Unsung Heroes: Women In Conservation- Mollie Beattie (April 27,1947 – June 27, 1996)

You can find my source here.

Author’s Note – Of the women I have researched for this project, Ms. Beattie’s story has struck a profound chord with me because she was only two years older than I am now when a brain tumor tragically ended her life.

Who was Mollie Beattie?

A University of Vermont graduate (she earned a masters in Forestry), she served as the commissioner of Vermont’s Forests, Parks and Recreation from 1985 to 1989. Afterward she was appointed Deputy Secretary of Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources. Her work soon garnered national attention and in 1993, Bill Clinton appointed her to be the first female Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. One of her first projects was to help the government create 15 new national wildlife refuges. Ms. Beattie was also part of the team which successfully brought the gray wolf back to the northern Rocky Mountains and she physically released the first wolf back into Yellowstone herself. She spent much of her career advocating for strengthening the Endangered Species Act, but sadly had to retire in early 1996 due to her failing health. After she passed away, Congress renamed an eight million acre tract of land in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for her and in 2000, Crystal Creek Pack at Yellowstone was renamed Mollie’s Pack.

I can’t help but think about how she would be my mother’s age this year if she hadn’t died so tragically young, and I wonder what other success she undoubtedly would have had.