Search Results for: ddt

Banning DDT

March 30, 2016

Reference my previous post on Lorrie Otto and DDT. Since I mentioned that banning DDT led to the charter of Wild Ones, I thought you might like to read a synopsis about how it all happened:

1942: DDT First Used
DDT was introduced during WWII to protect our troops from the mosquito-borne disease malaria. It is still being used selectively in some tropical countries.

1949: A Sand County Almanac
Aldo Leopold published his landmark book, A Sand County Almanac, calling for a “land ethic” connecting people and nature.

1950s: Citizen Activists Got Involved
Citizen activists started sending letters and confronting editors, WDNR, and local municipalities. These activists included not just conservationists, but also hunters, fishermen, professors, members of garden clubs and many others. [Read more…]

Planning Ahead for the Demise of Malaria-Carrying Mosquitoes

October 1, 2018

Remember when they used to spray DDT to eradicate mosquitoes because they carried the malaria virus? See In her Own Words: Lorrie Otto and the fight to ban DDT. And then found out the unintended consequences to ecosystems because they had not planned ahead for any consequences? Well, I was pleased to find out that at least some Americans have learned a lesson from this travesty. [Read more…]

March is Women’s History Month — Lorrie Otto

March 19, 2018

Lorrie Otto with native wildflowers in hand. Looks like some Trillium (*Trillium grandiflorum*). Photo by Ney Tate Fraser

March is Women’s History Month
Women have been celebrated nationally since 1981 when Congress passed a law creating “Women’s History Week.” That week was celebrated in March annually until 1987 when Congress began passing “Women’s History Month.” And then finally in 1995, Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama issued annual proclamations designating March as “Women’s History Month.”

In her own words: Lorrie Otto and the fight to ban DDT

In keeping with the observance of Women’s History Month, BirdWatchingDaily magazine carried an article on Lorrie Otto this month, authored by our mutual friend Ney Tate Fraser. The national native plant educational organization Wild Ones Natural Landscapers is based on Lorrie’s philosophy. It featured the story of Lorrie’s and others’ fight to ban DDT in Lorrie’s own words. It’s a great read! If you’ve ever had the privilege to meet Lorrie, you know what I mean. Her infectious smile, her positive attitude, her determination — it’s all here in this article. Enjoy!

In her own words: Lorrie Otto and the fight to ban DDT

About Ney Tait Fraser

Photographer and long time Wild Ones member Ney Tait Fraser authored and self-published a book titled Mending the Earth in Milwaukee. The book features stories about gardeners — all Wild Ones members — who replaced monocultures of lawn with biodiverse communities of native plants to sustain birds and other wildlife. The article published by BirdWatchingDaily features an excerpt from the chapter “Who Killed Cock Robin?”

Native Plant Demonstration Site Survey

February 9, 2018

Reference my earlier post entitled Plant Conservation Alliance (PCA) and the reference to one of their strategies called the National Seed Strategy. Another of their strategies is developing the Native Plant Demonstration Site Network. Paraphrased below with permission of the PCA is a brief announcement about a survey in which you can share information about native plant demonstration sites with which you may be working. [Read more…]