[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 11] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 15744] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]TRIBUTE TO ROGER TORY PETERSON ______ HON. BRIAN HIGGINS of new york in the house of representatives Tuesday, July 22, 2008 Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the legacy of Roger Tory Peterson (1908-1996) and the centennial celebration that will be held at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute in Jamestown, NY from August 2008--August 2009. Roger Tory Peterson was America's most prominent ornithologist and bird artist in the 20th century. Many people have regarded him as being a modern day John James Audubon who introduced millions of people to the joys of bird watching. Not only was Peterson a world renowned ornithologist, but also photographer, film maker, writer and lecturer as well. Additionally to his credit, his Field Guide to the Birds has sold five million copies in five editions since 1934, and was selected by the New York Public Library as one of the 100 most important books of the 20th century. This book was so successful that it led to an entire series of Peterson Field Guides to be developed. Peterson released 50 titles covering practically every aspect of the natural world. This launched a career that made him the most prominent and honored naturalist of our time. For 60 years Peterson wrote and spoke about, illustrated, filmed and photographed the natural world. His articles, photographs and illustrations appeared not only in widely known magazines such as Life and National Geographic but also in a variety of other popular magazines. This allowed the public to become aware and appreciate nature through his work. Peterson worked tirelessly in defense of the natural world. He was very outspoken and as a result he helped see through the passage of crucial environmental legislation such as the National Environmental Policy Act and the ban on DDT. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980 and was twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, received 23 Honorary Doctorates and scores of other honors including the John Burroughs Award for Nature Writing, the Conservation Medal of the National Audubon Society, Conservation Achievement Award of the National Wildlife Federation, the Smithsonian Institution's James Smithson Medal, World Wildlife Fund Gold Medal, Linnaeus Gold Medal from the Swedish Academy of Sciences, and was inducted into the United States Conservation Hall of Fame, all for his work on behalf of the natural world. Founded in 1985, the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History, located in Peterson's hometown of Jamestown, NY is an educational institution charged with preserving Peterson's lifetime body of work and making it available to the world for educational purposes. Housed in its archives are thousands of items ranging from paintings, original graphic art renderings, photographs, films, manuscripts and correspondence that tell the story of Peterson's career. The Roger Tory Peterson Institute plays host to visitors from around the world that come to view these treasures. Yet, because Peterson educated, entertained and enriched the lives of people everywhere, these deserve greater and more widespread exposure through exhibition at museums and the other cultural venues nationwide. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing the enduring Peterson who continues to enable millions of people to come to know and appreciate the value of nature and recognize the wellbeing of people and the natural world are one and the same. This deep, profound legacy deserves to be celebrated on the 100th anniversary of his birth, and is the reason why it is appropriate and necessary to celebrate Peterson's lifework and legacy. ____________________