On this 51st Earth Day we are remembering and celebrating the life and work of environmentalist Joan Luedders Wolfe who founded West Michigan Environmental Action Council in 1968 and was the first woman appointed to the Natural Resources Commission in 1973. Her work with WMEAC still impacts conservation efforts in Michigan today. Legislature such as the 1972 Inland Lakes and Streams Act, which continues to protect Michigan’s inland waterways from development and contamination and was made possible through the hard work of WMEAC under Wolfe’s leadership. Wolfe passed away on January 23, 2021, but leaves behind a legacy of trailblazing environmentalism. Learn more about her life and work in this recent WMEAC article.