Former Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson's best known achievement is the founding of Earth Day in 1970. Described by American Heritage Magazine as "one of the most remarkable happenings in the history of democracy," Earth Day made environmental protection a major national issue. A distinguished and influential public servant, Nelson served ten years in the Wisconsin Senate, was twice elected Governor of Wisconsin, and, in 1962, began an 18-year career in the U.S. Senate.

Senator Nelson's many achievements included legislation to:

• Preserve the 2,000-mile Appalachian Trail
• Mandate fuel efficiency standards in automobiles
• Control strip mining
• Ban the use of DDT
• Ban the use of 245T (agent orange)
• Create the St. Croix Wild and Scenic Riverway and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Senator Nelson also co-sponsored the National Environmental Education Act and wrote legislation to create the Upper Great Lakes Regional Commission and Operation Mainstream/Green Thumb, which employed the elderly in conservation projects. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including two from the United Nations Environment Programme

Gaylord Nelson became Counselor of The Wilderness Society in January, 1981. In his 14 years at The Wilderness Society, Nelson has focused his efforts on protecting America's national forests, national parks, and other public lands. Recently he has been concentrating on U.S. population issues and sustainability. He served as Chairman of Earth Day XXV, which was celebrated April 22, 1995. Senator Nelson was also the Founder of Earth Day Network's Earth Day 2000 Clean Energy Now! campaign.

Born on June 4, 1916, in Clear Lake, Wisconsin, he received his BA degree in 1939 from San Jose State College in California and his LLB at the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1942. He was in the U.S. Army during World War II for 46 months, serving as first lieutenant during the Okinawa campaign. Returning to Madison, Wisconsin, Nelson practiced law from 1946 to 1958. He is survived by his wife, Carrie Lee, in Kensington, Md., and has three children.

Senator Nelson died on July 3, 2005. On his last Earth Day, although frail and in declining health, he joined his grandson at a school tree-planting ceremony to mark the day.