Post by wildernessmama on Apr 1, 2005 10:15:24 GMT -5
"Keeper of the Wild," by Joe Paddock
As we ply the lakes of the Boundary Waters, Quetico, or Voyageurs National Park, I recall the many people who have played a part in protecting this cherished land. One of those individuals was Ernest Oberholtzer, a “keeper of the wild” who fought an uphill battle to preserve this boreal forest. Biographer Joe Paddock details Oberholtzer’s life and his effort to protect one of the last vestiges of wilderness from the big business entrepreneurs who promoted industrial exploitation, ie. turning the present day Boundary Waters watershed into a hydro-electric reservoir.
For nearly 50 years Ernest Oberholtzer lived at his island home on Rainy Lake, now part of Voyageur’s National Park. Some of his story is in journal form while much has been passed down through oral history. The name bestowed upon him by his Ojibway friends was “Atisokan” which translates as “storyteller.” It is a story worth telling, for his mission extended beyond mere preservation of land; Oberholtzer also reached out to defend the culture of the native people who were his friends and traveling companions.
Paddock’s research on this environmental giant was monumental and thorough. His sensitivity to the environmental concerns and the importance of the wilderness to future generations shines through each page as he depicts Oberholtzer on his tireless crusade to save Canoe Country. Oberholtzer’s vision, wisdom and insight encapsulate the meaning behind the stewardship of the land we visit today.
This book was published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press in 2001 and is widely available for purchase.
As we ply the lakes of the Boundary Waters, Quetico, or Voyageurs National Park, I recall the many people who have played a part in protecting this cherished land. One of those individuals was Ernest Oberholtzer, a “keeper of the wild” who fought an uphill battle to preserve this boreal forest. Biographer Joe Paddock details Oberholtzer’s life and his effort to protect one of the last vestiges of wilderness from the big business entrepreneurs who promoted industrial exploitation, ie. turning the present day Boundary Waters watershed into a hydro-electric reservoir.
For nearly 50 years Ernest Oberholtzer lived at his island home on Rainy Lake, now part of Voyageur’s National Park. Some of his story is in journal form while much has been passed down through oral history. The name bestowed upon him by his Ojibway friends was “Atisokan” which translates as “storyteller.” It is a story worth telling, for his mission extended beyond mere preservation of land; Oberholtzer also reached out to defend the culture of the native people who were his friends and traveling companions.
Paddock’s research on this environmental giant was monumental and thorough. His sensitivity to the environmental concerns and the importance of the wilderness to future generations shines through each page as he depicts Oberholtzer on his tireless crusade to save Canoe Country. Oberholtzer’s vision, wisdom and insight encapsulate the meaning behind the stewardship of the land we visit today.
This book was published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press in 2001 and is widely available for purchase.
