Conservancy Remembers Senator Kennedy

August 26, 2009 — Today, Wayne Klockner, Director of Massachusetts Nature Conservancy, released the following statement…

Today, with the passing of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the residents of Massachusetts and our nation, have lost a great patriot and beloved American icon. Many will take the time to recognize the Senator’s lifetime commitment to healthcare, education, and equal rights. He also fought tirelessly to protect the environment and our natural resources.

Most recently, The Nature Conservancy had the privilege of working with Senator Kennedy and our partners to designate the Taunton River as a Wild and Scenic River. At an event celebrating the designation this May, a statement sent by Senator Kennedy remarked the “Taunton River is a special waterway with both great historical and great environmental significance to our region. This designation will protect its natural resources, safeguard the ecosystem that depends on the river, and confer the national recognition it so eminently deserves.” [Download entire statement here.] Without his leadership, this designation could not have occurred.

The Nature Conservancy also worked with Senator Kennedy on issues of funding and boundaries related to the Massasoit National Wildlife Refuge and Cape Cod National Seashore, both of which are critical components to our mission. Senator Kennedy is also known for his long-time commitment to protect the unique resources of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Islands. He helped add the New England Scenic Trail to the National Trails System and extended the Quinebaug-Shetucket National Heritage Corridor. On a national level, Senator Kennedy was a vocal advocate to disallow oil leasing in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), fought to remove oil and gas exploration subsidies, and to reduce funds to road building in forested areas.

We were privileged to work with Senator Kennedy and his dedicated staff on many issues. Today, we mourn the loss of a great statesman and a great champion for the environment. Our thoughts are with Senator Kennedy’s wife, children, many nieces and nephews, and his entire family.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.