40th Anniversary of the 1965 White House Conference on Natural Beauty
On May 24, 2005, over 100 people traveled to the first “White House”, George Washington’s Historic Home, Mount Vernon, to commemorate and celebrate the White House Conference on Natural Beauty on May 24, 1965. This was part of America the Beautiful Fund’s 40th Anniversary celebration because the White House Conference was the inspiration for America the Beautiful Fund to be started in December, 1965, to answer the conference’s call for Citizen Action to save the natural and historic beauty of America.
The forum was planned to encourage people to look back on what has been accomplished in saving our country’s farmscapes, rivers, roadsides, cityscapes, trees and parks over the past 40 years and encourage people to work even harder for the next 40 years. Over 100 people representing environmental and conservation programs and institutions attended the forum. Henry Diamond, the director of the 1965 White House Conference on Natural Beauty told how President and Mrs. Johnson welcomed people to the conference to try to inspire them to save the beauty of America. Keep America Beautiful told how the Crying Indian mobilized Americans to clean up litter and start recycling. Scenic Hudson told of the initial effort to save Storm King Mountain and how it led to saving the majestic Hudson River, including their most recent victory of stopping a cement plant from being built on the riverbank.
Forum on Natural Beauty for America
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
1:30-Welcome
James Rees, Director, Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens
Introduction of Henry Diamond
Kay Lautman, President, Lautman & Co. and original
Delegate to 1965 White House Conference The Conference on Natural Beauty 1965
Henry Diamond, Beveridge & Diamond, P.C.
Executive Director of the 1965 White House Conference on Natural Beauty
Lynda Johnson Robb
40 Years of Citizen Action to Save the Beauty of America
Nanine Bilski, President, America the Beautiful Fund®
The Changing Landscapes of America's Highways
Meg Maguire, Conservation Consultant, Former President, Scenic America
How the "Crying Indian", Iron Eyes Cody, Mobilized Americans
Susanne Woods, Vice President, Keep America Beautiful
3:05-3:25-Break
Planting Trees Across America
Susan Mockenhaupt, USDA Forest Service
Bringing the American Elm back to America's Main Streets
Dan Smith, Casey Tree Endowment Fund
How Treetures teach children about the importance of Trees
Jennifer Hendrichs, National Tree Trust and Chlorophillis Treeture
Saving America's Farmscapes
Simon Sidamon-Eristoff, American Farmland Trust
Preserving our Water and Waterfronts
Edward Sullivan, President, Scenic Hudson
Passion for Gardens-How People Hunger for Natural Beauty in Their Lives
Peter Bochenek, Landscape Architect
How 800 Inner City Gardens Bring Beauty to Low Income Housing Projects
Howard Hemmings, New York City Housing Authority
An Ethic for the Built Environment
Ronald Lee Fleming, The Townscape Institute
Pledge to Beauty in America
Video of Ladybird Johnson
6:00-Reception and Tour of Mt. Vernon