|
The
Central Coast has a long history of conservation achievements,
borne by the vision and determination of local residents who
have dedicated their lives to protecting and defending our
region’s wild landscapes. As ForestWatch continues their good
work, we proudly present the Wilderness Legacy Award each year,
honoring the legacy of our conservation heroes.
 This year's honoree is the
late Dick Smith, a local journalist, author, photographer, and
backcountry explorer who devoted his life to protecting our
local backcountry and its iconic wildlife. The award will be presented to members of
Dick's family.
Dick was born in 1920 in
Minnesota, studied art, and landed his first job as an artist at
the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. After serving in World War
II, Dick's family moved to Santa Barbara and he started working
for the Santa Barbara News-Press. His first introduction
to the Los Padres was in the 1950s when he climbed to the top of
Figueroa Mountain. Dick was fascinated by the natural world, and
he quickly became one of our region's foremost authorities on
wilderness areas. He was especially interested in the California
condor, and his efforts to protect the endangered bird led to
the publication of two of his most popular books, Condor
Journal: The History, Mythology and Reality of the California
Condor and California Condor: Vanishing American.
Dick was known for his
outstanding landscape photographs, and many of his portraits of
plants and animals were published in national newspapers and
magazines. In the 1960s, Smith worked with local legislators to
help permanently protect our local backcountry, and in 1968 the
efforts of Dick and others culminated in the establishment of
the San Rafael Wilderness Area. One of his favorite spots to
visit was the Madulce Peak region adjacent to
 the San Rafael
Wilderness. Dick's untimely death in 1977 at the age of 56
prompted his friends and supporters to campaign for naming the Madulce area and surrounding lands in Dick's memory. In 1984,
Congress formally established the 64,700-acre Dick Smith
Wilderness Area, permanently protecting this magnificent
landscape that serves as a natural memorial to Dick's wilderness
legacy.
Previous Honorees
2009:
Robert Easton, Jim Mills, and Fred Eissler
for their efforts in establishing the San Rafael Wilderness Area
in 1968, the first wilderness area designated after passage of
the Wilderness Act of 1964
|
