Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay a final tribute to one of the true heroes of the
environmental movement. Peggy Wayburn passed away recently in San Francisco
after a lifetime of environmental activism that saved ecosystems, changed maps,
and enriched our lives. A kind, vibrant woman whom I was proud to know, Peggy's
work will benefit our country forever, but she will be sorely missed.
Having graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Barnard College in 1942, Peggy Cornelia
Elliot moved to San Francisco where she met and married Dr. Edgar Wayburn. Peggy
and Edgar created a bond that changed the course of land conservation forever.
In Peggy's eighty-five years, she and her husband successfully helped preserve
millions of acres. We are so thankful for the efforts that brought us the Redwood
National Park, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the greenbelt from
the Point Reyes Seashore to Sweeney Ridge along the Pacific Coast, and the expansion
of Mount Tamalpais State Park.
Peggy had a national impact as well. When Peggy and Edgar visited Alaska nearly
30 years ago, they were captivated by the beauty of the landscape and dedicated
themselves to preserving its majestic vistas, lofty mountains, and free rivers.
The national campaign that resulted from that visit, and the hundreds of visits
that followed, led to the passage of the Alaska Lands Act, the largest public
lands bill in the history of Congress. One of Peggy's five books, Alaska: the
Great Land, is credited with eliciting national support for the bill.
Peggy Wayburn published four other books through the Sierra Club, all of which
built awareness of the beauty of and need for preserving land. The Edge of Life
offers a comprehensive view of the Bolinas Lagoon; the Lagoon later became a
National Natural Landmark. Adventuring in the San Francisco Bay Area is a wonderful
guide for residents and visitors for enjoying the land we are blessed with.
Peggy served as a trustee of the Sierra Club Foundation, a board member of Audubon
Canyon Ranch, director of the Point Reyes Seashore Foundation, and helped found
People for Open Space.
I am proud to join my constituents in thanking and praising Peggy Wayburn for
her dedication to the forests of California and the wilderness of this nation.
Peggy and Edgar Wayburn brought great leadership and commitment to our nation's
conservation policy. They are stars in the constellation of environmental pioneers
who have inspired us and given future generations a lasting natural heritage.
To Dr. Wayburn and the Wayburn family, Diana, Laurie, Cynthia and William, we
share your loss, and we are grateful for every day Peggy had with us.