Title: Wisconsin Citizens Environmental Council: Records
Inclusive Dates: 1965-1982

Creator:

• Wisconsin Citizens Environmental Council

Call Number: Series 1856; PH Series 1856; PH 6864

Quantity: 2.0 cubic feet (5 archives boxes), 0.4 cubic feet of photographs (1 archives box), 20 transparencies, and 1 tape recording

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Records of a Council of legislators, agency representatives, and citizen members concerned with improving the environmental beauty of Wisconsin. Included are minutes, reports, correspondence, and subject files documenting Council efforts in public education and motivation in billboard control; disposal of solid wastes such as beverage containers, litter, and junk cars; natural landscaping; and other areas. Formed as the Wisconsin Council on Natural Beauty in 1966, the Council was transferred to the Department of Administration and its membership and objectives were changed by legislative action in 1977.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-ser01856

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Formation of the Wisconsin Council on Natural Beauty was authorized under Chapter 575, Laws of 1965, effective July 1, 1966. With members drawn from the Legislature, state agencies, and the citizenry, the Council was attached to the Department of Resource Development for administrative purposes and was directly responsible to the Governor. As a result of government reorganization in 1967, the Council's name was changed to the Wisconsin Natural Beauty Council and it was shifted administratively to the Division of Tourism and Information within the Department of Natural Resources (Wis. Stats. 15.347(1) and 144.76). The name was changed once more, to the Wisconsin Citizens Environmental Council (Chapter 224, Laws of 1975). And in 1977, the Council was moved to the Department of Administration, its membership altered to consist of just seven citizen members, and its role changed to a more advisory and less action oriented program.

The Council's early programs stressed public education and motivation in beautifying the state, and information sharing. Activities such as advertising campaigns, a newsletter, slide and film productions, and awards to elementary school action projects and to environmental writers were undertaken to achieve these goals. The statutes called for organization of county councils and the state council encouraged their formation and activities. The Council devoted efforts to the areas of billboard control and disposal of solid wastes such as beverage containers, litter, and junk cars. One Council sub-committee was the Keep Wisconsin Clean Committee headed by T. E. Branagan. Formed originally in 1956 as the Governor's Committee for Elimination of Litter Along Wisconsin's Highways, this sub-committee maintained its program under Council auspices.

Later programs reflected a broader environmental perspective. The Council involved itself in energy issues, preservation of unique natural areas, natural roadsides promotion, preservation of small communities as individual cultural environments, and promotion of natural landscaping.

The Council was chaired successively by Molly Sulewsky (1966-1969), Charles F. Smith, Jr. (1970-1972), A. W. Jorgensen (1972), Elizabeth Bardwell (1973-1974), and Ellen Folsom (1975-1977).

The records in this series are those filed in the Department of Natural Resources by the various staff members associated with the Council. Included are minutes, reports, correspondence, press clippings and releases, and subject files. A full set of minutes is included but other records are less complete. Most thoroughly documented is the Council's involvement in promoting natural landscaping, 1974-1977.

Photographs and negatives, 1968-1970s, documenting the activities of the Wisconsin Environmental Council; images depict clean-up efforts, award ceremonies, various events, and the integration of the natural and built environments. Several Wisconsin communities are pictured, including Beloit, Green Bay, Fox Point, Janesville, La Crosse, Milwaukee, Sparta, and Whitefish Bay. Elected officials pictured include Governors Warren P. Knowles and Patrick Lucey. Photographs consist primarily of black and white prints. A small number of medium format and 35 mm negatives are included.

Custodial History

Originally accessioned as a manuscript collection under M77-233, presented via Dorothy Lagerroos of the Council staff. Transferred to the State Archives in 1979. No State Archives accession records were found in 1984 when this description was prepared.

Note

Separated materials: While processing, two photographs were transferred out of this collection. One photograph of Marshall C. Graff (University of Wisconsin Photographic Laboratory, 3656-E) was transferred to the Name File for Graff. The second photograph, showing a manufacturing office and a man working at a lathe (University of Wisconsin Photographic Laboratory 45301-C), has been transferred to a Gisholt photo lot in progress.

Series 1856	Series: Records
Box   1 Folder   1-7	Minutes and agenda, 1966-1978
Box   1 Folder   8-9	General reports and summaries, 1965-1976
Box   2 Folder   1-7	General correspondence and memoranda, 1966-1978
Box   2 Folder   8	Press clippings, 1966-1977
Box   2 Folder   9	Press releases, 1968-1977
	Subject file
Box   3 Folder   1	Conference on Use-Value Taxation, 1974
Box   3 Folder   2	Dane County Natural History Markers, 1971, 1974-1976
Box   3 Folder   3	“Development and Renewal for Small Communities” Conference, 1973
Box   3 Folder   4	Environmental conferences, 1976-1977
Box   3 Folder   5	Elementary school awards, 1970-1974
Box   3 Folder   6	Mainstreet Wisconsin competition, 1974-1975
	Natural landscaping
Box   3 Folder   7	Clippings
Box   3 Folder   8-9	Correspondence, 1973-1975
Box   4 Folder   1-2	Correspondence, 1975-1977
Box   4 Folder   3	Conference packets, 1976-1977
Box   4 Folder   4	Hager trial, 1975-1976
Box   4 Folder   5	Reference materials
Box   4 Folder   6	Weed law notes and testimony, 1974-1975
Box   4 Folder   7	Natural Beauty Council
Box   4 Folder   8	DNR Advisory Committees on Environmental Affairs
Box   4 Folder   9	Publicity campaign, 1967
Box   5 Folder   1-6	Minutes and meeting correspondence, 1978-1981
Box   5 Folder   7	Information about the WCEC
PH 6864	Series: Visual Materials	⇧
Box   1 Folder   1	Beloit (city of), Distinguished Service Award, 1968
Box   1 Folder   2	Boardroom photographs, circa 1970
Box   1 Folder   3	Building sketches (photocopies) / by B. Murray
Box   1 Folder   4	Cleanup and beautification, circa 1968
Box   1 Folder   5	Credit Union National Association Mutual (Madison) photos and contact print, 1975
Box   1 Folder   6	Events, 1960s-1970s
Box   1 Folder   7	Fountain construction and business district, La Crosse, circa 1970
Box   1 Folder   8	Great River Road scenic easement, 1960s
Box   1 Folder   9	Green Bay (including Hazelwood), color negatives, 1970s
Box   1 Folder   10	Green Bay color photographs (including Hazelwood), 1970s
Box   1 Folder   11	Dan Hagar home, wildlife ecologist, New Berlin, circa 1970
Box   1 Folder   12	Home landscaping, Fox Point-Whitefish Bay (Milwaukee area), 1975
Box   1 Folder   13	Janesville Gazette building, Janesville, circa 1970
Box   1 Folder   14	Governor's Citation presentation, Lakeview Elementary, Sparta, 1971
Box   1 Folder   15	Governor Warren P. Knowles, circa 1965-1971
Box   1 Folder   16	Governor Patrick Lucey presenting citation to Carl Schulz, 1971
Box   1 Folder   17	Litter and debris, 1960s-1970s
Box   1 Folder   18	Milwaukee, circa 1969
Box   1 Folder   19	Milwaukee Auntie Litter campaign, circa 1970
Box   1 Folder   20	Negatives (black and white), by Bob Green, 1960s-1970s
Box   1 Folder   21	Posters and slogans, circa 1968
Box   1 Folder   22	Wausau, circa 1970
Box   1 Folder   23	Wisconsin scenic tour (landmarks identified), color photographs, 1970s
PH Series 1856	Presentation on roadside beauty, Wisconsin: transparencies, circa 1975 Note: Audio recording to be played with slides is missing (02/07/2002).