Minnesota Environmental Issues Oral History Project: Interview with Robert L. Herbst

Titles: Minnesota Environmental Issues Oral History Project: Interview with Robert L. Herbst (Supplied title)

Description: BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Herbst is a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and graduated in 1957 from the University of Minnesota with a degree in forestry and wildlife management. After graduation, he worked as a forester for the Minnesota Conservation Department. He then served as executive director of Keep Minnesota Green, Inc., and as executive director of the Izaak Walton League of America. He has served as deputy commissioner and commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources as well as assistant secretary for Fish, Wildlife, National Parks in the Department of Interior and as acting secretary of the Department of Interior. In 1981, Herbst became executive director of Trout Unlimited. While assistant secretary for the Interior, one of Herbst's major achievements was the passage of the Alaska lands bill. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: His role as forester for the Department of Conservation; programs he was involved in as executive director of Keep Minnesota Green; importance of environmental education; events leading to his role as deputy commissioner of the Conservation Department. Izaak Walton League of America history of; his role as executive director, lobbying for wastewater treatment plants, and Earth Day; clear cutting issue in the Monongahela National Forest; role of U.S. Forest Service. His tenure as Commissioner of the DNR Leech Lake and Indian negotiations; Reserve Mining case, 1976 fire season; role of DNR commissioner; Boundary Waters issue. His tenure at the Department of Interior background of Alaska lands bill; current issues in management of Alaskan resources; James Watt; current federal attitude toward conservation; and future environmental concerns.

Dates

• 05/16/1988 (Creation)

Creation

• interviewer: Robertson, Margaret A.
• interviewee: Herbst, Robert L.

Identifiers

• Library Call Number: OH 58
• Accession Number: AV1988.99.14

Holding Type: Oral History - Interview

Project

• Oral History - Project, MHS Collection, project: 'Minnesota Environmental Issues Oral History Project' <OH 58>

Quantity: 3 hours sound cassette 52 pages transcript

Format

• Content Category: sound recordings
• Content Category: text

Measurements

• 180 minutes length

Subjects

How can we help?

• Help / About Collections Online
• Learn about the Collections
• Contact the Gale Family Library for help with research, orders, and use/licensing
• Have feedback or comments on the new Collections Online system? Please fill in the Collections Online Feedback Form.