sanctuary for several mammals, including river otters, black bears, snowshoe hares, and fishers;

Whereas the official dedication of the Gaylord Nelson Wilderness occurred on August 8, 2005, 36 days after the Honorable Gaylord Nelson’s passing; and

Whereas the Honorable Gaylord Nelson changed the consciousness of our Nation and embodied the principle that 1 person can change the world, and the creation of the Gaylord Nelson Wilderness is a small, but fitting, recognition of his efforts: Now, therefore, be it