Links: People

Eiseley, Loren

Eiseley once described Olson as "the spokesman for woodlands almost gone, for the unbeaten trails that were once all wild America. He is that rare and altogether exceptional writer who magically conveys upon the printed page the age-old writing once only to be found in a wolf's tracks." Sigurd, in turn, once wrote that he wanted to write like a "Loren Eiseley for the common man." They got to know each other in the 1960s, when they had briefly overlapping terms on the National Park Service's Advisory Board. This web site is from the Friends of Loren Eiseley Society.

Leopold, Aldo

In 1933, Aldo Leopold tried to get Sigurd to become his first doctoral student at the University of Wisconsin. It didn't work out, but the two men stayed in touch until Leopold's death in 1948. This is the web site of the Aldo Leopold Foundation.

Muir, John

Olson, of course, didn't know Muir (he was just 15 when Muir died at the end of 1914), and he wasn't strongly influenced by Muir, either. There are interesting parallels in their lives, however, and anyone who wants to understand the context of modern environmentalism should learn about Muir. This site is the best place on the web to start.

Oberholtzer, Ernest

Ernest Oberholtzer, known as "Ober" to his friends, was one of the founders of The Wilderness Society and led the fight to preserve the Quetico-Superior Canoe Country in the crucial first couple of decades before Sigurd Olson emerged to carry on the fight for the next generation. Ober was a mentor and friend to Sigurd, and a relatively unsung hero of wilderness preservation. This is the site of the Ernest C. Oberholtzer Foundation.

Thoreau, Henry David

Thoreau was an inspiration to Sigurd, a source of encouragement when Sigurd was frustrated with life and was trying to hang on to his dream of being a writer. This site is the best starting point on the web for Thoreau information and writings.