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Huey JohnsonHuey Johnson (January 6, 1933 – July 12, 2020) was an American environmentalist. He was noted as a prolific organizer.[1] Among other organizations, he founded the Trust for Public Land[2] and the Resource Renewal Institute (RRI), a non-profit organization that deals with environmental sustainability. Early life and educationJohnson was born in central Michigan. At age nine, Johnson moved with his family to Lansing, where his father worked in a General Motors assembly plant, and Huey was able to spend a lot of time outdoors. One year, he enjoyed the Michigan United Conservation Clubs’ “summer conservation camp”. His mother got him acquainted with the local Carnegie Library.[3] Johnson earned a B.A. in biology at Western Michigan University, and an M.S. in Wildlife Management at Utah State University.[3] His work in relation to land and resources matters developed out of his knowledge of both the history of environmental impacts within the U.S. and the millennia-long histories of environmental impacts on societies worldwide.[4] Career
Johnson worked in a travelling sales position for Union Carbide, based first in San Francisco and later in Denver. Leaving that job, he settled in the Bay Area and, in 1963, became the western states representative for the Nature Conservancy.[3] Some years later, he connected with environmentalists in the Bay Area circles of Dick Raymond and Stewart Brand; Raymond and Brand had founded the POINT Foundation. After serving for two years in the early 1970s on the Foundation's board, Johnson developed the idea for the Trust for Public Land. He left the POINT board, and subsequently the Foundation provided him some initial funding for the undertaking.[2]: 134 He also founded the Grand Canyon Trust and the Environmental Liaison Center.[5] Johnson was appointed secretary for the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) during the Jerry Brown administration, with the approval of the California State Senate, Johnson served from 1978 to 1982, .[6] Johnson was known for introducing Green Plans, an integrated approach to protecting and managing natural resources, to the United States. He had travelled to Norway in the late 1980s where he developed a keen interest in green plans; the Norwegians told him he’d do better to study what had been accomplished with them in the Netherlands.[4] He believed that these plans could contribute to managing Climate Change. Green Plans, which have been implemented in the Netherlands (Nederland), New Zealand, Sweden, and Mexico City, provide useful working models to help countries plan for a more sustainable future.[7][8][9][10] By the 1990s, Johnson was publicly expressing concern for atmospheric CO2 levels and glbal climate change.[11] In 2001, the United Nations Environmental Programme awarded Johnson the $200,000 Sasakawa Prize, considered one of the world's most important environmental awards.[12] Aas well, Johnson's work in resource management has been praised by United Nations officials for having a global perspective. The United Nations has called Johnson "a catalyst and champion for environmental protection”.[13] DeathJohnson died on July 12, 2020, at the age of 87.[14] See also
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