WILDERNESS CHAMPIONS

Wilderness Champions: Al Carr | Bobbie Holaday | Wilderness Supporters

Like a Pebble in a Pond

The conservation community lost a true wilderness hero in early September with the passing of Al Carr, a dedicated follower and interpreter of Aldo Leopold's wilderness wisdom. He is the Arizona Wilderness Coalition's "Wilderness Hero"--both in spirit and action.

Al Carr was born March 26, 1946, in the back hills of Tennessee, by his estimation, "the second-youngest and best-looking of 12 children." The first and only of the twelve to graduate from high school, Al's life has been his higher education.

Al moved to Prescott, Arizona, in 1995, where, drawn by its focus on experiential education, he planned to enroll at Prescott College. Shortly thereafter, he was diagnosed with melanoma and given 6 weeks to 6 months to live. His response? "They aren't talking about me." And with that knowledge and the faith of his fiancée, Rita Cantu, he married and became stepfather to Paco Cantu instead.

Al worked throughout Prescott as a Prescott College mentor, group facilitator, designer, carpenter, restorer of historic homes, and community activist. He has also worked as a paramedic and wrote books on Emergency Medical Services.

Throughout his life, Al enjoyed hiking, running, bicycling, and was an avid reader. Among his favorites was the poetry of the 14 th century mystic poet, Hafiz, whose words somehow presaged Al's own when Hafiz wrote, "I rarely let the word, 'No' escape from my mouth, because it is so plain to my soul that God has shouted, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" to every luminous movement in existence."

Al dedicated the last decades of his life to fostering a love for the land, catalyzing people, and exhibiting a joy of life infectious to everyone around him. A primary endeavor was presenting the life and teachings of fellow-conservationist Aldo Leopold in chautauqua performances at national parks, schools, and other venues from California to Tennessee. Al performed his famous version of Leopold at the Arizona Wilderness Coalition's Wilderness Retreat on the Blue River two years ago.

"I am very honored that Al called me to say good-bye and ask that I help his wife, Rita, to maintain the presence of the Aldo Leopold Foundation here in the west," says Donald Hoffman, AWC's executive director. "I don't believe I have ever met someone so universally loved as Al Carr. He was a bridge to people with very diverse backgrounds and his unassuming persona and power as an educator will be sorely missed."

Al brought to his character, a warmth and credibility based upon his own sincerity, passion for the land, and warm, intimate style. Bringing Aldo Leopold to life allowed Al to share his own passionate commitment to conservation, as well as Leopold's ground-breaking concept of the "land ethic" with audiences across the stunning country that nurtured both Leopold and Carr. For his work, Al received the "Teacher of the Year" Award from the Leopold Foundation in Sept. of this year.

Among the wisdom Al passed on through the character of Aldo Leopold, are these words: "Possibly in our intuitive perception, which may be truer than our science and less impeded by words than our philosophies, we realize the indivisibility of the earth, its soils, mountains, rivers, forests, climate, plants and animals, and respect it collectively.not only as a useful servant, but as a living being."

In a speech before a Prescott College graduating class, Al began, "I wonder if you are aware of how powerful you are? How many lives you touch everyday? Like a pebble in a pond, your thoughts and actions ripple outward to touch lives in ways you may never know."