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A blazing start
Leakey visit, tour highlight IRM's first year
I
n this era of cutbacks, pared programs
and extinct services, the long-awaited
inauguration of the Institute for Resource
Management began with a blaze.
After two years of lund raising, Robert Redford,
the institute's lounder, finally managed
to raise the 6.5 million dollars that were needed
for the endowment.
In the fall, the program got under way when
noted anthropologist Richard Leakey and
Redford accompanied the 20 graduate
students from the University of Idaho and
Washington State University on a field trip to
Marmes rockshelter. However, just outside of
Washtucna, Wash., their bus caught fire and
they were delayed until other transportation
could be arranged.
Despite the mishap, Hope Moore, executive
director of the institute, felt all went well. She
added that the logistics involved with
bringing together two personalities the
caliber of Redford and Leakey were tremendous.
While on the road, Redford talked individually
with each of the IBM fellows to get to know them and lind
out their needs and expectations of the program.
Redford said he has been criticized in the past for being
totally opposed to resource development. He explained that it
was a distorted view that has led some to accuse him of start-
On the run.
hat out.lde 01 Wonhtuena.
WadliDgtoD. the bWl that
the IRM .ludeDt. aDd Redford
.ere tiding In eaught
fhe. The Itlp to Marme.
roebhelter wa. delayed
until other tran.portoUon
could antve. (photo by M.
Touhey)
ing the institute for publicity reasons.
The criticism caused him to back off and
quietly put his energy into something constructive.
"Action has much more volume than words,"
he said.
After having spent a great deal of time
working in Washington, D.C., Redford began
to realize he was dealing with different government
agencies whose views didn't extend
beyond the limits of their departments. During
this time, he also realized that his local area in
Utah was very fragile and decisions were
being made without enough forethought as to
the consequences.
He said his involvement in Utah, coupled
with a lot of thought, made him realize the
need for a new type of manager to make
balanced decisions between resource
development and preservation.
At the concluding lecture, sponsored by the
IRM, Leakey discussed the possibility of man's
battle over the world's remaining resources,
including the use of nuclear weapons, which
would destroy the environment.
Leakey said the multi-disciplinary approach of the institute
followed his own beliefs on natural resource management, and
he predicted that if the program is successful, similar institutes
might develop elsewhere. 0
Up in smo1ce
After a quick dam 10 a nearby fClfm
101' water. Redford and bWl driver
10m Welch had put oul the bu. fire
I.a relal1vely eo.y lonhion. The fire
.tafled as the r..ult of a fautty ex·
hau.1 maDlfold. (photo by M.
Touhey)
Redford 97