Full Review by Kevin Proescholdt
In the history of the modern environmental movement, one name stands out above all others among those who have fought for wild places and wilderness for more than a half-century. That person is Brock Evans who, since the early 1960s, has continuously battled to protect wild places across the nation, inspiring and working with local activists to save these wild forests, parks, wilderness, and wildlife.
Brock has finally written his autobiography, titled after the phrase he has used for 60 years in devising and implementing scores of campaigns: “Endless Pressure, Endlessly Applied.” A brilliant tactician and strategist, an incisive intellect, a passionate warrior for the wild, an inspirational general in almost countless battles to save wildlands, and a tireless activist who often fought multiple battles at the same time, Brock Evans has motivated and continues to motivate generations of citizen activists across the nation to save the wild places and wildlife that they love. In the process, Brock has saved millions upon millions of acres of Wild America, areas now protected as National Parks, Wildernesses, National Wildlife Refuges, and more.
Brock’s environmental activism began in earnest in the early 1960s, as a freshly-minted lawyer in Seattle. Hiking and climbing in the Cascades, he began working as a volunteer on campaigns to save special places in the Pacific Northwest. Hired by the Sierra Club’s David Brower in 1967, Brock served as the Club’s Northwest Representative, working on campaigns from northern California to Washington to Idaho and Montana. Here he struggled to create the North Cascades National Park, the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, French Pete Creek, Hells Canyon, Congaree Swamp, and many more.
In 1973, Brock moved to Washington, DC, to lead the Sierra Club’s office there. Here his scope of work expanded nation-wide, where he worked to save the natural treasures of Alaska, the roadless areas of the National Forests, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) of Minnesota, the Lincoln-Scapegoat Wilderness, the Salmo Priest Wilderness, and many more.
It was during the campaign to save the BWCAW from 1974-78 where I first met and worked with Brock. He was a tireless champion, knew the ins and outs of Congress like few others, had built a rock-solid reputation with Members of Congress, and provided invaluable strategic leadership to help push the 1978 BWCAW Act through Congress in the final hours of the session.
In 1981 Brock moved to the National Audubon Society, where he continued his work in Washington , DC, through 1996. He continued his work to save wild places, including the Sky Lakes Wilderness, Mission Mountains Wilderness expansion, Great Bear Wilderness, new Wildernesses in Oregon and Washington, and many more.
In 1997, Brock began work as the head of the Endangered Species Coalition, a position he held for another decade. Here he led a team devoted to protecting the Endangered Species Act from political attacks, and the marvelous array of endangered wildlife the law protects. In recent years, Brock and wife Linda Garcia moved back to Oregon, where Brock continues to fight for wild places like the Lostine River Canyon in the Eagle Cap Wilderness.
One of Brock’s great strengths through the decades has been not only his own love of beautiful wild places, but his ability to inspire others to fight for those wild places, even in the face of seemingly hopeless odds. “This American Earth I love is vast and beautiful,” he writes near the end of Endless Pressure, Endlessly Applied. “Its wild beauty and diversity, its wilderness and quiet places, its sheer magnificence have nourished and enriched me emotionally and spiritually all my life. I wish the same for you.” His love of the American Earth and his work to protect it have benefitted us all.
Brock has finally written his autobiography, titled after the phrase he has used for 60 years in devising and implementing scores of campaigns: “Endless Pressure, Endlessly Applied.” A brilliant tactician and strategist, an incisive intellect, a passionate warrior for the wild, an inspirational general in almost countless battles to save wildlands, and a tireless activist who often fought multiple battles at the same time, Brock Evans has motivated and continues to motivate generations of citizen activists across the nation to save the wild places and wildlife that they love. In the process, Brock has saved millions upon millions of acres of Wild America, areas now protected as National Parks, Wildernesses, National Wildlife Refuges, and more.
Brock’s environmental activism began in earnest in the early 1960s, as a freshly-minted lawyer in Seattle. Hiking and climbing in the Cascades, he began working as a volunteer on campaigns to save special places in the Pacific Northwest. Hired by the Sierra Club’s David Brower in 1967, Brock served as the Club’s Northwest Representative, working on campaigns from northern California to Washington to Idaho and Montana. Here he struggled to create the North Cascades National Park, the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, French Pete Creek, Hells Canyon, Congaree Swamp, and many more.
In 1973, Brock moved to Washington, DC, to lead the Sierra Club’s office there. Here his scope of work expanded nation-wide, where he worked to save the natural treasures of Alaska, the roadless areas of the National Forests, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) of Minnesota, the Lincoln-Scapegoat Wilderness, the Salmo Priest Wilderness, and many more.
It was during the campaign to save the BWCAW from 1974-78 where I first met and worked with Brock. He was a tireless champion, knew the ins and outs of Congress like few others, had built a rock-solid reputation with Members of Congress, and provided invaluable strategic leadership to help push the 1978 BWCAW Act through Congress in the final hours of the session.
In 1981 Brock moved to the National Audubon Society, where he continued his work in Washington , DC, through 1996. He continued his work to save wild places, including the Sky Lakes Wilderness, Mission Mountains Wilderness expansion, Great Bear Wilderness, new Wildernesses in Oregon and Washington, and many more.
In 1997, Brock began work as the head of the Endangered Species Coalition, a position he held for another decade. Here he led a team devoted to protecting the Endangered Species Act from political attacks, and the marvelous array of endangered wildlife the law protects. In recent years, Brock and wife Linda Garcia moved back to Oregon, where Brock continues to fight for wild places like the Lostine River Canyon in the Eagle Cap Wilderness.
One of Brock’s great strengths through the decades has been not only his own love of beautiful wild places, but his ability to inspire others to fight for those wild places, even in the face of seemingly hopeless odds. “This American Earth I love is vast and beautiful,” he writes near the end of Endless Pressure, Endlessly Applied. “Its wild beauty and diversity, its wilderness and quiet places, its sheer magnificence have nourished and enriched me emotionally and spiritually all my life. I wish the same for you.” His love of the American Earth and his work to protect it have benefitted us all.
Reviewed by Kevin Proescholdt
Conservation Director
Wilderness Watch
Conservation Director
Wilderness Watch