Accent on Natural Landscaping

Donna VanBuecken

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Resources
  • Organizations & Blogs
  • Archives
  • Contact

Lorrie Otto 99 Years

September 10, 2018

Lorrie Otto in the sand prairie she created in her yard using the sand sandwich method described on page 117 of Ney Tait Fraser’s book Mending the Earth in Milwaukee. Photo used with permission from Ney Tate Frasier.

I noted on my calendar Lorrie Otto would have been 99 years old on Sunday, September 9, 2018. Although she is gone, I think of her almost daily as I wonder through or look over my yard. If she hadn’t been so feisty, I would never have had the opportunity to enjoy the environment we do.

As I was looking through the Internet for recent writings about the Godmother of the Natural Landscaping Movement, I noticed a new article by Bill Berry who is a Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame (WCHF) Governor and also a columnist for the Madison Capital Times. He recently wrote a column featuring Lorrie Otto entitled “Will we survive the current batch of ‘environmental terrorist’?” He talks about the heroes of the environmental movement started in the 1960s like Lorrie Otto and the Citizens Natural Resources Association (CNRA), and about the terrorists who are today dismantling Nixon’s EPA.

It’s a good read. I especially liked the final para which reads “Will we survive the current batch of “environmental terrorists”? Maybe. Personally, I wish Lorrie Otto was still alive so I could watch her tear Pruitt apart.” I would, too!

See also Lorrie Otto’s Birthday September 9th.

In her memory, contribute to the Wild Ones Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Program.

   Send article as PDF   

Comments

  1. Denise Gehring says

    September 10, 2018 at 10:14 am

    Thanks for the inspiration today Donna!
    Denise

    Reply
    • Donna VanBuecken says

      September 11, 2018 at 8:20 am

      You’re welcome, Denise. She was a special lady!

      Reply
  2. Lucy Valitchka says

    September 14, 2018 at 10:42 pm

    Bill Berry’s column was disheartening to think of what has happened to the wonderful environmental practices we had in Wisconsin prior to more recent governments. Luckily we have good stewards who will not give up on their quest to protect as much as we can.

    Reply
    • Donna VanBuecken says

      September 21, 2018 at 3:56 pm

      My sentiments exactly, Lucy.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Signup button.

Recent Posts

  • OVER-THE-COUNTER NATIVE PLANT SALE MAY 21
  • WOFVA’s NATIVE PLANT SALE MAY 21
  • Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA)
  • Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame 2022 Inductees
  • Native Landscaping Design

Category Archives

  • Biodiversity
    • Monarchs
    • Pollinators
  • Birds
  • Climate Change
  • Events
  • Fire
  • Funding
  • Garden and Landscape Design
  • Heroes
  • Homestead
    • Recipe
  • Invasive Plants
  • Native plant garden design
  • Native Plants
  • Natural Landscaping
  • Prairie
  • Public Comment Opportunity
  • Railroad
  • The Sky
  • Wellbeing
  • Wetlands
  • Wildflowers
    • Trees & Shrubs
  • Wildlife
    • Wolves
  • Wisconsin
  • Women
  • Woodlands

Copyright 2005-2018
Donna VanBuecken