Robert W. Hastings, Alabama Sierra Group:Montgomery Group [pictured at right: Bob and Inner City Outings kids (1996)]
What are your specific environmental interests?
My concern for the environment tends to be comprehensive, so choosing specific environmental concerns is somewhat difficult. However, based upon my career as a field biologist, I tend to be most interested in protecting natural areas, especially public lands that we can all enjoy for hiking, camping, bird-watching, and other outdoor activities. This interest also includes a focus on protecting Alabama’s wildlife that these natural areas support, with special concern for protecting the state’s biodiversity and endangered species. Another special concern is protecting clean water, for human consumption, for wildlife habitat, and for recreational activities such as swimming, boating, and fishing. Two areas of special interest that involve all our environmental concerns are Climate Change (which affects the global population) and Environmental Justice (which affects the most vulnerable of our population)
How are you helping Alabama explore, enjoy, and protect the environment?
I joined the Sierra Club in 1982 (first in New Jersey, then in Louisiana, and finally in Alabama). In each of these locations I have been active in the Sierra Club, and occupied numerous leadership positions, including Chapter Chair in Alabama and Montgomery Group Chair. I represented the Sierra Club on a task force to develop a comprehensive water management plan for the state and led the Chapter’s campaigns to protect funding for State Parks and Forever Wild. I moved to Alabama in 2002 to become director of the Alabama Natural Heritage Program and worked with other staff members and state agencies to protect natural areas and wildlife species of special concern. I have been devoted to environmental education programs and have made numerous presentations on Alabama biodiversity and wildlife (especially reptiles) to various groups, and written numerous articles on these subjects for magazines such as the Alabama Wildlife Federation’s “Alabama Wildlife”. My presentations on Alabama snakes (as Dr. Bob’s Traveling Snake Show), intended to convince people that snakes are not bad animals, have been especially popular. I have also worked with the Autauga Creek Improvement Committee in Prattville to develop a popular canoe trail on the creek and have taught numerous kayak classes for kids on the creek.
What is one of your favorite memories associated with the Sierra Club?
By far the greatest memories I have of working with the Sierra Club are the trips I took with the New Orleans Inner City Outings program (ICO – now called Inspiring Connections Outdoors). Led by Kate Mytron in 1993-2000, this program involved camping, canoeing, and hiking trips for inner city kids from low income communities in New Orleans, most of whom rarely left the city. Although initially apprehensive about leaving the supposed “safety” of the city to enter the unknown wilds of the Louisiana swamps and woodlands, these kids would soon blossom, and write great statements about the experiences they enjoyed so much. Of course, the Sierra Club leaders, including myself, were the ones who benefited the most from these experiences.
What is one action you would like to see more of from the Sierra Club Alabama Chapter?
The Alabama Chapter needs more activists to be involved with all of our campaigns. We have almost 4000 members in the state but at most a few hundred active members. Working for environmental protection in a state where the political leadership is mostly anti-environmental is a challenge. We have outstanding natural environments in Alabama, but we need strong environmental organizations to protect them. Even the state department designated as the environmental agency is more dedicated to environmental “management” than to environmental “protection”. So please get involved. Read the Chapter’s online newsletter. Attend monthly meetings of your local Group. Participate in the Chapter’s annual Retreat. Go along on Sierra Club sponsored outings. In these ways you can learn more about how you can help support the Chapter and protect Alabama’s natural environments.