“I was fortunate to have known Gaylord Nelson, the founder of Earth Day. Like his friend and fellow U.S. Senator Frank Church, Nelson was a pioneer in the politics of conservation, blazing a path followed today by members of both parties. I think both Senator Nelson and Senator Church would be pleased to see that those who are following in their footsteps are champions for public, collaborative approaches to conservation. The issues may still be thorny, but I and my colleagues are committed to working on them together.”