Home >> Legendary Mud Puds >> Pioneering Thinkers >> Richard St. Barbe Baker

Richard St. Barbe Baker

Richard St. Barbe Baker was an English forester, environmental activist, and author who contributed greatly to worldwide reforestation efforts. As a leader, he founded an organization called the Men of the Trees, active today as the International Tree Foundation, whose many chapters carry out reforestation internationally.

Being Beneath the Dirt

St. Barbe Baker was born into a family that descended from lines of farmers, parsons, and evangelists – with the occasional adventurer amongst his forebears, as well. Since his family’s home was surrounded by a forest, he began to explore the woods at an early age. His interest in the sciences of botany and forestry brought him to inland Canada in 1910, where he lived in rough-hewn conditions, traveling widely on horseback to study the region.

Branching Out Roots for Balance

During his time in Canada and through his forestry studies at Cambridge, he became convinced that the agricultural practices (including the razing of the natural scrub trees) by European settlers were leading to deplorable soil degradation and potential aridity on Canada’s prairies. He realized through observation that deforestation, resulting from the removal of trees without sufficient reforestation, results in soil-loss problems, in declines in habitat and biodiversity, declines in availability of wood for fuel and industrial use, and reduction in quality of life.

Rising like a Surfacing Stem

Working in North Africa, he saw the effects of centuries of land mismanagement. Immediately concerned with the deforestation problems, he set up a tree nursery and founded an organization with Kenya’s Kikuyu people to carry out managed reforestation in the region, utilizing native species. In the regional dialect, the local society was called “Watu wa Miti,” it was a foundation stone for what became an international organization, the Men of the Trees (a translation of the original name). On one occasion, during his reforestation efforts in Africa, an incident occurred in which he defended an African man against abuse by a British official and, thereby running afoul of the Colonial Office, he was discharged from his duties.

Reaching Fruition

On his own again, he attended the First World Forestry Congress in Rome and then went on to work in Palestine and set up a chapter of the Men of the Trees there. St. Barbe Baker won the support of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith who became the first life member of the Men of the Trees in Palestine. He earned the support of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian leaders for a program to reforest Palestine.

The magnitude of his influence reached every continent. He lectured across America, and worked with President Franklin D. Roosevelt to establish the American Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), said eventually to involve some six-million youths. Even more immense was his challenge of gradually reclaiming the Sahara Desert through the strategic planting of trees. This idea took shape after a 25,000-mile expedition around the Desert (through 24 countries) that he made with a team in 1964.

Leaving a Legacy

St. Barbe Baker’s organization, the Men of the Trees, eventually grew to be known as the International Tree Foundation. Ultimately, there were chapters in over 100 countries. By some estimates, organizations he founded or assisted have been responsible for planting at least 26 trillion trees, internationally. After World War II, a lecture tour into Austria, Germany and other countries launched his concept of an international Green Front to promote the idea of reforestation worldwide.

Disclaimer: Mud Puds bios are derived from widely-accepted “truths,” as shared in the Public Domain. In the absence of first-hand accounts, information is presented as: “Factual, as far as we know.”

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Home >> Legendary Mud Puds >> Pioneering Thinkers >> Wangari Muta Maathair

Wangari Muta Maathai

Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai is an environmental and political activist. In 2004 she became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for “her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.”

Being Beneath the Dirt

Active on both environmental and women’s issues, Maathai has been imprisoned several times and violently attacked. She fought, for example, to end political corruption and tribal politics. In another instance, her husband of 11 years divorced her, claiming that she was too strong-minded for a woman and that he was unable to control her. The judge in the divorce case agreed with the husband, and Wangari was put in jail for speaking out against the judge.

Branching Out Roots for Balance

After finishing school in Kenya, Maathai traveled to the United States where she obtained a Master’s Degree in biology, before returning to Nairobi. There, she earned the first Ph.D. awarded to an Eastern African woman. Since that time, she has contributed immensely to environmental campaigns in Kenya. In 1977, Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, a grassroots environmental non-governmental organization, which has now planted over 40 million trees across Kenya to prevent soil erosion. She later spearheaded the United Nations Billion Tree Campaign. She has come to be affectionately called “Tree Woman” or “The Tree Mother of Africa.”

Rising like a Surfacing Stem

In 1997, in Kenya’s second multi-party elections marred by ethnic violence, she ran for the country’s presidency. She was a minor candidate among several contenders. In 2002 Maathai was elected to parliament when the National Rainbow Coalition, which she represented, defeated the ruling party Kenya African National Union. She has been Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Wildlife since 2003, and in 2005, she was elected as the first president of the African Union’s Economic, Social and Cultural Council.

Reaching Fruition

In 2006, Maathai was one of the founders of The Nobel Women’s Initiative along with sister Nobel Peace Laureates Jody Williams, Shirin Ebadi, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan Maguire. These six women, representing North America and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, decided to bring together their experiences in a united effort for peace with justice and equality. The goal of the Nobel Women’s Initiative is to help strengthen work being done in support of women’s rights around the world.

Leaving a Legacy

In a statement announcing her as the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said, “Her unique forms of action have contributed to drawing attention to political oppression—nationally and internationally. She has served as inspiration for many in the fight for democratic rights and has especially encouraged women to better their situation.”

Disclaimer: Mud Puds bios are derived from widely-accepted “truths,” as shared in the Public Domain. In the absence of first-hand accounts, information is presented as: “Factual, as far as we know.”

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Home >> Legendary Mud Puds >> Unlikely Heroes >> Julia Butterfly Hill

Julia Butterfly Hill

Julia Butterfly Hill is an activist and environmentalist best known for living in a 180-foot (55 m)-tall, 600-year-old California Redwood tree for 738 days between December 10, 1997 to December 18, 1999. Hill lived in the tree, affectionately known as “Luna,” to prevent loggers of the Pacific Lumber Company from cutting it down.

Being Beneath the Dirt

Hill suffered a severe brain injury in a car crash a year before her tree-sitting experience. She embarked on a spiritual quest afterwards and came away believing that human beings could transform themselves; this eventually led her to the environmental cause opposed to the destruction of the redwood forests in Humboldt County, California.

Branching Out Roots for Balance

Originally, Hill was not officially affiliated with any environmental organization, deciding by herself to undertake the act of civil disobedience. Soon, Hill was actively supported by Earth First!, among other organizations and volunteers. She and other activists founded the organization Circle of Life Foundation.

Rising like a Surfacing Stem

Midway through Julia’s tree sit, a benefit concert was played at the Mateel Community Center in Redway, California. Performing artists included Bob Weir and Mark Karan as an acoustic duet, the Steve Kimock Band, and the Mickey Hart Band. Julia also participated in the event, reading her poem “Luna” via telephone while the Mickey Hart Band performed.

Reaching Fruition

A resolution was reached in 1999 when the Pacific Lumber Company agreed to preserve Luna and all trees within a 3-acre (12,000 m2) buffer zone. In exchange, Hill agreed to vacate the tree. In addition, $50,000 that Hill and other activists raised during the cause was given to the logging company, as stipulated by the resolution. The $50,000 Earth First! paid to Pacific Lumber was then donated to a local university to do research about sustainable forestry.

Leaving a Legacy

Hill was the subject of the 2000 documentary film Butterfly, and she is featured in the documentary film Tree-Sit: The Art of Resistance, both chronicling her time in the redwood tree. A film about Hill called Luna is scheduled for release in 2009, directed by noted Indian director, Deepa Mehta.

Disclaimer: Mud Puds bios are derived from widely-accepted “truths,” as shared in the Public Domain. In the absence of first-hand accounts, information is presented as: “Factual, as far as we know.”

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Home >> Legendary Mud Puds >> Unlikely Heroes >> Vandana Shiva

Vandana Shiva

Vandana Shiva is a physicist, environmental activist and author. Shiva, currently based in Delhi, is author of over 300 papers in leading scientific and technical journals. She is one of the leaders of the International Forum on Globalization, (along with Jerry Mander, Edward Goldsmith, Ralph Nader, Jeremy Rifkin, et al.), and a figure of the global solidarity movement known as the alter-globalization movement. She has argued for the wisdom of many traditional practices, as is evident from her interview in the book Vedic Ecology (by Ranchor Prime) that draws upon India’s Vedic heritage.

Being Beneath the Dirt

Shiva was born in the valley of Dehradun, to a father who was the conservator of forests and a farmer mother with a love for nature. Her intellectual prowess carried her through a Ph.D. in physics and beyond, as she went on to interdisciplinary research in science, technology and environmental policy.

Branching Out Roots for Balance

Shiva participated in the nonviolent Chipko movement during the 1970s. The movement, whose main participants were women, adopted the tactic of hugging trees to prevent their felling.

Rising like a Surfacing Stem

She has fought for changes in the practice and paradigms of agriculture and food, contributing intellectually through her writing and also through activist campaigns. She has assisted grassroots organizations of the Green movement in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Ireland, Switzerland and Austria with campaigns against genetic engineering. She also founded the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology in 1982, which led to the creation of Navdanya, an Indian-based non-governmental organization which promotes biodiversity conservation, organic farming, the rights of farmers, and the process of seed saving.

Reaching Fruition

Shiva has made important contributions not only to the ecologist movement, but also to the feminist movement, particularly in India. Her book, “Staying Alive” helped redefine perceptions of third world women. Shiva has served as an adviser to governments in India and abroad as well as non governmental organizations, including the International Forum on Globalization, the Women’s Environment & Development Organization and the Third World Network.

Leaving a Legacy

She has earned worldwide applause for her outstanding services to conservation, ecology, and human rights. In 1993, Shiva received the Right Livelihood Award (also known as the Alternative Nobel Prize) for “placing women and ecology at the heart of modern development discourse.” The United Nations has recognized her with two awards, including the Global 500 Award of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in 1993, and the Earth Day International Award of the United Nations (UN) for her dedicated commitment to the preservation of the planet as demonstrated by her actions, leadership and by setting an example for the rest of the world.

Disclaimer: Mud Puds bios are derived from widely-accepted “truths,” as shared in the Public Domain. In the absence of first-hand accounts, information is presented as: “Factual, as far as we know.”

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